March 8, 2003
Box Score
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - A throwing error to home on Oregon State's pitcher allowed Kara Brun to slide home safe in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel the 10th-ranked Arizona State softball team (20-6) to a thrilling 3-2 win in eight innings over 17th-ranked Oregon State (17-9). The win advances the Devils to a semifinals showdown with another Pac-10 team, eighth-ranked California at 4:00 p.m. today.
With the score tied at two, Kristin Farber was placed on second per International Tiebreaker rules. Brun then hit into a fielder's choice to second, but Farber was thrown out at third trying to advance. Phelan Wright followed with a single to center, moving Brun to second while Adriana Garcia singled to left to load the bases with one out. Carla Strege then hit into an apparent fielder's choice back to Oregon State pitcher Amy Klever, but Klever's throw home was in the dirt as Brun slid into catcher Shelly Prochaska and was called safe as Prochaska could not come up with the ball.
A pitcher's dual between Klever and Desiree Serrano kept the board cleared until the Beavers' hit two solo home runs in the fifth inning by Steph Adams and Lisa Allen. The Devils, however, would respond with two of their own to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Keri Pulcifer singled to left. OSU then switched pitchers from Klever to Monica Hoffman and Billie Akauola came in to pinch run for Pulcifer. Ashley Weschky followed with another single to center and was replaced by pinch runner Katie Cobos. Jen McCard then executed a perfect sacrifice, advancing Akauola to third and Cobos to second. Jennifer Forner followed with a clutch single to centerfield to drive in the Akauola and Cobos to tie the game and send it into the extra frame where the Devils won it.
Serrano posted her second win of the tournament and 12th of the year. She gave up seven hits and two runs with nine strikeouts, giving her 124 on the year. Klever took the loss as the Devils had 13 hits in the game off Klever and Hoffman.