ASU Softball: Michigan rivalry won’t distract Sun Devils from task at hand

(Photo: Alli Cline/WCSN)

Arizona State has become very familiar with the Michigan Wolverines softball team over the last two seasons, and it has not been happy memories for the girls from Tempe.

With the Wolverines set to play two games against the Sun Devils in this weekend’s Louisville Slugger Invitational at Farrington Stadium, memories of last season’s Tempe Regional surface, where ASU was eliminated by the Wolverines on an Amber Freeman home-run robbing catch by Michigan center fielder Lyndsay Doyle with two outs in the seventh inning.

Prior to that, the Devils were also bounced from the 2013 Women’s College World Series by Carol Hutchins’ Wolverines. Overall, ASU and Michigan have played each other five times over the past two seasons, with Michigan holding a 3-2 advantage.

ASU Head Coach Craig Nicholson does not want to put any thought into what has happened in the past, and just wants his team to play in the present.

“It’s just another game. It’s not about who we play, it’s about us coming out here and continuing to get better.” Nicholson said. “We’ll talk about our opponent in terms of what we need to do to be successful against that opponent, but we’re not going to worry about who we’re playing or anything like that at this time of year.”

Freshman pitcher Breanna Macha did not experience the heartbreak of the last two seasons, but admits that it is still talked about amongst the players, especially this week.

“We kind of just joke about it now, I mean Amber (Freeman) was like ‘Give me your reps in the weight room this week.’ But there is talk about just trying to do better, just push each other this week to really get ready for that game.”

Macha also echoed Nicholson’s view in that too much stock can’t be put into a tournament game in February between non-conference opponents.

“It’s just like any other game, you gotta go out there. [The Wolverines] tie up their shoes like we do, they put their pants on like we do, it’s just another game.”

However, Macha is looking forward to the opportunity of gauging where she is in her young college career against a heavyweight opponent like Michigan, as well as preparation for the stretch run of the season.

“We’re gonna be facing big teams like that all week, Dale (Ryndak) had (No. 4) Oklahoma, we had New Mexico, and it’s great competition getting us ready for Pac-12 play.” Macha said. “Everyone in the Pac-12 is good, you just have to raise your level of intensity.”

The No. 3 Wolverines bring a sparkling 13-1 record to Tempe despite having not played a home game yet, and No. 21 Arizona State has shaken off a rough opening weekend to come into the tournament at 12-5.

The two teams play each other twice this weekend, and again next weekend at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, CA, which should leave both sides very familiar with each other should their paths cross again, where the stakes will be much higher.

You can reach the author on Twitter @bobbykraus22