Feb. 22, 2008
Box Score
TEMPE, Ariz. -
A perfect game by Arizona State's No. 1 pitcher, Katie Burkhart, closed out a day in which the Redbirds managed a combined three hits over two games, as the Illinois State softball team lost to No. 2/4 Arizona State, 8-0, in five innings Friday night at the Littlewood Classic in Tempe, Ariz. The Redbirds failed to record a hit for the first time since March 27, 2005, when Creighton took a 3-0 no-hit victory over ISU in Missouri Valley Conference play in Omaha, Neb.
Freshman Chrissy Burton made her starting pitching debut for the Redbirds in the game. The Mapleton, Ill., native, who had been previously used solely as a relief pitcher in her two previous appearances this season, pitched four complete innings, and allowed eight runs, seven earned, on nine hits, while she struck out three Sun Devil batters and allowed just two walks.
Rated as one of the best pitchers in the nation entering this season, Burkhart entered the game with a 3-1 record and a scant 0.22 earned-run average, including 65 strikeouts and just one earned run. Burkhart finished the night with 13 strikeouts, including nine-straight to end the game, as she picked up her fourth win of the season.
"(Arizona State's) Katie Burkahart did a tremendous job (Friday)," Illinois State head softball coach Melinda Fischer said. "Her ball was moving, and she had control of all of her pitches. Chrissy Burton did a pretty good job for us out there. Chrissy's changeup was working well for her, but what makes Arizona State a good team is that even with two outs, they are able to consistently score a runner that is on base."
The Sun Devils grabbed a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when a double by Krista Donnenwirth drove in Jessica Mapes, who led off the game with a walk. The Sun Devils added three more runs in the bottom of the second inning off doubles from Mindy Cowles, Rhiannon Baca and Lesley Rogers.
Arizona reached the eight-run, run-rule in the bottom of the third inning off four runs on four hits. A fielder's choice off the bat of Rogers scored the first Sun Devil run of the inning, and then a two-RBI single by Jackie Vasquez plated two more runs. ASU scored its final run of the inning when Kaitlin Cochran recorded the Sun Devils' second straight double to score Mapes.
Illinois State will return to action at 2 p.m. CST Saturday when it takes on Iowa in day two of the Littlewood Classic from Farrington Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.
