Feb. 29, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ga. - The 18th-ranked Arizona State softball team (18-9) won three straight games to claim the Bronze Championship Sunday afternoon at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia. Ashley Werschky pitched one of her best games of the year in the championship game against Florida Atlantic as she posted her second shutout of the year, blanking the Owls, 2-0. Bre DeSanta came in for the final two batters in the seventh to post her first career save as a Sun Devil. In the semifinal game, ASU defeated Virginia Tech, 5-2.
In the semifinal game, the Hokies scored one run off one hit and one Sun Devil error. Kelly Brown opened the inning with a double down the left field line. Theresa Walsh then hit a come backer to pitcher Desiree Serrano who threw her out at first. But Brown advanced on the throw to third and then came home when the throw to get her at third went into left field. Serrano was then lifted for Bre DeSanta (5-3) after two and a third innings of work. Serrano allowed three hits and one unearned run with two strikeouts.
ASU then came back with one run in the third inning off two hits. With the bases loaded and no outs, Kristin Farber grounded out to first base, bringing home pinch runner Michelle Smith. However, that was all the Devils could get in as Tech pitcher Rachel Pacheco got the next two ASU batters to ground out to end the threat.
The Devils then went up 2-1 in the fourth off of a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt by Kim Zadrozny. Phelan Wright singled to right and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Heidi Kanbe then sacrificed over Wright to second. With the infield drawn in, Zadrozny took a 2-2 pitch a bunted it between the second and third basemen for the RBI single.
ASU followed that with three more runs in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 5-1. Himmita Hixson and Kristin Farber each singled and Coach Wells put on the double steel to move both runners up. Trisha Tornberg then singled to drive in Hixson. After a pitching change, the Hokies intentionally walked Wright to load the bases. Keri Pulcifer followed with a pinch-hit single to right field to plate one more and to keep the bases loaded. Sharee Zaleski then hit a shot to the shortstop, who misplayed the ball for an error, allowing Wright to come home.
Virginia Tech tallied one more run in the sixth inning off two hits to cut the lead to 5-2, but DeSanta finished off the seventh for the win. She worked the final four and two thirds innings, giving up three hits, one run with four strikeouts
In the championship game against Florida Atlantic, the Devils had their first good scoring chance in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Farber reached on an infield hit and then stole second, and continued to third on a fielding error by the second baseman. But Tornberg was unable to bring home Farber as FAU's pitcher Candice Freel got her to ground out.
ASU then struck for one run in the fourth inning. Valerie Sevilla leadoff the frame with a double to left field and then went to third on a throwing error by the shortstop. Wright followed with another clutch hit to right field to drive in Sevilla for the 1-0 edge.
In the fifth, ASU went up 2-0 off of a two out rally. Farber reached on another infield hit. The witht the hit and run on, Tornberg singled to center and advanced to second on the throw, while Farber continued to third. Sevilla followed with another single to leftfield to plate Farber.
Up next, The Sun Devils will host a triangular against Buffalo and New Mexico State at Farrington Stadium, March 5-7. ASU will open the triangular on Friday against Buffalo at 5:00 p.m. and New Mexico State at 7:00 p.m.