"Arizona State doesn't typically play back-to-back road trips this early in the season," head coach Trisha Ford said. "I think that these last two trips will be good for us when we start getting into conference play. Maine is going to come out swinging for us. It will be nice to get back out in front of our home crowd, but I really think these games are getting us ready for conference play."
Wednesday's game will mark the first of a four-game home stand that will feature a three-game series against Nebraska, Friday-Sunday. First picth for Friday's game is set for 7 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. matchup Saturday and an 11:30 a.m. start Sunday.
GAME INFORMATION:
| Date | March 8 |
| Time | 6 p.m. |
| Location | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Venue | Farrington |
| Dimensions | 190 (LF), 210 (CF), 190 (RF) |
| Watch Live | ASU LIVE STREAM-2 |
| Stats | Stat Broadcast |
| All-Time Series | ASU leads, 1-0 |
| Last Meeting | 1987 |
LEADING OFF...
• The 21st- ranked Sun Devils will return to Farrington after playing back-to-back weekends on the road. ASU amassed a 6-4 record over the course of the ten-game road-trip, highlighted by wins over Texas, Notre Dame and a pair of extra innings wins against Iowa and South Carolina to close out the Judi Garman Classic.
• The Sun Devils continued to receive strong pitching outings from the four-man ASU staff this past weekend at the Judi Garman Classic. The Sun Devils carded a minuscule 1.66 ERA in the team's five games at the event, a mark that stood as the third best team ERA of all competitors at the event. PAC-12 foe Washington recorded the lowest team ERA at the Classic with a 1.16 mark, followed by Florida who posted a 1.45 mark on the weekend.
• After opening the 2017 season with the Sun Devils' seventh perfect game in program history, junior pitcher Dale Ryndak has continued her torrid start to the season. The Downers Grove, Ill., native appeared in four games for the Sun Devils this past weekend, recording another 0.00 weekly ERA, while picking up 10 strikeouts. On the season, Ryndak boasts a 1.66 ERA
• While the pitching for the Sun Devils has been reliable, to say the least, the offense has also been getting it done at the plate. Senior shortstop, Chelsea Gonzales, continued her climb in the all-time leaders lists this past weekend, knocking in her 34th-career homerun, and 148th-RBI, ranking her 11th and 12th in ASU softball history in each category.
• The Sun Devils enter the midweek tilt against Maine, out-hitting opponents 140-113, made more impressive by the fact that ASU has already played two teams that rank in the top-50 in scoring this season in Baylor (22) and Texas A&M (40). The Sun Devils have also proved that they are willing to get on base y any means necessary, drawing 78 walks and 16 hit by pitches this season. The 16 HBPs this year rank tied for ninth in the nation.
• Just 17 games so far this season have gone into three or more extra innings. The Sun Devil's three overtime contest against Iowa ties Washington for the longest game played by a Pac-12 team this season, but is two innings shy of the longest games played this season.
WEEKDAY SCOUTING REPORT:
The Black Bears enter the second week of their season, after stumbling in their first week of play. Maine began the season last weekend at the Grand Canyon University Invitational where the team dropped a pair of games to Creighton and Grand Canyon. The lone win of the season for the Back Bears came against GCU Saturday, by a score of 4-0. Rachel Carlson has led the Black Bears at the plate so far this season, following a 5-15 outing in their opening weekend of play. In the circle, Molly Flowers has powered Maine with a 3.50 ERA in four appearances this season.