March 6, 1999
TEMPE, Ariz. - The eighth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (17-3) swept its season-opening doubleheader against Cal State-Northridge (7-6) by scores of 3-2 and 5-0 at the Sun Devil Club Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
Freshman pitcher Kirsten Voak picked up her eighth win of the season in the first game against the Matadors, giving up five hits while striking out seven.
ASU went up 2-1 in the first inning before Northridge catcher Jamie Moore tied the score with a solo homer into left field in the sixth inning. ASU's Kathy Ponce doubled into centerfield to bring home teammate Jen Langenhuizen for the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
Freshman infielder Nichole Thompson went 2-for-3 at the plate and also scored one run. Voak went 1-for-1 with one RBI.
In the second game against the Matadors, freshman pitcher Erica Beach picked up her second shutout and also her eighth win of the season, giving up seven hits while striking out five.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Sun Devils scored twice on a single by Ponce and an error by Matador shortstop Ashlie Hayes. The Sun Devils continued the momentum into the next inning, scoring three more runs on a one RBI double by Voak and a two RBI single by Beach for the final score.
Up next, the Sun Devils head to San Jose, Calif. on March 12-14 for the National Invitational Softball Tournament.