TEMPE -- The No. 17 Sun Devil softball team returns to Alberta B. Farrington Stadium in Tempe for the Sun Devil Classic this weekend, Friday, Feb. 28-Sunday, March 1. The tournament schedule includes 10 games throughout the weekend with three visiting teams comprising of Big Ten competitors Wisconsin and Maryland and Big Sky member Southern Utah traveling to the desert. Friday and Saturday features an entire day of games with four each, while Sunday includes two games as a finale to the Sun Devil Classic.
Arizona State (12-5) kicks off another home stretch on Friday evening with a doubleheader against Maryland at 4:30 p.m. and versus Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. MST. The Sun Devils participate in a second doubleheader on Saturday against Southern Utah and Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. MST, respectively. The final tilt of the weekend against Maryland is at noon on Sunday.
LEADING OFF
Freshman shortstop Alynah Torres continues to make her mark as a starter for the Sun Devils. She leads the team in hits (22), home runs (7), RBI (20), slugging percentage (.804), and total bases (45). Her seven home runs rank first in the Pac-12 and fourth nationally.
Opponents are seeing double the trouble with the Hackbarth twins in full activation mode. Kindra Hackbarth boasts the second highest batting average, behind Torres, with a .377 percentage. In 17 game starts, Kindra collected 20 runs with 20 hits, along with 17 RBI. Maddi returned to her big bat energy, sending three past the fences last weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Maddi is the putout queen, with 136 in her 17 starts this season.
Senior pitcher Cielo Meza (6-2) ranks 17th in the nation and third in the conference with 70 strikeouts. Madison Preston (4-2) is seventh in the Pac with 50 strikeouts. In 212 batters faced, Meza has walked only 14 and held batters to a mere 38 hits. She stands on the mound with a 1.95 ERA. Preston followed suit, warding off batters to 22 hits, as part of her 2.39 ERA.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
MARYLAND
The Maryland Terps, members of the Big Ten Conference, enjoy a two-game win streak coming into their trip to the desert for the Sun Devil Classic. Through 13 games so far this season, the team recorded a 5-8 record with a 4-5 record at neutral sites. Maryland ranks first in the Big Ten for stolen bases with an average 2.00 per game. The most common culprit to steal is Phoenix native and second baseman, sophomore Regan Kerr. The Terp batting average is led by another sophomore, infielder Taylor Okada with a .438 percentage. She is the only player hitting in the .400 range and is followed by senior third baseman Anna Kufta with a .378 batting average. Maryland relies heavily on freshmen at the mound as the pair Trinity Schlotterbeck and Courtney Wyche share 64.1 innings pitched. Schlotterbeck boasts four more innings on Wyche for a 5.10 ERA in 168 batters faced and 11 games played. In 30 innings pitched, Wyche holds a 4.20 ERA after going against 143 batters.
WISCONSIN
Maryland's Big Ten foe, Wisconsin (8-6) is another attendee of the 2020 Sun Devil Classic this weekend. The two will take the field together for the first time this season on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. MST. Wisconsin leads its conference in both double plays per game (.57) and hit batters (2). Arizona State's six shutouts so far this season ranks fifth in the nation and first in the Pac-12 while the Badgers three shutouts ranks second in the Big Ten and 37th nationally. Senior first baseman Kayla Konwent leads the team in more than just batting average (.452) but also in hits (19), home runs per game (.29), on base percentage (.582), slugging percentage (.833), and total bases (35). The senior leadership extends to the circle as senior Kaitlyn Menz and junior Haley Hestekin saw the most action in the first position through 14 games. Menz stood on the mound for a team-high 56 innings, striking out 38 batters in 219 faced. In nine game starts, she boasts a 1.88 ERA.
SOUTHERN UTAH
In Coach Williams' first season at the helm, the Thunderbirds have gone 1-8 in 2020. Southern Utah is currently on a six-game road losing streak, which includes a 1-4 neutral site record this season. Junior infielder Dayna Hokanson leads the team's batting average when the batter has at least 20 at-bats with her .208 average. Senior Samantha Guerra has put bat on ball the most, for a team-high eight hits in 29 at-bats. In continuation of the hitting upperclassmen, the team slugging percentage is led by Brooke Brown at .889, including a homerun and eight total bases.
