TEMPE – The Arizona State University softball team will make its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, hosting the Tempe Regional from May 16-18 as the No. 9 seed seed overall. All games in the Tempe Regional will broadcast live on television via ESPNU.
The Sun Devils will open the regional on Friday, May 16 against Ivy League Champion Dartmouth at 3 p.m. PT at Farrington Stadium.
The Tempe Regional field features Arizona State (44-10-1), Michigan (42-12), San Diego State (39-17) and Dartmouth (31-17). Michigan will take on San Diego State in the early game on Friday, set for a 12:30 p.m. PT first pitch. The winner of each game will face each other on Saturday while the loser of the first games will have to stave off double elimination for a chance to advance to the Super Regional.
The Sun Devils are making their 26th appearance in NCAA Tournament history, the fourth-highest tally of the 64 teams in this year’s tournament behind only UCLA, Arizona and Florida State. This also marks the 10th consecutive NCAA appearance for ASU.
ASU is 83-49 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and is 53-15 since 2006 in the tournament with two NCAA Championships and seven trips to the WCWS in that time with an incredible 30-3 record at home in the span.
ASU has not played Dartmouth before in program history. In fact, the Sun Devils have played an Ivy League team just once before - a 2004 matchup against Princeton. Dartmouth is making its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
For the second time in as many seasons, the Sun Devils have a chance to face Michigan in the postseason after already playing them once in the regular season. ASU was eliminated by UM - the Tempe Regional’s No. 2 seed – at the Women’s College World Series last season in 2-0 decision after playing the team earlier in the season.
ASU got a bit of revenge against the Wolverines this season with a 2-0 victory over Michigan at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., earlier this year on the heels of a Dallas Escobedo one-hitter.
San Diego State returns to the Tempe Regional for the second straight season and fourth time since 2009, though the two teams did not face each other last year.
In receiving the tournament’s No. 9 seed, ASU is not immediately eligible to host the Super Regional in Tempe. However, if ASU is the higher-seeded team to come out of the bracket following the regionals, then it would be possible for ASU to host the Super Regional round.
Regionals will be held May 15-18 on 16 campus sites. At each campus site, a four-team, double-elimination tournament will be conducted and the 16 winning teams advance to the Super Regionals.
Super Regionals for the tournament will be held May 22-25 on eight campus sites. At each site, two teams play in a best-of-three tournament format. The winners from each site advance to the NCAA Women's College World Series. The WCWS is held in Oklahoma City from May 29 to June 4.
TICKET INFORMATION
(All times Pacific)
Friday, May 16th 12:30 p.m. Game 1- Michigan vs. San Diego St
Friday, May 16th 3 p.m. Game 2- Arizona State vs. Dartmouth
Saturday, May 17th 3 p.m. Game 3- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Saturday, May 17th 5:30 p.m. Game 4- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
Saturday, May 17th 8 p.m. Game 5- Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Sunday, May 18th 2:30 p.m. Game 6- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Sunday, May 18th 5 p.m. Game 7-(If Necessary)
Timeline
Monday, May 12th - General Public All Session Passes will go on sale at 1 p.m. PT. These can be purchased in person, online, or over the phone at 480-727-0000. Fans who pre-purchased their tickets may start picking them up at 1 p.m..
Wednesday, May 14th - If available, single game tickets will go on sale to everyone beginning at 9 a.m. PT. These can be purchased in person, online, or over the phone.
After the first two games, there are no guarantees as to which dugout the teams will play in.
Prices
All-Session Passes
Field Level - $35
Reserved Level - $30
GA Adult - $25
GA Jr/SR/Groups - $20
ASU Students - $20
Single Game Prices
Field Level - $12
Reserved Level - $10
GA Adult - $8
GA Jr/SR/Groups - $7
ASU Students - $7