March 17, 2007
FULLERTON, Calif. - In a game decided by long balls, the No. 2 Sun Devils were the ones left standing, as they pushed the Cal State Fullerton Titans to nine innings Saturday morning with Rhiannon Baca's walk-off three run home run blasting ASU past CSF 4-1. The Sun Devils are now 29-4 overall as Cal State slips to 14-13.
The game proved to be a pitching battle between ASU's Katie Burkhart and CSF's Candice Baker, who both a scoreless game until the sixth inning when Burkhart gave up a solo home run to the Titans' third baseman, Jessica Doucette. The Devils matched the homer in the bottom of the inning as Kaitlin Cochran dug in on a 1-0 pitch to crush a solo home run over right field, her seventh of the season.
Baker and Burkhart kept it tied through extra innings, with Burkhart getting a boost from a huge double play in the ninth with a diving catch from Caylyn Carlson, who picked off a runner at third to end it.
In the bottom of the ninth ASU put two on with the international tie-break runner on second followed with a single from Caylyn Carlson. Junior shortstop Rhiannon Baca stepped up to finish the game taking a 2-0 pitch deep to left field to plate three.
ASU advances in the consolation bracket and will play N.C. State tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. at the Cal State Fullerton Softball Complex.