WEEKEND SCHEDULE...
Friday: 5:00 p.m. // Live Stats // Watch on Pac-12 Network
Saturday: 1:00 p.m. //Live Stats // Watch on Pac-12 Network
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. // Live Stats // Watch on Pac-12 Network
LEADING OFF...
• The home stand comes on the heels of ASU's sweep of Stanford last weekend, a trio of crucial wins in terms of postseason seeding, as well as Pac-12 positioning. The sweep also got the Sun Devils back to their winning ways, and snapped a nine-game slide for ASU.
• Not only did the Sun Devils pick up some big wins, they also did it in some big ways, including hitting eight home runs. Of those homers, two were grand slams. With the eight long balls last weekend, ASU has now hit 76 home runs on the season, the most for an ASU team since hitting 81 home runs during the 2015 season.
• Individually, five players hit home runs for ASU in the weekend sweep of the Cardinal, including Morgan Howe, DeNae Chatman and Kindra Hackbarth who all hit two home runs. Following the offensive explosion this weekend, ASU joined the defending National Champion, Florida State, as the second team in the nation with five or more players with a double digit home run total (Bella Loomis 10, DeNae Chatman 10, Maddi Hackbarth 17, Morgan Howe 11, Kindra Hackbarth 14).
• While hitting home runs is great, hitting them with bases loaded is even better. This season, ASU has combined to hit eight grand slams, a total that leads the nation. So far, three players have accomplished the feat twice, including Maddi Hackbarth, Morgan Howe and Bella Loomis.
• Aiding the Sun Devils in getting back to their winning ways last weekend, was the resurgence of one of the nation's most prolific offenses. Entering this weekend's series, ASU leads the Pac-12 with a 7.53 runs per game average, a mark that ranks third in the nation, and trails No. 1 Oklahoma by less than one run (0.62).
PASSING THE BAT TEST....
The ASU offense has been one of the most potent squads in all of college softball through the 2019 season. If the season ended today, the team's .318 batting average would rank as the fifth- highest average in program history, checking in just a few points lower than the team-high .340 average set during the 2011 season. Additionally, ASU's 339 runs scored marks the 13th- season the Sun Devils have scored 300 or more runs in a season. The Sun Devils' impressive 76 home runs stands as the 12th- season with 60 or more long balls in the program's storied history, and already surpasses the number of long balls hit during the 2018 season that ended in OKC.
MOST HOME RUNS IN A SINGLE SEASON FRO ASU...
1. 99 (2008)
2. 95 (2013)
3. 89 (2012)
4. 88 (2011)
5. 87 (2009)
6. 83 (2007)
7. 81 (2015)
8. 76 (2019)
9. 74 (2014)
10. 72 (2010)
MOST RUNS SCORED BY THE SUN DEVILS IN A SINGLE SEASON...
1. 480 (2008)
2. 477 (2011)
3. 440 (2009)
4. 432 (2012)
5. 416 (2013)
6. 392 (2007)
7. 388 (2015)
8. 385 (2010)
9. 339 (2019)
10. 315 (2018)
LAST TIME WE MET...
Last season Cal and Arizona State met in the second week of the Pac-12 schedule, with ASU entering the series having just knocked off the No. 1 team in the country. Games one and two of the series were incredibly close with ASU narrowly escaping both contests, with extra inning victories. In game three, however, the Sun Devil defense would prove to be too much for the Golden Bear offense, leading ASU to a series sweep by way of a 4-0 shutout victory. The trip to the Bay was made even more special for the Sun Devils last season, as the team's, 3-1, win over No. 20 California in game two marked head coach Trisha Ford's career-win No. 200.
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. 11 in the country. In a look at the rankings, ASU has played 21 games against teams either ranked or receiving votes in this week's NFCA poll. That number also includes 14 games against teams ranked in the top-15. Also of note, ASU has played 25 games against teams ranked in the top-50 of the most recent RPI, including 16 games against teams ranked in the top-20.
PAC-12 REMAINS ATOP THE COLLEGE SOFTBALL WORLD...
Three Pac-12 softball teams rank in the top-10 of the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll with No. 2 UCLA (43-2, 17-1), No. 3 WASHINGTON (39-7, 14-4) and No. 6 Arizona (40-8, 17-1). Each team boasts a top-10 overall record in the country behind stellar pitching talents as UCLA tops the nation in ERA (1.16) followed by Arizona in third (1.41) and Washington in sixth (1.59). STANFORD (31-13, 7-8) is receiving votes in the latest poll for its eighth consecutive appearance. League teams not only have the toughest pitchers in the country, but also have some of the best scoring offenses in the country, led by No. 3 Arizona State (7.53 runs per game), UCLA in fourth (7.47) and Arizona in seventh (7.21).
WHAT'S NEXT...
Following this weekend's series against the Golden Bears, ASU will hit the road to close out the 2019 regular season in Eugene, May 9-11. The final regular season series will begin with a 5:00 p.m. first pitch on both Thursday and Friday, before facing off with the Ducks in the series finale, Saturday at noon. Fans can follow all of the action from the final six games of the 2019 season by following @ASUSoftball on Twitter.