February 29, 2004

Box Score

#18 Arizona State 5, VT 2

 

COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Virginia Tech softball team was eliminated from the Bronze Bracket of the NFCA Leadoff Classic Sunday with a 5-2 loss to No. 18 Arizona State.

Tech came out firing, scoring a run in the first inning. Kelly Brown led off the game with a double down the left field line and moved to third on Theresa Walsh's groundout. Brown scored on that play when left fielder Valerie Sevilla bobbled the overthrow to third base, giving the Hokies an early 1-0 lead.

The Sun Devils tied it up in the third inning, but it could have been much worse. ASU loaded the bases with no one out. A ground out by Kristin Farber plated pinch runner Michelle Smith to tie the game, but Rachel Pacheco got two more ground outs to escape the threat.

In the fourth, Arizona State put another run on the board. All-American Phelan Wright led off with a single to right-center field and moved to second on a wild pitch. A sacrifice bunt moved her to third and she scored on a bunt single by Kim Zadrozny. The Sun Devils put the game out of reach in the fifth inning, scoring three more runs to make it 5-1.

Tech cut into the lead in the sixth inning, scoring a run. Mindi Wylie drew a walk and moved to second on Caitlin Murphy's single. Wylie came around to score on Sarah Prosise's single to left-center field.

At the plate for Tech, Callie Rhodes led the way with two base hits. She also had a stolen base, her fourth of the tournament, which is tied for the tournament high. Murphy had two hits as well. Brown and Prosise had the other two hits.

Pacheco (L, 1-1) went 4.1 innings in the circle, allowing five runs - four earned - on seven hits while striking out three and walking two. Katie Maynard went 2.2 innings, allowing two hits while striking out two.

For the weekend, the Hokies played three nationally ranked teams and played three of five games within one run. Tech dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 7 Michigan, a 6-5 game to Georgia Tech, who is 4-1 for the weekend thus far, a 1-0 game in eight innings to No. 14 Nebraska and then Sunday's game. The Hokies picked up a big 1-0 win over The Ohio State University Saturday night.

The Hokies are now 7-5 on the year and will be back in action on Wednesday, taking on Radford in a road doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m., before taking off for Florida for two tournaments over Spring Break.