May 18, 2007
PROVO, Utah - The story was the same Friday for Katie Burkhart who was nearly perfect on the day, striking out 11 and claiming a perfect game through six innings as No. 9 Softball rolled through the Second Round of the Provo Regional, topping BYU 7-1. The Sun Devils improve to 51-15 overall and a flawless 2-0 in the postseason as they await to find out who they will face tomorrow at noon.
The game stayed at a scoreless tie until the Sun Devils decided to open it up in the fourth as a lead-off double from Kristen Miller was followed up with a walk and two hit batters as well as two BYU errors which cost them three runs as ASU took the 3-0 lead after three.
The offense wasn't finished waking up though as they came back in the sixth to score four on the Cougars even after starting off the inning with two outs after two batters. A double from Bianca Cruz sparked the rally followed with walks to Mindy Cowles and Kristen Miller before Marissa Trevino came in to pinch-hit and singled an 0-1 pitch over short to bring home two more. An error and a single brought around another two giving ASU a 7-0 lead going into the seventh.
Katie Burkhart stepped up to have another career day, as she fell just three outs shy of her second perfect game of the season and of her career. The Cougars were able to get to her though in her 16th inning of work on the weekend as she gave up three singles and a run before striking out two and grabbing a ground out to end it.
Burkhart's career record acclaims kept growing today as well as she surpassed Keira Goerl for fifth place all time in Pac-10 career strikeouts with her current total of 1,103. She also edged up a notch in the NCAA single-season strikeout records as well as she is now tied for 18th all-time with Cal's Michelle Granger for single-season strikeouts with 463.
Up next, the Sun Devils will take the field tomorrow again at noon MT to try and clinch the Provo Regional and return home for Super Regionals, ASU will face the winner of the BYU versus either Cal Poly or Southern Utah game which will be played tonight at 5 p.m. MT.