Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- The Arizona State softball team will be back in action this weekend, taking part in the team's 15th- straight postseason action at the 2019 Tuscaloosa Regional, May 16-19 at Rhoads Stadium.
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE...
Game 1: Friday – Arizona St. vs. Lipscomb at 1:00 p.m. MST ESPN3
Game 2: Friday – No. 8 Alabama vs. Alabama St. at 3:30 p.m. MST ESPNU
Game 3: Saturday – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 at 11:00 a.m. TBA
Game 4: Saturday – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 at 1:30 p.m. TBA
Game 5: Saturday – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 at 4:00 p.m. TBA
Game 6: Sunday – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 at 11 a.m. TBA
Game 7: Sunday – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 at 1:30 p.m. TBA (if necessary)
LEADING OFF…
• The Sun Devils finished the 2019 regular season with a 33-18 record on the season, finishing fourth in the Pac-12 with a 13-11 record in league play. The 33 wins pushes ASU to their 25th straight season with 30 or more wins, while the team's 13 wins in Pac-12 play marks the second-straight winning season in league play, and is the 12th winning season in conference play in program history.
• Last weekend, Arizona State swept Oregon in Eugene, the first sweep of the Ducks in a three-game series since the teams joined the Pac-12. During the weekend series, ASU combined to outhit the Ducks, 29-12 leading to a 26-5 scoring advantage for the Devils. Individually, Bella Loomis led the team at the plate, going 5-for-9 with a triple.
• In the series sweep of Oregon, ASU added six more home runs to their season total bringing them to an outstanding 85 on the season. The 85 long balls rank six all-time in ASU single season history. The Devils need just two more to enter the top five, and match the 87 home runs hit by the team in 2009.
• 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 hit two grand slams this season: Maddi Hackbarth, Morgan Howe and Bella Loomis.
• Junior catcher Maddi Hackbarth's 19 home runs this season ties for third most all-time in ASU single season history. She is currently tied with Katelyn Boyd (2012) and Annie Lockwood (2011) for third, and needs just one more home run to tie Cheyenne Coyle (2013) and Kaitlin Cochran (2009) for the most homers in a single season.
• ASU has really made a name for themselves this season at the plate, hitting at a .320 clip and scoring 7.55 runs per game, a mark that ranks fifth nationally and leads the Pac-12.
KEEPING IT 100…
A hand full of Sun Devils hit the century mark in a number of categories this season. Below are some highlights of those feats...
+ Junior Outfielder Kindra Hackbarth crossed the plate for the 100th time as a Sun Devil last weekend during the Sun Devils' first ever sweep of the Ducks in Eugene.
+ Head coach Trisha Ford has picked up her 100th win as the head coach of ASU with the team's 18-2 run-rule victory over Oregon State.
+ Senior outfielder Morgan Howe picked up her 100th- hit this past weekend in ASU's win over South Dakota.
+ Junior outfielder Kindra Hackbarth picked up her 100th- hit as a Sun Devil in ASU's loss to Wisconsin on March 2nd.
+ Junior infielder Jade Gortarez has carded 100 hits in her two years in the maroon and gold, hitting the triple digit mark in style, a solo shot in game three at Oregon Last Weekend.
PASSING THE BAT TEST....
The ASU offense has been one of the most prolific squads in all of college softball through the 2019 season. If the season ended today, the team's .320 team batting average would rank as the team's 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, the team's 385 runs scored marks the 13th- season the Sun Devils have scored 300 or more runs in a season, and is the 8th highest tally in a single season. The team's impressive 85 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.
ASU HISTORY IN REGIONAL PLAY...
Under third year head coach Trisha Ford, ASU has battled their way to a 6-2 record in regional and super regional play. The Sun Devils are no stranger to postseason, having made it their last 15 years in a row, and will play in an SEC host regional for the fourth time in the last five seasons. This season marks the second time in ASU softball history to play in a regional in Tuscaloosa, having last played in Tide country in 2005.
SUN DEVILS BATTLE TESTED WITH CHALLENGING 2019 SCHEDULE...
There is no doubt that ASU's 2019 schedule is 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.
THE PAC-12 HAS YET ANOTHER GREAT SHOWING IN 2019 NCAA POSTSEASON…
Five Pac-12 softball teams are set to compete in the 2019 NCAA Softball Championship with three teams earning top-16 seeds accompanied with hosting privileges including Pac-12 Co-Champions, No. 2 seed UCLA and No. 3 seed Washington, along with No. 6 seed Arizona. The Sun Devils and Stanford received at-large bids in the 64-team field, marking the 24th-straight season that five or more Conference teams will participate in the NCAA Championship. The Bruins claimed the league's automatic qualifier because of their sweep of the Huskies earlier in the season.
FOLLOW THE REST OF THE PAC-12 IN NCAA ACTION #BackThePac…
Gainesville Regional – May 17-19 at Gainesville, Florida
No. 5 seed Florida* (44-15) vs. Boston U. (37-18)
STANFORD (32-18) vs. Boise St. (34-14)
Seattle Regional – May 17-19 at Seattle, Washington
No. 3 WASHINGTON* (45-7) vs. Fordham (29-24)
Mississippi State (33-21) vs. Seattle U. (39-15)
Tucson Regional – May 17-19 at Tucson, Arizona
Auburn (37-19) vs. Colorado St. (38-10)
Harvard (25-17) vs. No. 6 ARIZONA* (42-12)
Los Angeles Regional – May 17-19 at Los Angeles, California
Missouri (32-23) vs. Cal St. Fullerton (38-16)
Weber St. (26-19) vs. No. 2 UCLA* (46-5)
TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL SCHEDULE...
