May 25, 2002
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Arizona State pitcher Erica Beach (33-14) continues her incredible run through the postseason as she went the distance, limiting the top-ranked and top-seeded UCLA Bruins (55-9) to six hits as Arizona State (46-19) eliminated UCLA and moved into the Women's College World Series semifinals with a 2-1 win Saturday night in Oklahoma City. Arizona State will next face its third straight Pac-10 team when California and the Sun Devils square off on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (Arizona time) on ESPN.
The Sun Devils produced two crucial runs with two outs in the third inning off UCLA pitcher Amanda Freed (21-4). After Freed got a strikeout and a ground out, Kristin Farber started the rally and extended her hitting streak to 15 games with an infield hit. Kara Brun followed with another single to left field. Phelan Wright, one of 10 finalists for National Player of the Year Honors, doubled to right field, driving in Farber for the first run. Beach was then intentionally walked to load the bases. Missy Hixon then took a Freed pitch the opposite way into left field for another single as Brun came home from third for which turned out to be the eventual winning run.
Beach was in control most of the game as she scattered six hits and allowed only one run in the sixth. After getting Natasha Watley to ground out, Freed singled to right followed by another single to left by Tairia Mims. Stacey Nuveman then drilled a double to the right field corner, scoring Freed. However, that was all the Bruins would score as Beach got Claire Sua and Stephanie Ramos to ground out and end the threat.