LEADING OFF....
• The road trip comes in the midst of a nine game stretch of games for ASU against teams currently ranked in the top-10 in the nation. The grueling stretch began on the last weekend of March when the team traveled to Tucson to face now No. 8 Arizona.
• Individually, Kindra Hackbarth has been a driving force for the maroon and gold at the plate. So far this season, the Oakdale, Calif., native has carded an impressive 52 hits on the season, a mark that ranks third in the Pac-12, and 19th- nationally. Her ability to get on base has led to a Pac-12 leading 1.28 runs scored per game.
• With an impressive 66 home runs on the season, ASU ranks second in the Pac-12, and fourth nationally, in home runs per game (1.69). So far, Arizona State has recorded multiple home runs in 19 games this season, including a two-home run outing in the Sun Devils' series finale against UCLA last weekend.
• Although the Sun Devils have struggled during the last six games (again, all against teams ranked in the top 10 of this week's polls) this is not the norm for ASU softball team. Since head coach Trisha Ford arrived in Tempe, the Sun Devils have not lost more than four-straight games, and did not lose more than two-straight all season during the 2018 season.
• With just three series left for ASU in the 2019 season, the Sun Devils are in a great position to secure their 24th- consecutive 30-win season. In this week's national RPI rankings, Arizona State checked in at No. 31 and is also in good standing to make their 15th-consecutive postseason appearance.
PASSING THE BAT TEST....
Despite their struggles at the plate in the last two series, the ASU offense has been one to watch in 2019. If the season ended today, the team's .332 team batting average would rank as the team's second highest average in the last decade, checking in just behind the program high .340 average set during the 2011 season. Additionally, the team's 305 runs scored marks the 13th- season the Sun Devils have scored 300 or more runs in a season. The team's impressive 66 home runs stands as the 12th season with 60 or more long balls in the program's storied history, and already matches the number of long balls hit during the 2018 season that ended in OKC.
LAST TIME WE MET...
Last season UW and ASU started the Pac-12 season with a three game series at Farrington Stadium. The match-up was a marquee pairing with Arizona State holding a No. 13 ranking, while undefeated Washington came to the Valley of the Sun with a perfect 28-0 record and a No. 1 ranking. The game one match-up was a pitcher's duel and saw just two runs scored by ASU in the bottom of the first, leading to Washington's first loss of the season. The Huskies came out on fire in game two, however, taking game two, 7-0. With the series on the line, ASU again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the first, and held on to win the series with yet another shutout victory.
SUN DEVILS PUSHING THROUGH CHALLENGING 2019 SCHEDULE ...
There is no doubt that ASU's 2019 schedule is right up there with the toughest in the country. Looking at opponent's total win percentage, ASU's opponents check in at No. 18 in the country. Based on the same metric, the Sun Devils' remaining schedule ranks No. 21 in the country. In a look at the rankings, ASU has played 15 games against teams either ranked or receiving votes in this week's NFCA poll. That number also includes 11 games against teams ranked in the top-15. Also of note, ASU has played 19 games against teams ranked in the top-50 of the most recent RPI, including 13 games against teams ranked in the top-20.
PAC-12 LEADING THE WAY, AGAIN, IN COLLEGIATE SOFTBALL...
The Pac-12 continues to shine on a national level as three teams possess top-10 NCAA RPI – tied for the most of any conference - with UCLA at No. 2, Washington at No. 5 and Arizona at No. 7. More than half of the league's members rank in the top-50 including No. 22 Stanford, No. 31 Arizona State, No. 42 Oregon and No. 46 Oregon State, followed by No. 62 California and No. 117 Utah to account for all nine Conference teams. Statistically, the Pac-12 shows consistency across the board with at least three teams in the top-15 of seven different statistical categories, including three in the top-10 of four areas. A minimum two student-athletes rank in the top-10 of 11 individual categories, nine Pac-12 players are hitting over .400, while four pitchers have dominated from the mound with an ERA better than 1.50.
WHAT'S NEXT...
Following the weekend trip to Seattle, ASU will return home to welcome their lone open week in the 2019 schedule. Following the Easter Weekend bye week, ASU will again hit the road to take on the Stanford Cardinal in Palo Alto, Calif. the weekend of April 26-27. Following the three-game series at Stanford, the Sun Devils will return to Farrington Stadium for the final time in the 2019 regular season to host California for Senior Weekend, May 3-4. Fans can follow all of the action from the remainder of the 2019 season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.