Feb. 9, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. - Behind a great one-hit shut out pitching performance from senior Erica Beach, the eighth-ranked Arizona State (4-0) softball team blanked 16th-ranked Fresno State (2-2), 2-0 in the night cap game at Farrington Stadium. In the earlier game during the second day of the Fiesta Bowl Tournament, the Sun Devils defeated Texas Tech, 6-1 behind two Phelan Wright home runs.
Against Fresno State, ASU struck first in the third inning. With one out, Jennifer Forner hit an infield single, which was followed by another single to left field by Nichole Thompson. Missy Hixon then singled hard to right field to bring in Forner for the first run.
The Sun Devils would get an insurance run in the fourth inning off pitcher Lori Hoffman (0-1). Again with one out, Kirsten Voak singled to left field. After another out, Adriana Garcia stepped to the plate and drilled a double off the centerfield wall, scoring Voak for the final run of the game.
Beach (2-0) had a no-hitter through four and a third innings before surrendering her only hit of the night, a bloop single over the shortstop's head. Beach struckout four Bulldogs and allowed only one walk. Beach has not allowed an earned run this season through 16 innings of work, giving up only four hits with 12 strikeouts.
In the first game of the day, Wright provided the fireworks as she slugged two home runs into a stiff wind blowing in from centerfield. Wright's first home run was a three-run blast over the left centerfield wall. Wright then stepped to the plate in the sixth inning and cranked her second shot of the day, a two-run homer over the leftfield wall. In the day, Wright went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and five RBIs.
Voak (2-0) went the distance, giving up only three hits and one unearned run with six strikeouts. Voak is just two strikeouts away from becoming Arizona State all-time leader in strikeouts (807).
The Sun Devils will close out the Fiesta Bowl Tournament back at Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Sunday with a game against Kansas at 10:00 a.m. and New Mexico State at 12:00 p.m.
Complete Scores From Day Two Of The Fiesta Bowl Tournament:
Saturday, February 9
UMass _7_ vs. _1_ Texas Tech
Texas _0_ vs. _14_ UCLA (5) - Freed throws no-hitter
Fresno St. _4_ vs. _0_ Wisconsin
Utah St. _0_ vs. _8_ Kansas (5)
Nebraska _1_ vs. _6_ UCLA
UMass _4_ vs. _6_ UNLV
SW Texas St. _5_ vs. _6_ Kansas
Arizona _9_ vs. _1_ CS Fullerton
Nebraska _8_ vs. _0_ Wisconsin
California _1_ vs. _2_ Texas
SW Texas St. _1_ vs. _0_ Utah St.
Arizona _1_ vs. _7_ Miss. St.
CS Fullerton __ vs. __ Texas A&M
California _5_ vs. _0_ UNLV
New Mexico St. __ vs. __ Miss. St.
New Mexico St. _6_ vs. _0_ Texas A&M
Arizona St. _6_ vs. _1_ Texas Tech
Arizona St. _2_ vs. _0_ Fresno St. - Beach throws one-hitter