April 27, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 1 ASU Softball team put on a clinic Sunday afternoon as they collected 12 hits for nine runs in a five-inning 9-0 win over the Oregon Ducks to sweep their third Pac-10 series of the year. Katie Burkhart pitched the complete-game shutout, allowing only two hits and striking out nine, while Kaitlin Cochran hit a grand slam and Kristen Miller another two run home run to top off the outing. The win places ASU at 52-3 overall and 14-1 in conference action while dropping Oregon to 29-22 overall and 2-11 in the Pac-10.
The game started off slow with both teams remaining deadlocked until the third inning where the Ducks came unraveled as ASU's offense caught fire as they put together a two-out rally to knock eight consecutive hits for seven runs, with the highlight coming from Kaitlin Cochran who dug in with bases-loaded to hit a 3-1 pitch deep to center for a grand slam and her 11th home run of the season.
With Katie Burkhart pitching masterfully in the circle, the Sun Devils rallied up again in the fourth inning as a four-pitch walk to lead-off batter Lesley Rogers proved to be costly for the Ducks as Kristen Miller stepped in next to shotgun a long ball over left field for her 12th home run of the season, giving ASU the 9-0 advantage.
The home run was ASU's 84th on the season, seting a new season record for home runs, besting the record of 83 set last season.
With the advantage, Katie Burkhart closed out the game early, collecting her 29th win on the season, only two hits from perfection again.
The Sun Devils will take to the diamond again next weekend as they travel to Seattle and Los Angeles to take on Pac-10 foes Washington and UCLA Friday, May 3-5.