ASU softball closes out season
<p>ASU, the defending national softball champion, ended its run with a fourth straight trip to the Women's College World Series, closing out the season 47-19 overall.</p><separator></separator><p>The 10th-seeded Sun Devils opened its series with a win over Missouri, taking control early with six runs in the first two innings and hanging on for a 7-3 win over the Tigers May 28. Starting pitcher Hillary Bach went the distance for the Sun Devils, giving up three runs on four hits.</p><separator></separator><p>The win put them in line to compete against Pac-10 rival Washington May 29, against which they lost a 1-0 heartbreaker in eight innings, despite Bach’s seven shutout innings.</p><separator></separator><p>In their third and final WCWS game, another masterful outing from Bach and a two-run home run from infielder Katie Crabb weren’t enough to keep ASU's season alive, as the Sun Devils fell in a tough 6-2 loss to No. 4 Alabama. ASU finished the 2009 season with a 47-19 final record. </p><separator></separator><p> ASU won the 2008 World Series with a win over Texas A&M. It was ASU's first national softball crown.</p>