ASU Softball season preview

(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)

The spring of 2015 will be one of change for the Arizona State softball team. Out are the dominant forces in the circle of Dallas Escobedo and Mackenzie Popescue. In are unproven freshmen Breanna Macha and Dale Ryndak.

Macha was a two-time All-Arizona selection at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, AZ and was the winning pitcher in the state championship game four years in a row. Ryndak went 22-1 with a 0.62 ERA as a senior at Downers Grove North High School (IL), striking out 218 batters with 10 walks in 153 innings pitched.

“Our coaching staff and our team has great confidence in what our pitchers are going to be capable of doing,” Head Coach Craig Nicholson said of trying to make Macha and Ryndak comfortable replacing Escobedo and Popescue, “Do they have the ability to go make quality pitches and get people out? Absolutely.”

Another major change will take place in the infield, with sophomore Chelsea Gonzales expected to step in at shortstop following the graduation of Cheyenne Coyle. Coyle leaves big shoes to fill offensively, a career .334 hitter in two years at ASU following a transfer from The University of Florida.

Gonzales is a very capable offensive force in her own right, batting .333 with eight home runs and 45 RBI as a freshman. Gonzales also credits Coyle with mentoring her during their time together on the defensive side.

“She taught me a lot last year. I would switch off between second and short,” Gonzales said. “And I’ve played short before so I feel a little more comfortable. I’m really excited to play there.”

Despite the changes being made at major positions around the diamond, the Sun Devils will also benefit from veteran leadership at other key positions. Senior catcher Amber Freeman will lead Macha, Ryndak and the rest of the pitching staff through the season. Other seniors joining Freeman are third baseman Haley Steele and first baseman Bethany Kemp. They will attempt to avoid becoming the first class of players not to win a national championship for ASU since the class of 2007.

Arizona State will open the season ranked 16^th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll. They come in ranked fifth out of five Pac-12 teams ranked in the top 25, trailing No. 2 Oregon, No. 6 UCLA, No. 12 Arizona and No. 13 Washington.

The Sun Devils begin the season on February 5^th with a doubleheader in the Kajikawa Classic against Creighton and Western Michigan. They will stay at home hosting various tournaments until March 5^th, when they travel to Fullerton, California to play in the Judi Garman Classic against Michigan, Fullerton, Baylor, San Jose State and Auburn. Pac-12 play will begin on March 13^th with a three game weekend series against Washington in Seattle, opening the home portion of conference play March 20^th against California.

Arizona State should be able to ease in their new players in the early part of their season before conference play starts, but should be very competitive in competing for the Pac-12 title and a trip to Oklahoma City, vying for their first national title since the late spring of 2011.