SUN DEVIL CLASSIC INFO
Fans can view the entire tournament schedule with all participating teams here. As always, Sun Devil fans are encouraged to follow all things Sun Devil Softball on Twitter, @ASUSoftball and on Instagram @SunDevilSB.
Arizona State (12-5) kicks off another home stretch on Friday evening with a doubleheader against Maryland at 4:30 p.m. and versus Wisconsin at 7:00 p.m. MST. The Sun Devils participate in a second doubleheader on Saturday against Southern Utah and Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. MST, respectively. The final tilt of the weekend against Maryland is at noon on Sunday.
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— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) February 27, 2020
We're back home ?? #OnTheBoat pic.twitter.com/fR9Ccym2q0
LEADING OFF
Freshman shortstop Alynah Torres continues to make her mark as a starter for the Sun Devils. She leads the team in hits (22), home runs (7), RBI (20), slugging percentage (.804), and total bases (45). Her seven home runs rank first in the Pac-12 and fourth nationally.
Opponents are seeing double the trouble with the Hackbarth twins in full activation mode. Kindra Hackbarth boasts the second highest batting average, behind Torres, with a .377 percentage. In 17 game starts, Kindra collected 20 runs with 20 hits, along with 17 RBI. Maddi returned to her big bat energy, sending three past the fences last weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Maddi is the putout queen, with 136 in her 17 starts this season.
Senior pitcher Cielo Meza (6-2) ranks 17th in the nation and third in the conference with 70 strikeouts. Madison Preston (4-2) is seventh in the Pac with 50 strikeouts. In 212 batters faced, Meza has walked only 14 and held batters to a mere 38 hits. She stands on the mound with a 1.95 ERA. Preston followed suit, warding off batters to 22 hits, as part of her 2.39 ERA.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
MARYLAND
The Maryland Terps, members of the Big Ten Conference, enjoy a two-game win streak coming into their trip to the desert for the Sun Devil Classic. Through 13 games so far this season, the team recorded a 5-8 record with a 4-5 record at neutral sites. Maryland ranks first in the Big Ten for stolen bases with an average 2.00 per game. The most common culprit to steal is Phoenix native and second baseman, sophomore Regan Kerr. The Terp batting average is led by another sophomore, infielder Taylor Okada with a .438 percentage. She is the only player hitting in the .400 range and is followed by senior third baseman Anna Kufta with a .378 batting average. Maryland relies heavily on freshmen at the mound as the pair Trinity Schlotterbeck and Courtney Wyche share 64.1 innings pitched. Schlotterbeck boasts four more innings on Wyche for a 5.10 ERA in 168 batters faced and 11 games played. In 30 innings pitched, Wyche holds a 4.20 ERA after going against 143 batters.
WISCONSIN
Maryland's Big Ten foe, Wisconsin (8-6) is another attendee of the 2020 Sun Devil Classic this weekend. The two will take the field together for the first time this season on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. MST. Wisconsin leads its conference in both double plays per game (.57) and hit batters (2). Arizona State's six shutouts so far this season ranks fifth in the nation and first in the Pac-12 while the Badgers three shutouts ranks second in the Big Ten and 37th nationally. Senior first baseman Kayla Konwent leads the team in more than just batting average (.452) but also in hits (19), home runs per game (.29), on base percentage (.582), slugging percentage (.833), and total bases (35). The senior leadership extends to the circle as senior Kaitlyn Menz and junior Haley Hestekin saw the most action in the first position through 14 games. Menz stood on the mound for a team-high 56 innings, striking out 38 batters in 219 faced. In nine game starts, she boasts a 1.88 ERA.
SOUTHERN UTAH
In Coach Williams' first season at the helm, the Thunderbirds have gone 1-8 in 2020. Southern Utah is currently on a six-game road losing streak, which includes a 1-4 neutral site record this season. Junior infielder Dayna Hokanson leads the team's batting average when the batter has at least 20 at-bats with her .208 average. Senior Samantha Guerra has put bat on ball the most, for a team-high eight hits in 29 at-bats. In continuation of the hitting upperclassmen, the team slugging percentage is led by Brooke Brown at .889, including a homerun and eight total bases.
SUN DEVIL CLASSIC INFO
Fans can view the entire tournament schedule with all participating teams here. As always, Sun Devil fans are encouraged to follow all things Sun Devil Softball on Twitter, @ASUSoftball and on Instagram @SunDevilSB.