June 3, 2006
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - In their fourth match-up of the 2006 season, the Sun Devils pushed their season record against Oregon State to 3-1 as Katie Burkhart threw 12 strikeouts and Heidi Knabe hit her fourth home run of the season in a 3-1 win to advance in the College World Series.
The match-up went two scoreless innings before ASU decided to break the tie as Heidi Knabe came up in the third inning to hit a solo shot over left field for only her fourth home run of the season. The Sun Devils weren't finished with the inning yet though as back-to-back walks to Jessica Mapes and Kaitlin Cochran put runners on first and second as Bianca Cruz stepped up to fly out to center field, only to have OSU's center fielder throw a wild ball into the Beaver dugout to score Mapes and give ASU the 2-0 lead after three.
ASU's patience at the plate paid off in the fifth with walks to Jessica Mapes and Bianca Cruz as well as Kaitlin Cochran being hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Sun Devils as Rhiannon Baca hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring home Mapes and give ASU the 3-0 lead.
The Beavers came back in the bottom of the inning to tab one on the board with Brianne McGowan hitting her 10th home run of the season with a solo shot over left field to push it to 3-1. Katie Burkhart came back to strike out five more after with a total of 12 strikeouts on the day to shut down the Beavers and keep Arizona State alive in the Women's College World Series.
The Sun Devils return to action again today as they face-off against the Tennessee Lady Vols in another elimination game at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.