March 20, 2000
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - The fourth-ranked Arizona State softball team (25-4) defeated 20th-ranked Long Beach State, 6-5, in the semifinals and Nebraska, 6-2, in the finals to claim the 14th annual National Invitational Softball Tournament in Sunnyvale, Calif. today.
"What sticks out in my mind and that I'm really proud of is the recovery that our team made against Long Beach State and to get into the finals," said ASU Head Coach Linda Wells. "Voak with her pitching and Beach with her bat complement each other so well. I'm very proud of how we performed and hopefully it will give us some good momentum heading to the KIA Tournament to defend our title."
In the 6-5 slugfest that featured 20 combined hits, the Sun Devils avenged its only loss to Long Beach State in the semifinals by a fifth inning, three-run home run by Erica Beach. The 49ers had a 5-2 lead into the fifth. However, with one out, Nichole Thompson and Kara Brun each singled to lead to Beach's dramatic home run to tie the game.
In the sixth inning for ASU, Erin Wardein lead off with a walk and was replaced by Alicia Flanagan for running purposes. After a ground out to the pitcher to move Flanagan to second, Jamie Hlebechuck sliced a single to right field, scoring Flanagan for the winning run.
Kirsten Voak, who is from near by Fremont, Calif., went the distance, allowing nine hits, one earned run, while striking out eight.
Eight Sun Devils each contributed with a hit, while six different players scored a run. Beach collected four RBIs, Missy Hixon went 3-for-4 and Hlebechuk went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI.
In the finals against Nebraska, ASU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning and never looked back. Voak scored on a wild pitch for the first run and Jennifer Forner scored the second by a Thompson singled to left field.
ASU would tag three more runs on in the fourth inning, one by a Thompson single and two more by a Sara Kahler single to center field.
Nebraska scored twice in the seventh inning off three hits, but the threat was ended when Beach relived Voak for the final out of the game. Thompson and Kahler each had two hits and two RBIs to lead the Sun Devils, while Voak pitched six and two-thirds innings, striking out three.
Up next, Arizona State will stay in California to defend its title at the KIA Klassic Tournament in Fullerton, Calif., beginning Wednesday, March 15 through Sunday, March 19.
Game Notes:
- This is ASU's second NIST crown (1990)
- Voak erned her second all-tournament honor at the NIST
- ASU is 41-16 all-time at the NIST
- ASU holds a 6-1 mark against Nebraska during the past year and a half
- Beach has 37 RBIs this year, two shy of her last season's total, good for third all-time in a single-season
- Beach's seven home runs ties her for the single-season record
Arizona State 011 031 0 6 11 1 Long Beach State 010 400 0 5 9 1
Arizona State 020 301 0 6 8 0 Nebraska 000 200 2 2 6 1