March 15, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 1 Sun Devil Softball team hit .518 on the day with six home runs and 24 runs scored as they extended their win streak to 27 games with two wins, 13-8 and 11-0 (5) over the Santa Clara Broncos Saturday afternoon in Tempe. Kaitlin Cochran and Renee Welty both hit two home runs apiece as Amanda Nesbitt pitched a no-hitter in game two to lead ASU. The Sun Devils are now 30-1 overall while Santa Clara falls to 4-29.
Game one gave the starting nod for five new faces on the Sun Devil squad, who backed Megan Elliott in the circle. While Elliott held the Broncos in the first, ASU went on the bottom half of the inning to tack on five to the scoreboard, led by Sarah Rice's first career grand slam as she tore a 2-1 pitch deep to center field to clear the bags. The Broncos rallied back with three runs in the second, but ASU silenced them again with four more in the bottom of the inning as Mandy Urfer hit her first career home run with a two-RBI smash to left center.
After ASU added two in the third, Santa Clara rallied back putting five on the board in the fourth with Maggie Godfrey hitting the first pitch she saw with bases loaded to right center to bring the Broncos within three runs. Elliott regained her composer and saw the game through, as she shut down Santa Clara for the remainder and took her 11th win on the season.
Game two saw a phenomenal outing for the Sun Devils, both offensively and defensively as Amanda Nesbitt shone in the circle for ASU, throwing her first complete game no-hitter as a Sun Devil to the Broncos as her offense rallied around her putting 11 runs on the board with 12 hits.
Kaitlin Cochran came out red-hot in the game as she had been intentionally walked twice times already in the day, hitting back-to-back two-RBI home runs in the first and second inning to give ASU the 4-0 edge after two complete. The fourth inning saw the offense really click into gear though as ASU put five hits on the board for seven runs anchored by Renee Welty's second home run of the day with a three RBI shot to left field as the Sun Devils finished out the game in an 11-0 rout of the Broncos.
The Sun Devils will hit the road next weekend as they head to Fullerton, Calif. next weekend to compete in the Judi Garmen Classic. Play begins on Wednesday, March 19 at the Cal State Fullerton Softball Complex.