...CONGRATS TO ARIZONA STATE... ...2008 NCAA WOMEN'S SOFTBALL CHAMPIONS...

Sun Devil pitcher Katie Burkhart tossed her second straight shutout of the championship series against Texas A&M, to clinch the national title for ASU. Even if the Aggies had managed to get on the board, however, Burkhart's teammates had things under control offensively, the result being an 11-0 victory for ASU in Game 2. The Devils' Kaitlin Cochran, who had repeatedly been walked intentionally in the World Series, finally put the metal to one, belting a three-run homer tonight.

With all the great pitchers gathered in Oklahoma City -- Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher, Arizona's Taryne Mowatt, and Florida's Stacey Nelson, among others -- Burkhart was perhaps overshadowed. Back-to-back shutouts in the championship round speak for themselves, however. A&M's Megan Gibson also had a great year in the circle, but she evidently ran out of gas tonight.

Article links:

ESPN.com/Associated Press

Graham Hays column (ESPN.com)

Arizona Republic

Bryan-College Station (Texas) Eagle

ASU athletics website

Texas A&M athletics website