LEADING OFF...
• The Sun Devils return 15 letterwinners from the 2017 roster, including three (Taylor Becerra, Breanna Macha and G Juarez) who earned All-Pac-12 honors a year ago.
• ASU will look to build off their success from the 2017 season that saw the Sun Devils win 31 games en route to the Devils' 13th straight NCAA postseason appearance.
• The Sun Devils will look to continue their winning ways in season openers in Thursday night's matchup. The squad enters the 2018 season with a 22-year streak of season-opener wins dating back to the 1995 season. ASU has dropped just seven season openers in the program's 45-year history, making the Sun Devils a remarkable 39-7 all-time in season openers.
• 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 unveiled 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.
• There will be no shortage of ways to follow the Kajikawa Classic, as 17 games are scheduled to be streamed across the Pac-12 Network as well as Pac-12 Arizona, Bay Area, Oregon and Mountain.
• The Sun Devils' season will begin at home for the third-consecutive year as ASU hosts one of the nation's premiere tournaments in the Kajikawa Classic.
• Arizona State will look to build on their impressive 2017 season, that saw the Sun Devil offense power in 61 home runs that included four grand slams.
• The tournament will feature more exposure this season than ever before, as FloSoftball has agreed to live stream a number of games at Tempe Sports Complex. For a full list of games, as well as stats and TV info, please visit www.TheSunDevils.com
FOLLOW THE ACTION...
vs. No. 11 Tennessee: WATCH I STATS
vs. Purdue: STATS
vs. Nebraska: WATCH I STATS
vs. Notre Dame: WATCH I STATS
vs. Indiana: WATCH I STATS
vs. Saint Mary's: WATCH I STATS
ABOUT THE KAJIKAWA CLASSIC....
Since the beginning of ASU Softball in 1966, ASU has hosted the annual event From 1966-1990, it was named the `Sun Devil Invitational', which found its name changed in 1991 to the Coca-Cola Classic. It remained that until 1999 when the name changed yet again to the `Fiesta Bowl Tournament'.
Six years later in 2005, the name was changed one final time to the `Kajikawa Classic', after "Mr. Sun Devil" himself, Bill Kajikawa, a legendary coach and founder of Sun Devil athletics.
The tournament will feature 76 games played by 28 teams over four days at five separate fields, continuing the tradition of being one of the largest preseason tournaments in the nation.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION....
TENNESSEE
The Lady Vols are coming off their 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, as they hosted a regional for the 13th-straight season. Earning a No. 8 national seed, Tennessee placed third in the SEC in 2017 with a 16-7 conference record and are set to return 17 letterwinners from that team. The Vols made it all the way to a Super Regional, eventually falling to No. 9 Texas A&M just one win short from a trip to the Women's College World Series. Tennessee opens the 2018 season ranked No. 11/12 in preseason national polls, while senior infielder Meghan Gregg was named to the Preseason All-SEC team. Gregg was selected as the SEC Player of the Year and a Top-3 Finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last season.
PURDUE
In their first season under former ASU assistant coach Boo De Oliveira, the Boilermakers traveled to Ann Arbor to take on Northwestern in the first round of the Big 10 tournament, losing to the Wildcats 6-1. Purdue finished 2017 with an overall record of 20-36, including 9-14 in conference play, placing 11th in the Big Ten.
NEBRASKA
In 2017, the Huskers didn't make the NCAA Tournament for just the fifth time under head coach Rhonda Revelle's 26-year career. Last season marks the second-straight season the Huskers missed the tournament, finishing 2017 at .500 with a 30-30 record and 13-10 in the Big Ten. Nebraska fell to Penn State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament 5-0, ending their season. The Huskers come into town confident in serveral infield positions, including senior Kaylan Jablonski and junior Madi Unzicker, who was sidelined last year with an ACL tear.
NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame made its 19th-straight NCAA Tournament last season, competing in the Regional at Auburn. The Fighting Irish are one of just a handful of softball programs to qualify for the tournament in every season since 1999. In conference play, Notre Dame were semifinalists in the ACC Championship for the third time in four seasons and will return 14 letterwinners in 2018. This includes All-ACC and all-region performers senior infielder Morgan, junior outfielder Ali Wester, and junior infielder Melissa Rochford.
INDIANA
The Hoosiers hired new head coach Shonda Stanton in July looking to build off their 2017 season. Indiana faced Michigan State in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, falling to the Spartans by a final of 8-7. They finished their 2017 campaign with a 23-31 mark, including a 9-14 conference record. The team returns junior Tara Trainer, who was one of two Hoosiers to earn NFCA All-Region honors, marking the first time since 2011 that IU placed more than one player on an All-Region squad. Trainer set the Hoosier freshman strikeout records with 183 two seasons ago.
SAINT MARY'S
The Gaels' finished last season with a 17-31 overall record, going 3-12 in the West Coast conference. They return sophomore Niki Alexander, who earned First Team All-WCC honors last season after finishing sixth in the conference in batting average (.355) and fourth in on-base percentage (.452). Senior infielder Hailey Sparacino, senior right-handed pitcher Katlyn Whitt and sophomore right-handed pitcher Eryn McCoy rounded out the All-Conference selections for the Gaels, notching honorable mentions.
CLEAR BAG POLICY AT SUN DEVIL ATHLETIC EVENTS...
In order to enhance public safety, Sun Devil Athletics will now enforce their Clear Bag Policy at all ticketed events hosted at SDA facilities. Fans may bring in one (1) clear bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" or a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. Fans are limited to one clear bag per person, along with a small clutch or purse for privacy.
Sun Devil Athletics adopted the Clear Bag policy to improve public safety at our venues and provide a great game day experience by making access at all facilities more efficient. This proactive measure will enhance security inside and outside of the athletics venues and speed up the security screening process for all fans.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS...
Thursday: Dollar Dog Night
Throwback Thursday: Music Trivia and more!
Friday: Flashback Friday
Sunday: Sunday Funday: Kids Run the Bases (Following ASU's 4:30 game), Arts and Crafts
Sunday Love: Celebrate Valentines Day at Farrington Stadium!