May 16, 2000
Opening Day/Night Schedule at Farrington Stadium (Thursday, May 18)
Game #1 - (1) Arizona State (40-18) vs. (6) Coastal Carolina (35-26), 8:30 p.m.
Game #2 - (2) Alabama (61-12) vs. (5) Florida Atlantic (57-15), 6:00 p.m.
Game #3 - (3) Penn State (37-17) vs. (4) Texas A&M (32-21), 3:00 p.m.
Friday's Schedule
Game #4 - Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2, 3:00 p.m.
Game #5 - Winner Game #1 vs. Loser Game #3, 6:00 p.m.
Game #6 - Winner Game #2 vs. Winner Game #3, 8:30 p.m.
ON TAP: The fifth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils (40-18, 8-13 Pac-10) will play host to its first NCAA Division I Regional since 1991. The top-seed Sun Devils will face sixth-seed Coastal Carolina (35-26, 8-2 Big South) on Thursday, May 18 at 8:30 p.m. Prior to ASU's game, third-seed Penn State (37-17, 12-5 Big Ten) will go against fourth-seed Texas A&M (32-21, 8-10 Big 12) at 3:00 p.m., followed by second-seed Alabama (61-12, 25-5 SEC) against fifth-seed Florida Atlantic (57-15, 13-1 TAAC) at 6:00 p.m. All games are Pacific time and will be played at the Alberta B. Farrington Stadium, located on the corner of Rural and Sixth Street, behind the practice football fields.
REGIONAL AT A GLANCE: The NCAA regional is a double elimination format ... ASU recieved an at-large bid ... Coastal Carolina and Florida Atlantic earned automatic qualifications from the Big South Conference and the Trans America Athletic Conference respectively ... Alabama and Penn State also earned at-large bids.
ASU IN REGIONAL ACTION: The Sun Devils will look to repeat last year's regional run in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The third-seeded Sun Devils posted a 4-1 record, earning a trip to the College World Series with a 4-2 victory over second-seeded Nebraska. ASU opened the regional with a 2-1 win over Central Michigan, followed by a 1-0 win over Nebraska. ASU then posted a 2-1 victory over Flordia Atlantic. In the championship game, ASU lost its only game against Nebraska, 1-4, but bounced back to record a 4-2 win over the Corn Huskers. ASU pitcher Kirsten Voak posted all four wins, earning the region's Most Outstanding Player award. This will be Arizona State's fourth consecutive trip to regional action and 13th all-time. ASU holds a record of 16-26 in regional play.
ASU AGAINST THE FIELD: This will be Arizona State's first meeting against Coastal Carolina. Earlier this year at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, ASU shutout Alabama, 4-0, and holds a 2-0 all-time record. The Sun Devils tallied its only win against Florida Atlantic at last year's regional, while ASU holds a 4-1 all-time mark against Penn State and a 7-5 record against Texas A&M.
NEW PAC-10 FORMAT: Except for ASU's last conference match up against Stanford on May 13, all Pac-10 games were single games (Fri., Sat., Sun.) instead of the traditional doubleheaders. Also, instead of the usual 28 game format, Pac-10 teams played only 21 conference games.
GRAND SLAMMIN': So far this season, ASU has hit four grand slam home runs by three different players. Erica Beach with two, Andrea Rodgers and Jamie Hlebechuk each with one.
TOUGH SCHEDULE/TOUGHER CONFERENCE: As in any season, Arizona State faced many of the nation's top programs. Within the toughest conference in the nation, the Pacific-10, ASU faced a nationally-ranked ranked team every time out. For the 11th consecutive week, all eight Pac-10 teams are ranked in the top-25, including four of the top five positions, while six of the eight Pac-10 teams are ranked in the top-10. Pac-10 teams hold a 267-46-2 (.851) record against non-conference opponents. For the second straight season, all eight conference schools earned berths to regional action, while five of the eight earned top-seeds (four hosting). The Pac-10's eight qualifying teams are the most in this year's 48 team field. Additionally, last season five of the eight Pac-10 teams advanced to the College World Series.
HEAD COACH LINDA WELLS: Arizona State's storied tradition of softball excellence has flourished under the tutelage of 11th-year head coach Linda Wells, one of the most prominent and successful coaches in NCAA history. Wells, who is currently the 10th-most successful active coach in NCAA Division I history, claimed her 700th win at this year's Fiesta Bowl Tournament as ASU defeated Cal State Fullerton, 8-3. Wells, who holds a 734-583-1 career record, has led the Sun Devils to eight NCAA Regional appearances in 10 seasons, including her first trip to the College World Series in 1999. While at Arizona State, Wells has compiled a record of 383-289 and has had five players earn a total of seven All-American awards.
