March 30, 2007
WESTWOOD, Calif. - Another name was etched in Sun Devil Softball history Friday afternoon as Katie Burkhart broke the ASU career strikeout record held by pitching coach, Kirsten Voak. The #7 Sun Devil Softball team defeated the #11 UCLA Bruins 6-0 in Westwood, California in their Pac-10 opener, their first win against UCLA since 2002 in the College World Series. The Sun Devils are now 35-7 and 1-0 in Pac-10 play with a game versus #12 Washington looming tomorrow.
Katie Burkhart controlled the Bruins throughout the game, allowing only one hit to the Bruins and fanning eight to bring her career total to 897 and her current record to 17-5. Burkhart also entered the Pac-10 record books as her 897 strikeouts puts her 10th all-time in career strikeout leaders ahead of Washington's Jennifer Spediacci who tallied 894 in her career.
The Sun Devils struck first in the second inning as a UCLA error put Jackie Vasquez on base before two walks from Bruin ace, Angelica Selden loaded the bases for the top of the order where lead-off hitter, Jessica Mapes came up with a clutch hit over the head of Selden to plate Vasquez and push ASU ahead 1-0.
The Sun Devils added a run in the fourth as well as Selden struck out two before falling behind on the count to Kristen Miller who took a 3-1 pitch deep to left field for her fifth home run of the season to jump ASU up 2-0 over the Bruins. ASU added three more as well in the fifth off of two costly Bruin errors as they headed into the back half of the game up 5-0.
Kaitlin Cochran added another insurance run in the seventh as she crushed a ball over the right center fence for her eleventh home run of the season to put the Sun Devils at their final resting score of 6-0 over the Bruins.
The Sun Devils will continue their Pac-10 season tomorrow as they face the #12 Washington Huskies Saturday at 2 p.m. in Seattle at Husky Stadium.