By Scottie Bricker
Arizona Daily Wildcat
April 10, 1998

Seniors look to extend win streak versus ASU

With only four meetings left against its conference rivals to the north, the Arizona softball team's senior class knows what it takes to show the Sun Devils how to play the game.

Nancy Evans, Leah Braatz, Lety Pineda, Alison McCutcheon and Tiana Hejduk have never lost to Arizona State and the Wildcats as a whole have won 27 straight against the Sun Devils.

"I like playing ASU. It's always a challenge," Braatz said. "You've got the extra edge on (the game) just because it's ASU. It's not quite as big a rivalry as with UCLA but no matter what, it will always be a rivalry."

Arizona hosts the Sun Devils in a Pacific 10 Conference doubleheader tonight beginning at 6 at Hillenbrand Stadium.

"ASU is going to be rough," McCutcheon said. "I've heard they've played really well this year and the rivalry makes it even better."

Well indeed.

The battle is sure to have a different twist to it this year as ASU is 27-11 overall and 3-5 in the Pac-10, including wins over Oregon, Oregon State and UCLA.

"ASU is playing with a lot more confidence than they have in the past," UA head coach Mike Candrea said.

ASU is led by a pair of pitchers aiming to earn All-Conference and possibly All-America honors, judging by their performances thus far.

Roxanne Tsosie (16-2) and Carrie Breedlove (10-6) combine to handle the pitching duties for a staff that has struggled in the past to keep the number of runs to a minimum.

Tsosie's ERA of 0.91 is just slightly ahead of her counterparts' 1.20, both of which are among the top numbers in the conference for starting hurlers.

Several former teammates will reunite on the diamond tonight, as Arizona freshmen Nicole Giordano and Becky Lemke go head-to-head with members of their respective high school squads.

Giordano will face ASU sophomore Christina Gill, the Sun Devils' leading home run hitter with four. The two played together at Saugus High School in Valencia, Calif.

Lemke will square off against a pair of Sun Devils she played alongside at Horizon High School in Scottsdale.

Sophomore Lesley-Ann Murphy and freshman Jennifer Langenhuizer have been key contributors to the Sun Devils' success.

Langenhuizer, an outfielder, has started 30 of 32 games with a .325 batting average while Murphy has started all 32 games for ASU at first base.