Arizona State 2 No. 3 seed

vs.

Central Michigan 1 No. 4 seed

Score by Innings		1	2	3		4	5	6		7	8	9		R	H	E
Central Michigan (41-17)		0	0	0		0	0	0		1	0	0		1	5	3
Arizona State (38-25)		0	0	0		1	0	0		0	0	1		2	8	0

Boxscore and Play-By-Play

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Alumni Field)
Event: NCAA Regional 6 Softball Championship (Game 3)
Result: Arizona State 2, Central Michigan 1 (9 innings)
Records: Arizona State (38-25); Central Michigan (41-17)
Next ASU Game: Friday, May 21 -- vs. Nebraska/Notre Dame winner, 4 p.m.
Next CMU Game: Friday, May 21 -- vs. Michigan/Florida Atlantic winner, 1:30 p.m.

Arizona State Takes Extra-Inning Pitchers' Duel

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Arizona State leftfielder Jamie Hlebechuk drove in the game-winning run with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Sun Devils a 2-1 win over gritty Central Michigan on Thursday (May 20) in the first round of the NCAA Softball Regional 6 Championship at the University of Michigan's Alumni Field.

ASU freshman hurler Kirsten Voak struck out 15 hitters in 8.1 innings, while Central Michigan's Tina Kinney was also impressive on the mound for Central Michigan as she allowed just one earned run in 8.1 innings pitched.

The Sun Devils pushed across the first run of the contest in the bottom of the fifth with the aid of an error. After allowing a one-out double in the first inning, Kinney set down 11 straight before walking counterpart Voak to lead off the fifth. Voak was then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by shortstop Holly Smith. First basemen Erin Wardein, who was 3-for-4 on the game, followed that with a single to right and Voak, who initially was being held up at third, was able to score when Central Michigan rightfielder Amy Morrison bobbled the ball before relaying it in.

Central Michigan was being kept in the game by solid pitching and great defense and did not threaten until the top of the seventh, when centerfielder Eli Barnes delivered a leadoff double to start the game-tying rally. Voak was relieved by Erica Beach, who promptly struck out Kinney for the first out of the inning. Following a groundout by shortstop Hope Robertshaw, which moved Barnes up to third, designated hitter Nicole Weston ripped a single up the middle to knot the pitchers' duel at one apiece.

Arizona State appeared ready to end it in the bottom of the seventh after a pair of singles to lead off the inning and a sacrifice bunt to put runners on the second and third with one out. Pinch hitter Jennifer Gall hit a soft line drive to Central Michigan second baseman Jennifer Skuta, who leaped to pull down the ball and then threw out Holly Smith on a bang-bang play at the plate to send the game into extra innings.

Voak re-entered the game on the mound at proceeded to set Central Michigan down in order in the eighth and ninth. In Arizona State's half of the ninth, a leadoff walk, a hit batsman and another single from Wardein loaded the bases to set up Hlebechuk's heroics.

Arizona State, the No. 3 seed, advances to meet the winner of the Nebraska/Notre Dame contest on Friday, May 21, at 4 p.m., while No. 4 seed Central Michigan draws the winner of the Michigan/Florida Atlantic contest on Friday, May 21, at 1:30 p.m.

Q U O T E S

Arizona State Head Coach Linda Wells
On Kirsten Voak's performance ... "I give a lot of credit to Kirsten for coming back in the seventh and holding us in the game. The team felt tough about the opposition. They played tough throughout the game."

Arizona State Pitcher Kirsten Voak
On being pulled out during the seventh inning ... "I felt a little off during the game, but you have to be ready to come back in the game. I had complete confidence in Erica (Beach)."

Arizona State Leftfielder Jamie Hlebechuk
"This win will boast a lot of people's confidence. Hopefully, this will start the ball rolling and a winning streak."

Central Michigan Head Coach Margo Jonker
On hopes of making it out of the region ... "We made some mistakes and we didn't capitalize on our opportunities. I have no doubt we can make it out of the region. We need to just take it one game at a time."

Central Michigan Pitcher Tina Kinney
On the loss ... "No, it never feels good to lose but I feel I pitched just as well as my previous games."

N O T E S

• Arizona State's Kirsten Voak tallied a career-high 15 strikeouts, extending her own school single-season record to 277 Ks. It was her 10th double-digit strikeout game of her freshman campaign.

• Voak's 15 strikeouts is the second-best single-game total recorded at Alumni Field. Bonni Kinne of Western Michigan holds the record with 17 (5/2/81 vs. Michigan State).

• Arizona State is 22-5 in neutral-site games this year.

Last updated: Thursday, 20-May-1999 15:06:35 EDT