LIFE'S A BEACH: Sophomore pitcher/designated player Erica Beach is building on her successful freshman campaign that saw her garner NFCA first-team All-American honors. This year in the circle, Beach is 12-9 with six shutouts, a 2.08 ERA and 71 strikeouts. Against Portland State, Beach set a new career-high in strikeouts with seven. At the plate, Beach is batting at team-high .349 with seven home runs, including two grand slams and a team-high 43 RBIs. She is batting .426 with runners in scoring position and has posted 13 multi-hit games, including a career-high 4-for-4 performance against CS Fullerton. Beach also has 10 multi-RBI games, including one five RBI game. Beach was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week (3/17) after batting .500 with seven RBIs, helping ASU win the NIST. With her seven home runs this year, Beach is now second all-time in a single-season at ASU. Also her 12 career home runs are good for third all-time, while her 82 career RBIs is good for eighth all-time. Additionally, Beach's 43 RBIs has already surpassed her total from last year (39). She needs only three more to set a new single-season record at ASU.
VOAK'S RESUME: Sophomore All-American pitcher/designated player Kirsten Voak is also picking up where she left off last season. After an ASU record-setting 24 win, 314 strikeout season last year, Voak keeps setting a new mark this year as posted her 28th win against ninth-ranked Stanford. Voak is currently 28-9 with 13 shutouts, a 1.06 ERA and 291 strikeouts. Voak fired her first no-hitter of the season (third career) against Simon Fraser and struckout a season-high 15 against Oregon, which also ties her career-high. Voak has also earned three Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors (2/22), (3/17), (4/3), with her latest coming against the Oregon schools (3/31, 4/1-2). Voak posted a 2-0 record, picking up wins over 11th-ranked Oregon State and 23rd-ranked Oregon. Against Oregon, Voak tied her career-high for strikeouts in a game with 15, while not walking a batter. To begin the game, Voak struck out eight of the first 11 batters, while striking out the side two times. Additionally, Voak struckout every Oregon batter at least once, while four batters struckout two or more times. Against OSU, Voak limited the Beavers to three hits, one run, while posting nine strikeouts ... After recording four wins in the Louisville Slugger Tournament where she pitched 24 innings, allowed only three runs, no walks, while striking out 30 ... Voak again earned the honor after posting a 5-0 record, including three shutouts at the NIST. She pitched in six games, totaling 33 innings, allowed only three runs, while striking out 42. For her efforts, Voak earned her second NIST All-Tournament honor. Voak was also named to her second NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament team as she recorded three shutouts, pitched 27.1 innings, allowed only eight hits, no earned runs, four walks, while striking out 31. Voak's averaging 8.1 strikeouts per game and holding opponents to a .177 average. At the plate, she is batting .329 with two home runs, seven doubles, 27 runs, 21 RBIs and has walked 31 times. Voak has a career total of 605 strikeouts, good for second all-time in ASU history and 52 wins, good for fourth all-time.
Voak's Career Double-Digit Strikeout Games (15):
15 - Oregon, 7 innings (4/2/00)
15 - Central Michigan, 8.1 innings (5/20/99)
14 - Utah, 7.1 innings (3/13/99)
13 - Santa Clara, 7 innings (3/10/00)
13 - Florida Atlantic, 7 innings (5/22/99)
12 - UNLV, 7 innings (3/26/00)
12 - Iowa, 7 innings (3/17/00)
12 - Portland State, 7 innings (2/26/00)
12 - Nebraska, 7 innings (2/13/99)
12 - Oregon State, 6 innings (4/24/99)
12 - Washington, 8 innings (4/10/99)
11 - Utah, 7 innings (3/10/00)
11 - Illinois State, 7 innings (2/20/00)
10 - Oregon, 7 innings (4/25/99)
10 - Utah, 7 innings (3/18/99)
JUNIOR OLYMPIAN TRIO: Leading Team USA with the most players on its roster, Arizona State sophomore's Missy Hixon and Kirsten Voak, along with freshman Kara Brun collected silver medals at the 1999 International Softball Federation Junior Women's World Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. Hixon, who played and started in seven games, finished with a .400 batting average (10-25) and was second on team with nine RBIs and three doubles. Hixon also finished third in runs scored (9) and fourth in hits (10) and batting average. Brun played in six games, starting five and also batted .400 (6-15). She finished tied for second on the team in doubles (3) and third in RBIs (8). Voak tied for the team-high in wins with three, recorded a team-second best 33 strikeouts and had a 0.35 ERA. In 20 innings pitched, opponents batted a miniscule 0.76, both team-highs. Voak combined with teammate Keira Goerl to no-hit Chinese Taipei, 4-0. Voak fired the first four innings, striking out seven while giving up only one walk for her first win. Against Venezuela, Voak struckout 12 batters in six innings for her second win. She then propelled Team USA into the gold medal game by throwing her second complete game, allowing only three hits and striking out 11 against Taipei. Voak also posted a save against New Zealand, pitching three innings of no-hit ball.
