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<!-- begin text11 div --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->OKLAHOMA CITY -- Cat Osterman had 18 strikeouts to break the Women's College World Series record for a seven-inning game in Texas' 2-0 victory over Arizona State on Thursday in the opening round of the eight-team tournament.
Osterman (38-2) allowed one hit -- Bianca Cruz's second-inning single -- and did not walk a batter. After Cruz's hit, Osterman retired the final 18 batters in a row.
The 6-foot-2 senior left-hander broke the World Series strikeout record for a regulation game of 17 that she shared with Northwestern's Lisa Ishikawa. Ishikawa set the record in a 1-0 victory over Adelphi in 1984, and Osterman matched it twice -- in a 1-0 win over California in 2003 and a 3-0 victory over Alabama last year.
The overall World Series record is 20 by UCLA's Debbie Doom in a 2-1, 13-inning victory over Oklahoma State in 1982. Osterman had 19 in a 1-0, 11-inning victory over Arizona last year.
Osterman, who has struck out a career-high 24 twice, has 608 strikeouts this season to push her NCAA-record total to 2,248. She also has 85 shutouts.
Texas (55-7) advanced to play Arizona on Friday night. Arizona opened the tournament with a 3-2, 11-inning victory over Oregon State.
Texas' Amber Hall doubled in a run in the fourth inning, and Desiree Williams led off the fifth with a homer off Katie Burkhart (29-7).
Arizona State (52-14) will face Oregon State on Saturday in a loser's bracket game.
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<!-- begin text11 div --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 10px" vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->OKLAHOMA CITY -- Cat Osterman had 18 strikeouts to break the Women's College World Series record for a seven-inning game in Texas' 2-0 victory over Arizona State on Thursday in the opening round of the eight-team tournament.
Osterman (38-2) allowed one hit -- Bianca Cruz's second-inning single -- and did not walk a batter. After Cruz's hit, Osterman retired the final 18 batters in a row.
The 6-foot-2 senior left-hander broke the World Series strikeout record for a regulation game of 17 that she shared with Northwestern's Lisa Ishikawa. Ishikawa set the record in a 1-0 victory over Adelphi in 1984, and Osterman matched it twice -- in a 1-0 win over California in 2003 and a 3-0 victory over Alabama last year.
The overall World Series record is 20 by UCLA's Debbie Doom in a 2-1, 13-inning victory over Oklahoma State in 1982. Osterman had 19 in a 1-0, 11-inning victory over Arizona last year.
Osterman, who has struck out a career-high 24 twice, has 608 strikeouts this season to push her NCAA-record total to 2,248. She also has 85 shutouts.
Texas (55-7) advanced to play Arizona on Friday night. Arizona opened the tournament with a 3-2, 11-inning victory over Oregon State.
Texas' Amber Hall doubled in a run in the fourth inning, and Desiree Williams led off the fifth with a homer off Katie Burkhart (29-7).
Arizona State (52-14) will face Oregon State on Saturday in a loser's bracket game.
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