March 25, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - With Katie Burkhart inching closer to making ASU history as well as her teammates going on an offensive spree with four homeruns, the No. 5 Sun Devil Softball team took home the Diamond Devil Invitational crown Sunday afternoon with a 13-0 five inning win over Illinois. The Sun Devils are now 34-7 overall as they head into the start of Pac-10 play next weekend.
Katie Burkhart threw a one-hit, complete game shutout, while tallying 10 strikeouts against the Fightin' Illini. Her 10 strikeouts give Burkhart a career total of 889, which is only four short of the ASU all-time career record of 893, held by current pitching coach, Kirsten Voak. Burkhart broke another of Voak's records last season as Voak held the all-time single-season strikeout record with 316 before Burkhart tallied 420 overall in the 2006 season to set a new record.
On the offensive, the Sun Devils put up one of their best outings of the season, putting 13 hits up on the board, four of which were home runs by four different Sun Devils. The Sun Devils came out to score six runs off five hits in the first inning, highlighted with Kristen Miller taking a 1-1 pitch deep to center for a two run home run.
A lead-off single from Jackie Vasquez set up Kaitlin Cochran to follow Miller's lead as she hit her 10th homerun of the season in the second inning, launching a rope over the center field wall on the first pitch she saw. Bianca Cruz decided to join the action stepping in after Cochran to crush a solo shot over left. Not to be outdone, Mindy Cowles hit her sixth homerun of the season as she put a two-run longball over right field as ASU took an 11-0 lead after two.
The Sun Devils put on two more runs to cap the game with 13 runs as Katie Burkhart handled the Fightin' Illini on defense to give ASU their fifth tournament win of the season. The Sun Devils are now 34-7 overall as they head into the start of Pac-10 play next weekend. ASU will travel to face UCLA on Friday, March 30 in LA and Washington March 31 and April 1 in Seattle.