May 16, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas - A four run third inning provided the needed offense as freshman pitchers Ashley Werschky (10-6) and Desiree Serrano limited Louisiana State (50-18) to four hits as Arizona State (32-24) kept their regional hope alive with a 4-1 win Friday night in NCAA Regional 3 action in Austin, Texas. Head Coach Linda Wells also claimed her 500th career win at the helm of the Sun Devil program.
Both teams were held scoreless until the Devils broke it open with four runs in the third. Jen McCard started the frame with a double to left centerfield off LSU starter Kristin Schmidt (34-15). Valerie Sevilla followed with a single to left, moving McCard to third. Kristin Farber then beat out an infield single to score McCard for the first run. After a fielder's choice by Jennifer Forner and a Kara Brun walk, Phelan Wright smashed the ball to the LSU shortstop, who misplayed the ball allowing both Sevilla and Forner to come home. Carla Strege then grounded out to the shortstop, but Brun scored on the play to push the lead to 4-0.
Werschky kept the Tigers at bay with only two hits until the sixth inning when she allowed two singles to plate the only LSU run. Serrano then relived Werschky to get the final two outs of the inning and retire the LSU side in order in the seventh to earn her nine save of the year, a new single-season record in the Pac-10 Conference.
Up next, the Devils will face Hawaii on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. (Central) to stay alive in the regional.