ASU softball opens Judi Garmen Classic with win over Utah

Katie Burkhart pitched nearly perfect again Wednesday afternoon as the No. 1 Sun Devil Softball team opened the 2008 Judi Garmen Classic with a 3-0 win over Utah. Burkhart struck out 16 en route to her 10th shut-out of the season with a complete game no-hitter. The Sun Devils are now 31-1 overall and increase their winning streak to 28 as Utah falls to 14-13 overall.

The game proved to be a tough pitchers battle between Burkhart and Smuda with both hurlers keeping the  bats quiet until the fourth inning when ASU struck first blood as an error placed Jackie Vasquez on first with Kaitlin Cochran digging in next to crush the first pitch she saw deep to right field to take the 2-0 lead off her eighth home run of the season. 

The Sun Devils added another in the fifth inning as they pulled off a double steal with Jackie Vasquez stealing second and Rhiannon Baca snaking home to push ahead 3-0. Burkhart cruised the win home, pitching to near perfection...with the exception of three hit batters to take her 15th win of the season.

The Sun Devils will continue competition tomorrow morning in the Judi Garmen Classic with a doubleheader against Florida State and Illinois. First game versus Florida State kicks off at 9 a.m. followed with a 1:30 p.m. start for Illinois. Both times are PT.