BRUN'S A HIT: Freshman shortstop Kara Brun has made an immediate impact this year, offensively and defensively. Just in her first year, Brun has already set a new ASU single-season record with eight home runs, four going for game-winners. At the plate, Brun also leads the team in hits (61), doubles (13), total bases (98), runs (40), and is second in RBIs (34). Brun, who is batting a team second-best .345, has posted 15 multi-hit games, seven multi-RBI games and held a team-high 16 game hitting streak. On the field, the strong-arm shortstop leads the team in assists (123) and has committed only four errors for a .980 fielding percentage. Brun, along with second baseman Missy Hixon have turned seven double plays as well.
HOME RUN RECORD: Arizona State has recorded 27 home runs this year, setting a new school record. Kara Brun's solo shot and Kirsten Voak's three-run blast at Stanford last Sunday put this year's team total one over last season's mark of 26. The Sun Devils spread around the power with eight different players slugging at least one over the wall.
ASU'S NATIONAL RANKING: Individually: Voak is eighth in most pitching victories (28), 18th in strikeouts per seven innings (8.1) and 35th in ERA (1.06). As a team: Arizona State is ninth in fielding percentage (.972).
CAREER/ALL-TIME MILESTONES: Head Coach Linda Wells needs 16 wins to reach 750 ... Erica Beach needs three more home runs to move into second all-time ... Beach needs three RBIs for the single-season record ... Voak needs 24 strikeouts to re-set her single-season mark at ASU, and 202 strikeouts for the all-time record ... Missy Hixon needs 16 more doubles for the all-time record ... Kara Brun needs five more doubles for the single-season record ... Arizona State, as a program, needs 32 more wins to reach 900 in its history ... ASU needs four more wins to set a new single-season record (44).
DYNAMIC DUO: Sophomores Missy Hixon and Nichole Thompson, who play second base and center field respectively, each contribute in similar ways. Hixon has started and played in all 58 games with Thompson starting and playing in 55 ...Thompson's hitting .343, while Hixon comes in at .294 ... Thompson has 58 hits, Hixon with 55 ... Thompson has scored a team-high 40 times, Hixon 26 ... Hixon has 16 RBIs, while Thompson has also produced 16 ... Hixon has 11 doubles, Thompson has eight ... Thompson leads the team with 17 multi-hit games, Hixon is one behind at 16 ... Thompson has posted four multi-RBI games, Hixon has three ... combined the two have struckout only 24 times in 356 at bats (once per 15 at bats) ... Hixon has walked 15 times, Thompson 12 ... Hixon has produced two home runs from the leadoff spot ... Thompson had a team-high 16 game hitting streak ... Thompson was also named to the NFCA Leadoff Classic All-Tournament team by batting .500 (9-18) with six runs scored and two stolen bases.
DEVIL NOTES: ASU has outscored its opponents 241-103, including 100-32 in the fourth and fifth innings combined ... Beach and Voak are combining to limit opponents to one walk a game, while striking out nearly seven ... opponents are batting only .199 against ASU ... 13 players have at least two RBIs, including 10 in double-digits ... most of the time, ASU starts eight underclassmen ... ASU's longest winning streak of the year - 9 games (3 times) ... ASU has allowed two sacrifice flies this season, while the Sun Devils have posted 13 ... ASU is averaging over four runs a game, while holding opponents to just over one run ... ASU has recorded 17 games with double-digit hits.
PROBABLE LINEUP AND KEY RESERVES:
Name Yr. Pos. B/T Avg. Erica Beach So. P/DH L/L .349 Team-high batting avg., 52 hits, 7 home runs and 43 RBIs, 12-9 recordKirsten Voak So. P/DH R/R .329 28-9 record with 291 Ks, one no-hitter, 13 shutouts, 49 hits, 2 HR's
Sara Kahler Fr. C L/R .325 Tallied 30 RBIs with one home run, 6 k's in 120 at bats
Erin Wardein So. 1B R/R .167 3 home runs and 18 RBIs, had game-winning home run vs. UCLA
Missy Hixon So. 2B L/R .294 55 hits, 2 home runs and 11 doubles from the leadoff slot
Kara Brun Fr. SS R/R .345 8 home runs, 34 RBIs, 40 runs, team-high 61 hits and 13 doubles
Stacey Farnworth Jr. 3B R/R .240 1-for-1 with a run scored against Washington (5/7)
Nichole Thompson So. OF L/R .343 Team-leading 40 runs scored, 58 hits, 8 doubles, 8 stolen bases
Jamie Hlebechuck Sr. OF R/L .290 3 home runs, 1 grand slam, game-winning home run vs. Arizona
Jennifer Forner Fr. OF L/L .171 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs against Oregon (4/2), has 11 total runs scored
Lesley Murphy Sr. 1B L/L .167 1-for-2 with a run scored against Oregon (4/2)
Jen Langenhuizen Jr. OF L/R .152 1-for-2 against California, has scored 4 runs
Andrea Rodgers Sr. C R/R .222 Hit first career home run (grand slam) against Michigan State