Feb. 7, 2003
PHOENIX, Ariz. - The 13th-ranked Arizona State softball team (4-1) split their first two games at the Fiesta Bowl Tournament at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex Friday. The Sun Devil opened with a 12-8 slugfest-win over Southwest Texas State and dropped a pitchers dual to 12th-ranked Texas, 1-0.
In the first game against the Bobcats, junior Phelan Wright highlighted the Devil attack by hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs and collecting six RBIs. Wright's first homerun occurred as she opened the bottom of the second inning with a solo shot to center field. At her next at bat in the third, after Kristin Farber and Kara Brun singled, Wright went up after a rise ball and drilled it over the left field fence for a three-run shot. In the fifth, with SWTS up 8-6, Brun singled to lead off the inning followed by Wright's third consecutive home run to tie the score at 8-8.
The Devils would then get four more runs in the sixth to seal the win. Adriana Garcia would also go deep for ASU in the second inning. Cheryl Evans started the game for ASU and tossed four innings before giving way to Desiree Serrano (2-0) for the last three.
Combined the two teams hit eight home runs and scored 20 runs on 20 hits. Wright finished the game going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and six RBIs, while Brun went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Garcia finished with a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored and three RBIs.
The second game against Texas could not have been more different as a pitchers dual between ASU freshman Serrano and Texas All-American Cat Osterman highlighted the game. Both pitchers held the other team in check until the seventh inning. First the Devils had their chance in the sixth with runners on first and second, but Osterman struck out Wright on a check swing to end the inning. In the bottom of the seventh, UT's Sam Murphy reached on error by second baseman Carla Strege. Marlo Hanks then delivered a double to left field to move Murphy to third. Alexis Garcia then hit a shot chop to Brun at short, but her throw to the plate to cut down Murphy was just late as she slid under the tag for the 1-0 victory.
Serrano limited the Longhorns to six hits and three strikeouts, while Osterman tallied 16 strikeouts on two hits. Garcia collected both hits off Osterman for ASU.
Up next, the Devils will play at Farrington Stadium on Saturday against Iowa State at 3:30 p.m. and Mississippi State at 5:30 p.m.