TEMPE, Ariz. -- The eighth-ranked Arizona State softball team will continue their home-stand a three-game Pac-12 series against the 13th-ranked Arizona Wildcats, marking the second-straight top-15 matchup at Farrington Stadium in the last two weekends.
The three-game series between the two teams will kick off on Friday with a 5:00 p.m. first pitch in game one. Game two is slated for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, with the series final set for a 5:00 p.m. start on Sunday.
FOLLOW THE SERIES...
Friday- 5:00 p.m. // Live Stats // Watch Live
Saturday- 2:00 p.m. // Live Stats // Watch Live
Sunday- 5:00 p.m. // Live Stats // Watch Live
LEADING OFF...
• Arizona State enters the weekend in fourth place in the Pac-12 standings. The Sun Devils dropped two-of-three in last weekend's series against the third-ranked Ducks, but did claim their third win against a top-5 team with a 4-0 shutout victory in game three to close the weekend.
• G Juarez continued to excel in the circle this past weekend, blanking one of the nation's most potent offenses in Sunday's 4-0 shutout victory over the Ducks. With the complete-game shutout Sunday, G now has 10 shutouts on the season, a mark that ranks first nationally.
• To this point in the season, ASU has outhit opponents, 318-180, leading to a 228-80 ASU advantage in runs scored. Entering the weekend series, ASU's 5.56 runs per game average ranks No. 36 in the country, and fifth in the Pac-12.
• As a staff, the Sun Devil pitchers have combined to post a 1.35 ERA, the tenth- lowest ERA in the country entering the weekend. Sophomore G Juarez has anchored the staff, posting a 0.73 ERA through the season, a mark that ranks fourth-nationally and first in the Pac-12.
• Freshman first baseman Danielle Gibson has continued to impress in her first season of collegiate softball. Entering the series, Gibson has carded an incredible .416 batting average, a mark that ranks third in the Pac-12.
• This weekend's series will be important not only for the Sun Devils quest to compete for a Pac-12 Championship, but also in terms of the Territorial Cup Series standings. Entering the week, Arizona leads the series 7-6.
(G)REATNESS IN THE CIRCLE...
Sophomore lefty G Juarez has been a force to be reckoned with all season, but the Glendale, Ariz., native really got things rolling through the month of March. Through her 70-innings pitched, G notched 11 wins while maintaining a pristine 0.10 ERA and chalking up 122 strikeouts. All of this led to Juarez earning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors in four-consecutive weeks, matching Washington's Danielle Lawrie as the only Pac-12 pitcher to earn the honor in four-straight weeks during the 2010 season. With the latest nod, Juarez became the first ASU pitcher to earn Pac-12 weekly recognition four times in a single season, surpassing Dallas Escobedo (2013) Hillary Bach (2012) and Katie Burkhart (2007 and 2008) as the only pitchers to earn the honor three times in a single season. Katelyn Boyd is the only Sun Devil to join Juarez with four weekly honors, earning Player of the Week recognition four times during the 2012 season.
NO WALK ZONE...
In total, ASU has allowed just 56 walks so far in 2018, while tallying 317 strikeouts. Those numbers translate into an incredible 5.66 strikeout to walk ratio, the fifth-best in the nation and second-best in the Pac-12. Individually, G Juarez has allowed just 28 walks in her 144-innings pitched, translating to a 7.61 strikeout to walk ratio, a mark that ranks tenth in the nation entering the weekend series.
AIN'T IT GRAND...
On the season ASU has connected on three grand slams, with the last two coming from two of the Sun Devil's most unlikely of places. During ASU's road trip to face then No. 20 Cal, Skylar McCarty launched a grand-slam in the Arizona State's 4-0 win to complete the series sweep of the Golden Bears. McCarty's effort was followed by a grand-slam by outfielder Kindra Hackbarth, who unloaded on one in ASU's 10-3 win over BYU. In both instances, the home run was the first career-long ball for each player.
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 checked in at No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 15 respectively. Entering the week, Arizona State's past schedule checks in as the 13th- toughest, based on opponent win percentage. Looking at the most recent rankings, ASU still has scheduled contests against three teams that are currently either ranked or receiving votes, and meetings with a total of nine teams that are currently ranked. Against that schedule, ASU has carded a .868 win percentage, the fifth best in the nation.
PITCHING POWERING SUN DEVIL SUCCESS...
ASU's pitching has been unbelievably impressive through the 2018 season. So far this year, opposing batters have been held to a miniscule .178 batting average, and have only scored a handful of runs. As a staff, the Sun Devil pitchers have posted an impressive 1.38 ERA, a mark that ranks ninth- nationally, and third in the Pac-12.
FORD CLAIMS WIN NO. 200...
With the Sun Devils' 3-1 win over No 20 California earlier this season, head coach Trisha Ford claimed her 200th- career victory. Entering the weekend, Ford has amassed a 205-99-1 career-record that includes a 62-26 record at ASU.
RANKING UP....
Arizona State has been featured in the NCAA Softball rankings every week so far this season After debuting at No. 23 to start the season, ASU has steadily climbed in the rankings, including checking in at 10 or higher the last five straight-weeks.
ABOUT THE TERRITORIAL CUP SERIES...
Arizona State University and University of Arizona sports teams will compete against one another in 21 common varsity intercollegiate sports during the 2017-18 academic year. For a school to be the winner of the Territorial Cup Series Trophy, it must accumulate 11 points. For an up to date record of the scores from this season, click here
- Each sport will be worth one (1) point.
- The point is awarded to the team that wins a season series.
- If the teams play once in a given season (football) then that game counts as one point.
- For baseball and softball, all regular season games count towards season series tally, including the non-conference games.
- For swimming and diving, cross country, golf, and track and field only, one point is awarded to whichever team finishes higher in the Pac-12 Championship.
- If teams split the regular season match-ups, then each team receives a point for that sport.
- In the event of a tie the following tie-breaker will be used: University with higher finish in the Directors' Cup Standings.
- In the event of a tie after the Directors' Cup Standings are used the TCS will end in a tie.
ON DECK...
Following the three-game series against the 13th- ranked Wildcats, ASU will hit the road to face Utah in Salt Lake City, April 27-29. Following the three games against the Utes, the Sun Devils will make a stop in Las Cruses, NM. to take on New Mexico State in a Tuesday doubleheader on May 1.