Sun Devils Earn Revenge vs. U-M with Extra-Inning Win

Sunday, February 28

Columbus, Ga.

11:30 AM

Michigan

5-5

Arizona State

15-2

Michigan

Arizona State

Sun Devils Earn Revenge vs. U-M with Extra-Inning Win

2/28/1999 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

By: Amy Carlton

Site: Columbus, Ga.
Event: NFCA Leadoff Classic -- Silver Division Semifinal
Results: #18 Arizona State 5, #5 Michigan 4 (8 innings)
Records: U-M (5-5), ASU (15-2)
Next U-M Games: Tuesday, March 2 -- vs. St. John's (11:30 a.m.), vs. Providence (1:30 p.m.), at Tampa, Fla.

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Two days ago, it was the University of Michigan that used eighth-inning heroics in its favor against Arizona State University. Sunday (Feb. 28), it was the No. 18 Sun Devils who capitalized on a big hit in the eighth, handing the No. 5 Wolverines a 5-4 loss in the semifinals of the NFCA Leadoff Classic's Silver Division.

Michigan (5-5) upended Arizona State (15-2) in the tournament opener Friday (Feb. 26), winning 4-2 on a two-run home run by Catherine Davie (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS). Sunday, the long ball again figured in the outcome, with ASU's Missy Hixon drilling a triple before scoring the winning run on a passed ball with one out in the bottom of the eighth to give the Sun Devils the win.

The Wolverines jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, then battled back to tie the game 3-3 with a run in the fifth. The Wolverines pushed across a run in the top of the eighth to take a 4-3 lead.

Kirsten Voak went the distance for the Sun Devils, giving up seven hits and striking out seven in the victory (7-2). Kate Eiland (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS) relieved Michigan starter Marie Barda (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South HS) in the fourth. Eiland suffered the loss (5-2), giving up six hits and four runs. Barda allowed four hits and a run in her three innings.

The Wolverines travel to Tampa, Fla., on Monday and resume their spring break schedule with single games vs. St. John's University (11:30 a.m.) and Providence College (1:30 p.m.) on Tuesday (March 2).

Maize 'n Blue Diamond Gems

• Traci Conrad (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way HS) moved to within three hits of passing Kellyn Tate (1995-98) for second place on the all-time Michigan career hits list. Conrad, 1-for-4 vs. Arizona State, is in third place with 270 career hits and Tate is second at 272. Sara Griffin, now an Arizona State assistant coach, holds the Michigan record with 275 hits (1995-98).

• Catherine Davie's RBI vs. the Sun Devils, her team-leading ninth of the year, gives her 125 for her career and moves her into sole possession of third place on the all-time Wolverine RBI list. Davie has an RBI in each of her last six games. . . . Davie's single vs. ASU extended her hit streak to seven games.

• Shortstop Rebecca Tune (Aloha, Ore./Jesuit HS) recorded her first multiple-hit game of the season with a 2-for-3 performance vs. Arizona State. Among her hits was a season-first double, the sixth of her career.