THE WEEK AHEAD...
Thursday: vs. James Madison: Watch // Live Stats // Tickets
vs. Michigan: Watch // Live Stats // Tickets
Friday: vs. New Mexico State: Live Stats // Tickets
Saturday: vs. Lehigh: Watch // Live Stats // Tickets
Sunday: vs. South Dakota: Watch // Live Stats // Tickets
Tuesday: vs. Lehigh: Watch // Live Stats // Tickets
LEADING OFF ...
• The Sun Devils enter this weekend's slate of games with a 15-6 record on the season that includes a statement win over No. 9 Texas this past Sunday. With the win over the Longhorns, ASU is now 2-4 on the season against ranked teams. The Sun Devils will have an immediate opportunity to improve that record, facing a pair of ranked teams to start the weekend with a doubleheader against No. 21 JMU and No. 25 Michigan on Thursday.
• Arizona State enters the fifth week of the season as one of the most prolific offenses in the country, checking in sixth-nationally in scoring offense, averaging just under eight runs per game this season. One of the biggest reasons for the ASU offensive success has been the team's ability to hit the long-ball. Entering this week, ASU ranks eighth in the country hitting an impressive 1.48 home runs per game.
• Sophomore Bella Loomis has continued her meteoric rise as one of the 'faces of the team.' Last week, the infielder led the team with a .556 batting average, while posting an absolutely insane 1.778 slugging percentage. Bella blasted three home runs, while picking up seven RBIs at the Sun Devil Classic.
• The ASU offense has continued to make a name for itself as one of the most powerful lineups in the country. Last weekend was no different as the Sun Devils combined to hit 11 home runs. By contrast, ASU's opponents only managed four home runs in the five games played last weekend.
• With their No. 16 and 17 rankings this week, ASU has been featured in every poll released during the 2019 season. The last time the Sun Devils did not appear in either ranking was at the start of the 2017 season when the team barley missed out on the top-25 poll, and instead were listed as a team receiving votes.
KEEPING IT 100...
A hand full of Sun Devils enter the weekend looking to track down the century mark in a few statistical categories. For example...
• Head coach Trisha Ford has amassed 94 wins at ASU, leaving her just six wins shy of the century mark.
• Senior infielder Taylor Becerra has amassed 92 runs in her ASU career, leaving her just eight shy of reaching 100 runs scored.
• Senior outfielder Morgan Howe has amassed 91 hits in the Maroon and Gold, leaving her just nine shy of 100 hits as a Sun Devil.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION....
James Madison
The Dukes will make the trip out to Tempe following a 2-2 showing at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson last weekend. JMU will be looking to get back on track after dropping two-straight games for the first time this season, falling to No. 23 Minnesota and No. 12 Arizona to close out the first weekend in March. In the circle, the Dukes are led by senior Megan Good who has maintained a 2.01 ERA in her 38.1 innings pitched this season. At the plate, junior Kate Gordon is certainly a player to watch having carded a team-leading 11 RBI on 15 hits so far in 2019.
Michigan
The Wolverines will arrive in Tempe riding a three-game win streak that includes a 4-2 win over No. 5 Washington and a 3-1 win over No. 2 UCLA in last week's Judi Garman Classic. The two signature wins move the Wolverines to 2-2 this season against teams in the Pac-12, having dropped games to Arizona and Stanford earlier this season. In the circle, Michigan leans heavily on the left-handed arm of Meghan Beaubien who has fought her way to a 4-3 record in her 56 innings pitched this season. At the plate, freshman outfielder Lexie Blair has really hit her stride in her first collegiate season. The Winter Garden, Fla., native leads the team with a .362 batting average, collecting 21 hits on the season.
New Mexico State
The Aggies will be making the familiar trip out to Tempe for the first time since being in the Valley for the Tempe Regional at the end of 2018. This season, the Aggies are well on their way to defending their fourth-straight WAC Regular Season Title with a 9-5 overall record so far in 2019. While NMSU was able to get the season started with five straight victories, the sledding has been tough as of late. On Tuesday, the Aggies dropped a pair of games to No. 12 Arizona, pushing their losing streak to four games.
Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks will arrive in Tempe holding a 5-2 record on the season in 2019. After starting the season on Feb. 22 with a doubleheader split with Seton Hall, Lehigh was unfortunate to have their next five games rained out in the 2019 Charlotte First Pitch Classic. With the weather, the Mountain Hawks lost an opportunity to take the field against No. 15 South Carolina in what would have been their first game against a top-25 opponent. Most recently, Lehigh competed in the Seahawk Softball Classic in Wilmington, N.C. where the team posted a 4-1 record, dropping one game to host UNC-Wilmington to close out the weekend.
South Dakota
The Coyotes will make the trip south looking to bolster an already impressive start to the 2019 season that has seen the squad battle to a 14-7 overall record. South Dakota has established themselves as a road-warrior team, claiming a 4-1 record in true road contests that include wins over Charleston Southern, EMU and Grand Canyon already this season.
WHAT'S NEXT...
Following this weekend's ASU Invitational, ASU will embark on the grueling Pac-12 Schedule beginning with a home stand against Oregon State, March 15-17. Mini-plans and single game tickets for all of the remaining home games are still available here. Fans can also keep up with all of the action from the 2019 Softball season by following @ASUSoftball on twitter and Instagram.