First pitch for game one is scheduled for 5 p.m Friday evening, with game two slated for a 5 p.m. start on Saturday. The series will conclude Sunday at 3 p.m.
LEADING OFF:
• The 22nd-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils will return home for the final two weeks of the 2017 regular season, beginning this weekend with a three-game series against California.
• Despite having already faced six of the nations top-25 scoring offenses, the Sun Devil pitching staff still boasts a 1.98 team ERA, a mark that ranks No. 27 nationally.
• With 46 home runs hit in the 2017 season, the Sun Devils check in at No. 15 nationally with a 1.05 home runs per game average this season. With six games remaining on the schedule, the Sun Devils have already logged their 12th-straight season with 40 or more home runs.
• The Sun Devils continued the challenging grind of the 2017 season last week with a trip to No. 3 Arizona. For the Sun Devils, the trip to Tucson marked the third road-series against a top-10 team. For the year, the Sun Devils' schedule ranks No. 15 overall based on a combined .596 cumulative opposition win percentage.
• Senior shortstop Chelsea Gonzales continued her climb on the all-time ASU leader boards this weekend, recording her 176th career-RBI, a mark that ranks seventh in ASU history. With 41 homers, Gonzales has passed ASU legends Phelan Wright (2001-04) and Krista Donnenwirth (2008-11), and is just one long-ball behind of Annie Lockwood (2009-12) in sixth place.
• The weekend series grants the Sun Devil softball team an opportunity to eclipse the 30 wins plateau, a feat that ASU softball has accomplished every season since 1996. The three-game series also allows the Sun Devils an opportunity to win their 10th Pac-12 game of the season. With three wins this weekend, the Sun Devils would reach a double-digit conference win mark for the 23rd- time in program history, and 11th time since the 2005 season.
• ASU checked in at No. 22 in this week's NFCA Poll, marking the 11th straight week that the Sun Devils have appeared in the poll.
WEEKEND SCOUTING REPORT:
The Golden Bears (27-19, 3-14 Pac-12) will arrive in Tempe in search of their first Pac-12 win since sweeping Stanford in late March. Playing in the premiere collegiate softball conference in the nation, Cal has been swept in five league series and has not been able defeat a ranked opponent yet this season.
California has however, displayed some power at the plate in their final game against then No. 8 Washington last weekend, outhitting the Huskies 9-7. Cal also limited Washington, which holds a .319 batting average on the year, to .269 in game three of the series, but eventually fell, 3-2, allowing another sweep in league play.
Junior Jazmyn Jackson enters the weekend tilt at the top of the league chart with 16 doubles so far this season. She also leads Cal with a .349 average at the plate.
In the all-time series with ASU, Cal holds a 68-55 edge, but the Sun Devils have not dropped a series since 2012, claiming a series sweep in both the 2013 and '14 seasons. The Sun Devils also recorded a 9-1 run-rule victory in the teams' last meeting.
SERIES INFO:
Dates: May 5-7
Game Times: 6 p.m. // 6 p.m. // 5 p.m.
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
Venue: Alberta B. Farrington Stadium
Dimensions: 192 (LF), 208 (CF), 192 (RF)
Television: Pac-12 Network
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
All-Time Series: California leads, 68-55 Last Meeting 2016
Result: ASU won, 9-1
FOR THE FANS:
Friday (Hispanic Heritage Appreciation) – Sun Devil Softball will be recognizing the contributions made and the important presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States, and celebrate their heritage and culture.
Saturday (Fan Appreciation) – To thank our fans for their continued support we bring you Fan Appreciation. Fans, can purchase discounted tickets using promo code "ASU FAN" online and can expect special prizes to be given away throughout during the game. Stick around post-game, the juniors will be signing the yet-to-be-released junior class poster.
Sunday (Sunday FUNday) – Every Sunday at Farrington Stadium is filled with family-friendly entertainment! Grab a softball BINGO card and follow along for the chance to win. Bring the kids on the field after the game to run the bases. That and much more only on Sunday FUNday!
WHAT'S NEXT:
Following the weekend series against Cal, the Sun Devils will be back at home next weekend to host No. 12 UCLA for a three-game series beginning Thursday, May 11.