March 16, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - Even with Katie Burkhart's 17 K's, the No. 2 Sun Devil Softball team suffered another blow Friday night as they fell in a gritty 2-0 loss in eight innings to the #16 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. The loss puts ASU at 28-4 overall and 1-2 in pool play.
The game proved to be a pitching battle as the tournament's top two pitching teams went head-to-head with ASU ace Katie Burkhart taking on ULL's Brittany Cuevas. The both pitched a full seven-inning shut-out before going into extra innings.
In the eighth, the international tie-break rule placed centerfielder Karli Hubbard on second where a single and a costly ASU error by designated player Holly Tankersley plated Hubbard. The Cajuns struck again as right fielder Desi Chatman doubled down the right field line to score another before Burkhart closed out the innings with two more of her 17 strikeouts.
The Sun Devils made a nail-biter though as an error and a single loaded up the bases with two outs as Kaitlin Cochran stepped to the plate and on an 0-2 pitch she grounded to the second baseman, where Cochran made a headfirst diving play at first, but was called out to end it.
The Sun Devils will enter the consolation bracket tomorrow where they'll face either Cal State Fullerton or Texas pending on the outcome of the Notre Dame vs. Louisiana-Lafayette nightcap game.