Feb. 18, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - After waiting through more rain, the Arizona State University softball team (7-2) split its first two game of the Littlewood Classic on Friday at Farrington Stadium, winning the first game 3-0 over Illinois State (7-2) and falling 2-0 to Iowa (5-1) in the nightcap.
In the first game against Illinois State, the Sun Devils struck first with three runs in the fourth inning. Bridgette Caron reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Mindy Cowles to hit her team-leading sixth home run over the right field fence. Valerie Sevilla singled to center and was doubled in for the 3-0 lead when Sharee Zaleski split the gap in right center field.
Illinois State had chance to get on the board in the sixth inning with consecutive hits, but ASU starting pitcher Desiree Serrano (3-0) got the next batter to foul out, followed by a strikeout and another foul out to end the inning.
Serrano had her best outing of the year, allowing only five hits, with one walk and a season-high 11 strikeouts.
In the second game against Iowa, it was a pitchers' duel between ASU's Katie Burkhart (2-1) and Iowa's Lisa Birocci (3-0). Both pitchers kept the other team in check throughout most of the game.
In Iowa's half of the fourth inning, it looked as though they would score first. Birocci lead off the inning with a deep drive to center, but Himmita Hixson dropped the ball on the warning track allowing Birocci to advance to third base. However, Burkhart came back to get the next two batters to fly out and strikeout the last batter.
Iowa then get on the board in the fifth inning. With two outs and a full count, lead off hitter Summer Downs hit a solo home run over left field fence for the 1-0 edge. The run was Burkhart's first earned this year, spanning 19 and two-thirds innings. Iowa would then add one more run on in the sixth inning off of a sacrifice fly.
The Sun Devils could only muster one hit off Birocci, a single by Zaleski. Ashley Werschky replaced Burkhart in the sixth inning allowing one hit and one unearned run.
Up next, ASU will take on Iowa one more time on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and Long Island at 7:00 p.m.
Friday's complete scores from the Littlewood Classic:
Illinois State_10_vs._1_Long Island (5)
Long Island_0_vs._4_Iowa (6)
Arizona State_3_vs._0_Illinois State
Arizona State_0_vs._2_Iowa