TEMPE – Head Coach Craig Nicholson and the Arizona State University softball program have announced the team’s 2015 Fall Exhibition Schedule. This year’s slate features eight games and is highlighted by an Oct. 8 contest against the two-time defending National Pro Fastpitch Champion, the USSSA Pride.
The Pride feature an elite roster of former All-Americans and will also host the talents of guest pitcher and former Sun Devil All-American and National Champion Dallas Escobedo as well as the recently departed Sun DeviL and 2013 Pac-12 Player of the Year, Amber Freeman.
Escobedo, currently a member of the Pennsylvania Rebellion of the NPF, will be joining the Sun Devil staff for the 2015-16 season as a graduate assistant. The three-time All-American will team up with her long-time Sun Devil battery mate (and also three-time All-American) Freeman behind the plate, giving Sun Devil fans a nice bit of déjà vu during the game against the Pride.
All seating at the event will be general admission at a cost of $7 for all parties. Season tickets do not include this exhibition contest. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Arizona time.
Following the game, fans will have an opportunity to participate in an autograph signing featuring both teams.
The Pride roster is a glutton with some of the elite names from NCAA Softball in recent seasons that includes the 2014 WCWS Most Outstanding Player, Hannah Rogers (Florida) and Senior CLASS Award winner Madison Shipman (Tennessee). The 2014 NPF Player of the Year and Olympic silver medalist Andrea Duran (UCLA) will also be in action as well as former Arizona All-Americans Chelsea Goodacre, Brigette Del Ponte and Hallie Wilson.
The game will take place the day before ASU’s annual alumni game on Friday, Oct. 9 where a slew of former Sun Devils will converge on Farrington Stadium for a fun contest against the current crop of Devils.
ASU’s Fall schedule will also take the team on the road for two contests against CSU Northridge and Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18, giving the squad a look at some high quality competition prior to getting into the regular season. CSUN advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season while Fullerton was ranked at times throughout the year.
ASU will open up the Fall slate on Friday, Oct. 7 against Scottsdale Community College. The team will compete against South Mountain CC, Yavapai College and Phoenix College each Wednesday from Oct. 14-28. All games are scheduled for a 7 p.m. first pitch and will be open to the public for free outside of the contest against the USSSA Pride.
The Sun Devils have advanced to 11 consecutive postseason appearances entering this season. The 2015 squad features a roster that includes 2014 All-Pac-12 selections in sophomore pitcher Breanna Macha, junior shortstop Chelsea Gonzales and senior second baseman Nikki Girard as well as a slew of talented returners such as Jennifer Soria, Sashel Palacios, Dale Ryndak and Abby Spiel.
Season tickets are available now through the Sun Devil Ticket Office. Fans can enjoy a 2016 home schedule that features Pac-12 home series against Oregon, Washington and Arizona as well as NCAA Tournament competitors Minnesota, Nebraska and James Madison.