March 14, 2004
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - The 20th-ranked Arizona State softball team (27-12) fell in their final game of the National Invitational Softball Tournament on Sunday to Iowa, 3-0. The Sun Devils finished the 12-team tournament in fourth place with a 3-2 overall record. Phelan Wright was named to the all-tournament team, her second all-tournament selection this year.
The Devils' bats just couldn't get anything going off Iowa pitcher Ali Arnold as she held ASU to two hits, one each by Trisha Tornberg and Heidi Knabe. Desiree Serrano (12-4) suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs off five Iowa hits with seven strikeouts.
The Hawkeye's tallied the first run in the fifth inning when they loaded the bases. Amanda Hentges then hit a deep fly ball to right field to go up 1-0. Then in the sixth inning, Kylie Murray got a hold of a Serrano pitch for as two-run home run over the left field fence for the final 3-0 advantage.
ASU had one chance to score in the fifth inning. Knabe opened with a single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kristin Crenshaw, but Arnold got pinch hitter Keri Pulcifer to groundout to end the threat.
Up next, The Devils will continue on their 11-day road trip as they head south to Fullerton, Calif. for the KIA Klassic Tournament. ASU opens pool play on Thursday, March 18 at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific) against Florida State and then against UNLV at 11:00 a.m.