Game 1: Friday – Arizona St. vs. Lipscomb at 1:00 p.m. MST ESPN3
Game 2: Friday – No. 8 Alabama vs. Alabama St. at 3:30 p.m. MST ESPNU
Game 3: Saturday – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 at 11:00 a.m. TBA
Game 4: Saturday – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 at 1:30 p.m. TBA
Game 5: Saturday – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3 at 4:00 p.m. TBA
Game 6: Sunday – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5 at 11 a.m. TBA
Game 7: Sunday – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 at 1:30 p.m. TBA (if necessary)
LEADING OFF…
• The Sun Devils finished the 2019 regular season with a 33-18 record on the season, finishing fourth in the Pac-12 with a 13-11 record in league play. The 33 wins pushes ASU to their 25th straight season with 30 or more wins, while the team's 13 wins in Pac-12 play marks the second-straight winning season in league play, and is the 12th winning season in conference play in program history.
• Last weekend, Arizona State swept Oregon in Eugene, the first sweep of the Ducks in a three-game series since the teams joined the Pac-12. During the weekend series, ASU combined to outhit the Ducks, 29-12 leading to a 26-5 scoring advantage for the Devils. Individually, Bella Loomis led the team at the plate, going 5-for-9 with a triple.
• In the series sweep of Oregon, ASU added six more home runs to their season total bringing them to an outstanding 85 on the season. The 85 long balls rank six all-time in ASU single season history. The Devils need just two more to enter the top five, and match the 87 home runs hit by the team in 2009.
• 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 hit two grand slams this season: Maddi Hackbarth, Morgan Howe and Bella Loomis.
• Junior catcher Maddi Hackbarth's 19 home runs this season ties for third most all-time in ASU single season history. She is currently tied with Katelyn Boyd (2012) and Annie Lockwood (2011) for third, and needs just one more home run to tie Cheyenne Coyle (2013) and Kaitlin Cochran (2009) for the most homers in a single season.
• ASU has really made a name for themselves this season at the plate, hitting at a .320 clip and scoring 7.55 runs per game, a mark that ranks fifth nationally and leads the Pac-12.
KEEPING IT 100…
A hand full of Sun Devils hit the century mark in a number of categories this season. Below are some highlights of those feats...
+ Junior Outfielder Kindra Hackbarth crossed the plate for the 100th time as a Sun Devil last weekend during the Sun Devils' first ever sweep of the Ducks in Eugene.
+ Head coach Trisha Ford has picked up her 100th win as the head coach of ASU with the team's 18-2 run-rule victory over Oregon State.
+ Senior outfielder Morgan Howe picked up her 100th- hit this past weekend in ASU's win over South Dakota.
+ Junior outfielder Kindra Hackbarth picked up her 100th- hit as a Sun Devil in ASU's loss to Wisconsin on March 2nd.
+ Junior infielder Jade Gortarez has carded 100 hits in her two years in the maroon and gold, hitting the triple digit mark in style, a solo shot in game three at Oregon Last Weekend.
PASSING THE BAT TEST....
The ASU offense has been one of the most prolific squads in all of college softball through the 2019 season. If the season ended today, the team's .320 team batting average would rank as the team's 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, the team's 385 runs scored marks the 13th- season the Sun Devils have scored 300 or more runs in a season, and is the 8th highest tally in a single season. The team's impressive 85 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.
ASU HISTORY IN REGIONAL PLAY...
Under third year head coach Trisha Ford, ASU has battled their way to a 6-2 record in regional and super regional play. The Sun Devils are no stranger to postseason, having made it their last 15 years in a row, and will play in an SEC host regional for the fourth time in the last five seasons. This season marks the second time in ASU softball history to play in a regional in Tuscaloosa, having last played in Tide country in 2005.
SUN DEVILS BATTLE TESTED WITH CHALLENGING 2019 SCHEDULE...
There is no doubt that ASU's 2019 schedule is 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.
THE PAC-12 HAS YET ANOTHER GREAT SHOWING IN 2019 NCAA POSTSEASON…
Five Pac-12 softball teams are set to compete in the 2019 NCAA Softball Championship with three teams earning top-16 seeds accompanied with hosting privileges including Pac-12 Co-Champions, No. 2 seed UCLA and No. 3 seed Washington, along with No. 6 seed Arizona. The Sun Devils and Stanford received at-large bids in the 64-team field, marking the 24th-straight season that five or more Conference teams will participate in the NCAA Championship. The Bruins claimed the league's automatic qualifier because of their sweep of the Huskies earlier in the season.
FOLLOW THE REST OF THE PAC-12 IN NCAA ACTION #BackThePac…
Gainesville Regional – May 17-19 at Gainesville, Florida
No. 5 seed Florida* (44-15) vs. Boston U. (37-18)
STANFORD (32-18) vs. Boise St. (34-14)
Seattle Regional – May 17-19 at Seattle, Washington
No. 3 WASHINGTON* (45-7) vs. Fordham (29-24)
Mississippi State (33-21) vs. Seattle U. (39-15)
Tucson Regional – May 17-19 at Tucson, Arizona
Auburn (37-19) vs. Colorado St. (38-10)
Harvard (25-17) vs. No. 6 ARIZONA* (42-12)
Los Angeles Regional – May 17-19 at Los Angeles, California
Missouri (32-23) vs. Cal St. Fullerton (38-16)
Weber St. (26-19) vs. No. 2 UCLA* (46-5)