April 6, 2007
TUCSON, Ariz. - In a game was a typical Pac-10 pitching battle that went down to the wire, the No. 7 Sun Devil Softball team fell in a 1-0 heartbreaker to their in-state rival and defending national champions, the No. 5 Arizona Wildcats. The game ended in the seventh with a `Cat just barely sliding under the glove of Kristen Miller to finish it. The Sun Devils are now 36-9 overall and 2-2 in Pac-10 play while Arizona improves to 27-8 overall and 3-1 in the Pac-10.
The Sun Devils found themselves in a tight spot right off the bat in the first as the `Cats loaded the bases with no outs before a 5-2-3 double play and a line out ended the inning for Arizona leaving the Sun Devils unscathed. Katie Burkhart found herself in a few tight spots again throughout the game but managed to strikeout 12 while allowing only five hits to the `Cats.
Taryne Mowatt pitched an amazing game as well for the `Cats as she had a perfect game through six innings before a throwing error put Rhiannon Baca on second. Mowatt ended with a no-hitter with 11 K's in 23 batters faced.
The deciding play came in the bottom of the seventh as with two `Cats on base, one by an Sun Devil error on a dropped pop up, as shortstop Kristie Fox lined one to left on the first pitch she saw which saw pinch runner Jill Malina sneak in just under the tag to end the deadlock and the game.
The Sun Devils will hit the diamond again tomorrow night as they take on the No. 5 `Cats again. The game is set to start at 7:05 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ESPN2.