TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State softball will continue Pac-12 play this weekend with a three-game series against the California Golden Bears in Berkeley, Calif., Friday through Sunday. First pitches for the series are set for 3:00 p.m. PT Friday and Sunday, with game two scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start time on Saturday.
LEADING OFF….
• Arizona State will continue Pac-12 play this weekend with a three-game series against the California Golden Bears in Berkeley, Calif., Friday through Sunday. First pitches for the series are set for 3:00 p.m. PT Friday and Sunday, with game two scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start time on Saturday.
• The Sun Devils enter Pac-12 play sitting in second place in the Pac-12 standings after taking 2-of-3 from top-ranked (and previously undefeated) Washington last weekend. The Sun Devils shutout the No. 1 Huskies, 2-0, on both Saturday and Monday to claim their first series win over Washington since the since 2013.
• Sophomore pitcher, G Juarez, has been absolutely lights out in the circle for the Sun Devils in 2018. On Monday, Juarez was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week. In the last seven days, Juarez has posted a perfect 3-0 record, struck out 32 batters, and allwed just two walks and eight hits. On the season, Juarez has struck out 130 batters, a mark that ranks No. 9 in the country, and third in the Pac-12.
• As a team, ASU enters the weekend series batting .311 on the season, a mark that ranks 32nd- nationally. Sophomore Kindra Hackbarth leads the way for the Sun Devils with an impressive .414 average so far this season, a mark that ranks 10th- in the Pac-12.
• Freshman Danielle Gibson has looked to hit her stride in the Maroon and Gold this season. The Murrieta, Calif., native has gone 29-for-70 at the plate this season, including blasting a team-leading 10 home runs. Her .957 slugging percentage leads the Pac-12 this season and ranks ninth- nationally.
• Through the first six weeks of the season, ASU has outhit opponents, 219-116, leading to a 162-51 ASU lead in runs scored. Entering the weekend series, ASU's 5.79 runs per game average ranks No. 28 in the country, and sixth in the Pac-12.
• As a staff, the Sun Devil pitchers have combined to post a 1.31 ERA, the 11th- lowest ERA in the country entering the weekend series against the Golden Bears.
G-PEAT PITCHER OF THE WEEK...
Following a week that saw sophomore G Juarez strike out 32 batters in 19 innings pitched, the lefty was recognized as the Pac-12 Pitcher of the week for the second time in as many weeks. Juarez was the first ASU pitcher to earn the honor since Mackenzie Popescue was named Pitcher of the Week in April of 2014. The back-to-back honors for Juarez makes her the eighth Sun Devils pitcher to earn the honor multiple times in a season, joining the likes of Dallas Escobedo and Hillary Bach as the last pitchers to earned multiple Pac-12 Pitcher honors in a single season. Juarez' feat of earning the honor twice in a row has not been done since ASU legend Katie Burkhart earned back-to-back conference honors in 2006.
SUN DEVILS FACE CHALLENGING SCHEDULE IN 2018...
To be the best you have got to play the best. That is an idea not lost on the coaches at Arizona State who have set out on a 2018 schedule that features 22 games against teams ranked in the preseason top-25. Those games include a three-game series against conference foes Oregon, Washington, UCLA and Utah, who check in at No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 15 respectively. Entering the week, Arizona State's remaining schedule checks in as the 16th- toughest, based on opponent win percentage. Looking at the most recent rankings, ASU has scheduled contests against 12 teams that are currently either ranked or receiving votes..
FORD EYEING WIN NO. 200...
After guiding her team perched on an 24-4 record so far this season, head coach Trisha Ford is eyeing career-win 200. Ford enters this weekend's slate with a career-record of 198-99-1, moving her just two-wins away from her 200th- career victory in just her sixth season as a head coach. Since arriving in Tempe, Ford has led the Sun Devils to a 55-26 record that translates into a .679 win percentage.
PITCHING POWERING SUN DEVIL SUCCESS...
While the ASU bats have been on fire this season, ASU's pitching has been equally as impressive through the first six weeks of the season. So far in 2018, opposing batters have been held to a miniscule .177 batting average, and have only scored a handful of runs. As a staff, the Sun Devil pitchers have posted an impressive 1.31 ERA, a mark that ranks 11th- nationally, and third in the Pac-12. Individually, Dale Ryndak's 0.75 ERA checks in at No. 14 in the country, and fourth-in the Pac-12. Juarez' 2.95 hits per game ranks fourth in the nation and second in the Pac-12.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION....
California enters the weekend series looking to rebound after dropping two of three-games to Oregon State last week. The 20th- ranked Golden Bears started the season hot, winning their first 12-games of the season, before suffering their first loss to Texas A&M on Feb. 23.
As a team, the Golden Bears are hitting at an impressive .327 clip, a mark that ranks 18th- in the country and fifth in the Pac-12. Cal has already amassed 260 hits, including 21 home runs already this season. Cameron Kondo has led the Golden Bears at the plate, going 13-for-32 on the season translating into a team-leading .406 batting average.
In the circle, the Golden Bears have been a powerful group. Kamalani Dung leads the four-player rotation with an unblemished 14-0 record, with eight complete games and five shutouts so far this year. Cal has been a tough group to score on, with the team giving up just 59-runs so far this season.
ON DECK...
Following the team's first road trip of the season, the Sun Devils will return home to face BYU and North Dakota State for a pair of doubleheaders at Farrington Stadium. Action will get underway with a pair of games Friday, starting with a 4:30 meeting with North Dakota State, before closing the day with 6:30 p.m. meeting with BYU. Saturday the team will play a pair of games, with the first scheduled for 1:30, followed by a 4 p.m. game against BYU to close the weekend.
