April 7, 2000
TEMPE, Ariz. - The fourth-ranked Arizona State softball team (35-7, 3-2 Pac-10) defeated ninth-ranked Stanford (32-8, 1-5 Pac-10), 3-2, tonight in Pac-10 action at Farrington Stadium.
Sophomore pitcher Kirsten Voak posted her 24th victory of the year, tying ASU's single-season win mark that Voak set last year. Voak allowed five hits, two runs, while striking out five.
The Cardinal jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, when Kellie Wiginton and Robin Walker each hit consecutive doubles.
The Sun Devils would tie the game and take the lead in the third after two hits and two Cardinal errors. Missy Hixon led off with a single off Stanford starting pitcher Dana Sorensen. Jennifer Forner then reached on an error, before Erica Beach drove home Hixon with a single. Beach's RBI, her 42nd, ties her for second all-time in a single-season at ASU. The Sun Devils would take the lead when Kara Brun singled to drive in Forner.
ASU would tag on one more run in the fifth, when Brun smacked her fifth home run and second in as many games to left field. Brun finished the night, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Hixon went 2-for-4, her 15th multi-hit game of the year, with a run scored.
However in the sixth inning, Stanford would cut the lead to one run when Walker hit her second double of the night, and was then platted by a Jessica Mendoza triple that nearly went out of the stadium to right center.
Voak would then close out the inning and again pitch out of trouble in the seventh to secure the win for the Sun Devils.
Up next, Arizona State will face seventh-ranked California on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Prior to the game, the formal dedication ceremony for Alberta B. Farrington Stadium will take place in the front courtyard area.