Looking Back at the NCAA Champions: 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils

Photo courtesy Arizona State Athletics

Fall practice has wrapped up around the country in Division I, which allows us to set our sights on the 2024 season that lies ahead.

Early focus will be centered on the University of Oklahoma as they begin the quest to become the first team in Division I history to win four consecutive national championships.

The Sooners tied UCLA (1988, 1989, 1990) as the only teams to ever win three consecutive titles when they defeated Florida State to claim the 2023 title.

Extra Inning Softball will be reviewing the 41 national champions that have previously hoisted the trophy.

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2008 Arizona State Sun Devils

The Venue: ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Head Coach: Clint Myers

The Players (Women’s College World Series Roster): Caylyn Carlson, Megan Elliott, Rhiannon Baca, Renne Welty, Katie Burkhart, Lesley Rogers, Sarah Rice, Krista Donnenwirth, Jessica Mapes, Clarissa Andorfer-Lopez, Katie Crabb, Kaitlin Cochran, Michelle Nulliner, Brittany Matta, Jackie Vasquez, Mindy Cowles, Amanda Nesbitt, Brooke Neuman, Kristin Miller, Mandy Urfer, Dani Rae Lougheed, Ashley Muenz

The Regular Season: Arizona State began the 2008 season by winning 31 of its first 32 games and finished the regular season with a 56-5 record. The Sun Devils posted an 18-3 record in the Pac-10 Conference earning them their first conference title in school history as ASU finished a game ahead of UCLA and five games ahead of Arizona. The Sun Devils, who were ranked No. 1 for much of the season, were paced offensively by Kaitlin Cochran who hit .439 on the season with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs despite being intentionally walked 29 times. Jackie Vasquez finished the year with a .418 batting average and Krista Donnenwirth hit 15 home runs and drove in 74 runs. Mindy Cowles added 18 home runs and 60 RBIs to an Arizona State team that led the nation averaging 6.76 runs per game. The pitching staff was paced by Katie Burkhart who finished the season with a 41-5 record and a 0.75 earned run average. Burkhart struck out 513 batters on the season in 315.1 innings pitched and averaged 11.4 strikeouts per seven innings. Megan Elliott also turned in an outstanding season in the circle for the Sun Devils as she finished the year with a 20-0 record. A school-record five Sun Devils earned All-American honors in 2008 as Burkhart (1st team), Cochran (1st team), Cowles (2nd team), Donnenwirth (3rd team) and Vasquez (3rd team) were each selected.

The Regional: Arizona State hosted the NCAA Tempe Regional and were joined by Stony Brook, Mississippi State and Hawaii. The Sun Devils opened regional play against Stony Brook and posted a 2-0 win behind Megan Elliott and Kaitlin Cochran. Elliott went 6,0 innings allowing just three hits and struck out eight, while Cochran was 2-for-3 with an RBI. The Sun Devils offense took over in game two against Hawaii as ASU recorded 15 hits in a 10-0 victory. Jackie Vasquez and Mindy Cowles each had three hits and Kristen Miller hit a three-run home run to lead the offense. Katie Burkhart allowed just two hits and struck out seven to earn the win in the circle. The Sun Devils faced Hawaii in a rematch and the story was much the same. Burkhart tossed a three-hit shutout and Miller hit a grand slam and Cowles added a solo shot to power the Sun Devils to an 8-0 win. With the victory, Arizona State secured its spot in the Super Regional.

The Super Regional: Arizona State stayed at home for the Super Regional as the Sun Devils hosted Northwestern in Tempe, Ariz. Game one saw Northwestern strike first with a run in the top of the third inning, but Kaitlin Cochran would answer in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run putting ASU in front 2-1. The Sun Devils extended the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Krista Donnenwirth and Katie Burkhart dominated the Wildcats the rest of the way. Burkhart finished the game allowing just two hits and no earned runs while striking out 16 batters in the 3-1 win. With a trip to the Women’s College World Series in the balance, the Sun Devils scored four runs over the first two innings and Burkhart pitched a three-hit shutout leading ASU to a 9-0 win. Mindy Cowles belted a grand slam and Lesley Rogers added a three-run double to highlight the offensive attack, while Burkhart struck out 10 batters over 6.0 innings pitched. With the victory, Arizona State secured its third straight trip to the Women’s College World Series.

The Field at the Women’s College World Series: Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, Louisiana, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, UCLA

The Sun Devils at the Women’s College World Series: Arizona opened WCWS play against Alabama and needed a late rally to secure a 3-1 victory. Katie Burkhart and Kelsi Dunne locked up in a pitcher’s duel and the Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead into the top of the seventh inning. Kaitlin Cochran was intentionally walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Krista Donnenwirth. Lesley Rogers tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI double that brought home Cochran. With two outs, Renee Welty was hit by a pitch and Mandy Urfer hit a two-run double giving the Sun Devils a 3-1 lead. Burkhart got two pop ups and a strikeout in the bottom of the inning to secure the win. Burkhart turned in a brilliant performance in game two as the Sun Devils defeated UCLA 4-0. She went 7.0 innings and allowed just four hits and struck out eight batters. Arizona State took advantage of a UCLA error to plate two runs in the third inning. Rogers singled with runners on first and second but an outfield error permitted both runners to cross the plate putting the Sun Devils up 2-0. The Sun Devils plated two more runs in the fifth inning on a Donnenwirth single and another UCLA error. A rematch with Alabama awaited the Sun Devils in game three and Burkhart and Dunne each turned in outstanding pitching performances. Burkhart allowed just two hits and struck out nine, while Dunne permitted two hits and struck out six. The Crimson Tide took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but Arizona State would answer in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and a runner on first base, Cochran was hit by a pitch and Jackie Vasquez followed with a three-run home run to rightfield giving the Sun Devils a 3-1 lead. Burkhart shut down Alabama and did not permit a hit over the final four innings. With the victory, Arizona State secured its place in the championship finals for the first time in school history.

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