LEADING OFF….
• Arizona State will continue Pac-12 play this weekend with a three-game series against the California Golden Bears in Berkeley, Calif., Friday through Sunday. First pitches for the series are set for 3:00 p.m. PT Friday and Sunday, with game two scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start time on Saturday.
• The Sun Devils enter Pac-12 play sitting in second place in the Pac-12 standings after taking 2-of-3 from top-ranked (and previously undefeated) Washington last weekend. The Sun Devils shutout the No. 1 Huskies, 2-0, on both Saturday and Monday to claim their first series win over Washington since the since 2013.
• Sophomore pitcher, G Juarez, has been absolutely lights out in the circle for the Sun Devils in 2018. On Monday, Juarez was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week. In the last seven days, Juarez has posted a perfect 3-0 record, struck out 32 batters, and allwed just two walks and eight hits. On the season, Juarez has struck out 130 batters, a mark that ranks No. 9 in the country, and third in the Pac-12.
• As a team, ASU enters the weekend series batting .311 on the season, a mark that ranks 32nd- nationally. Sophomore Kindra Hackbarth leads the way for the Sun Devils with an impressive .414 average so far this season, a mark that ranks 10th- in the Pac-12.
• Freshman Danielle Gibson has looked to hit her stride in the Maroon and Gold this season. The Murrieta, Calif., native has gone 29-for-70 at the plate this season, including blasting a team-leading 10 home runs. Her .957 slugging percentage leads the Pac-12 this season and ranks ninth- nationally.
• Through the first six weeks of the season, ASU has outhit opponents, 219-116, leading to a 162-51 ASU lead in runs scored. Entering the weekend series, ASU's 5.79 runs per game average ranks No. 28 in the country, and sixth in the Pac-12.
• As a staff, the Sun Devil pitchers have combined to post a 1.31 ERA, the 11th- lowest ERA in the country entering the weekend series against the Golden Bears.
G-PEAT PITCHER OF THE WEEK...
Following a week that saw sophomore G Juarez strike out 32 batters in 19 innings pitched, the lefty was recognized as the Pac-12 Pitcher of the week for the second time in as many weeks. Juarez was the first ASU pitcher to earn the honor since Mackenzie Popescue was named Pitcher of the Week in April of 2014. The back-to-back honors for Juarez makes her the eighth Sun Devils pitcher to earn the honor multiple times in a season, joining the likes of Dallas Escobedo and Hillary Bach as the last pitchers to earned multiple Pac-12 Pitcher honors in a single season. Juarez' feat of earning the honor twice in a row has not been done since ASU legend Katie Burkhart earned back-to-back conference honors in 2006.
SUN DEVILS FACE CHALLENGING SCHEDULE IN 2018...
To be the best you have got to play the best. That is an idea not lost on the coaches at Arizona State who have set out on a 2018 schedule that features 22 games against teams ranked in the preseason top-25. Those games include a three-game series against conference foes Oregon, Washington, UCLA and Utah, who check in at No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 15 respectively. Entering the week, Arizona State's remaining schedule checks in as the 16th- toughest, based on opponent win percentage. Looking at the most recent rankings, ASU has scheduled contests against 12 teams that are currently either ranked or receiving votes..
FORD EYEING WIN NO. 200...
After guiding her team perched on an 24-4 record so far this season, head coach Trisha Ford is eyeing career-win 200. Ford enters this weekend's slate with a career-record of 198-99-1, moving her just two-wins away from her 200th- career victory in just her sixth season as a head coach. Since arriving in Tempe, Ford has led the Sun Devils to a 55-26 record that translates into a .679 win percentage.
PITCHING POWERING SUN DEVIL SUCCESS...
While the ASU bats have been on fire this season, ASU's pitching has been equally as impressive through the first six weeks of the season. So far in 2018, opposing batters have been held to a miniscule .177 batting average, and have only scored a handful of runs. As a staff, the Sun Devil pitchers have posted an impressive 1.31 ERA, a mark that ranks 11th- nationally, and third in the Pac-12. Individually, Dale Ryndak's 0.75 ERA checks in at No. 14 in the country, and fourth-in the Pac-12. Juarez' 2.95 hits per game ranks fourth in the nation and second in the Pac-12.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION....
California enters the weekend series looking to rebound after dropping two of three-games to Oregon State last week. The 20th- ranked Golden Bears started the season hot, winning their first 12-games of the season, before suffering their first loss to Texas A&M on Feb. 23.
As a team, the Golden Bears are hitting at an impressive .327 clip, a mark that ranks 18th- in the country and fifth in the Pac-12. Cal has already amassed 260 hits, including 21 home runs already this season. Cameron Kondo has led the Golden Bears at the plate, going 13-for-32 on the season translating into a team-leading .406 batting average.
In the circle, the Golden Bears have been a powerful group. Kamalani Dung leads the four-player rotation with an unblemished 14-0 record, with eight complete games and five shutouts so far this year. Cal has been a tough group to score on, with the team giving up just 59-runs so far this season.
ON DECK...
Following the team's first road trip of the season, the Sun Devils will return home to face BYU and North Dakota State for a pair of doubleheaders at Farrington Stadium. Action will get underway with a pair of games Friday, starting with a 4:30 meeting with North Dakota State, before closing the day with 6:30 p.m. meeting with BYU. Saturday the team will play a pair of games, with the first scheduled for 1:30, followed by a 4 p.m. game against BYU to close the weekend.