ASU Softball: Sun Devils to open Pac-12 play in Seattle

(Photo: Michael Baron/WCSN)

Arizona State completed its home stand on a high note. A three game sweep of their opponent the Nebraska Huskers in which they outscored them by a total of 28-2.

ASU, ranked No.21, is 19-5 on the season and sporting an impressive six game win streak.

This week, ASU is off to Seattle to face the Washington Huskies in yet another weekend series, but the Sun Devils may be faced with more challenges this time around.

The No. 8 ranked Huskies are 21-3 overall on the year, which is a record very similar to that of the Sun Devils. Washington is also holding onto quite a win streak of their own as they have gone undefeated for seven games straight.

Washington’s most recent win came against the Minnesota Gophers, a team that is 23-2 overall this season. To add some more value to the Huskies’ victory, the Gophers are in first place in the Big Ten Conference and Washington beat them by a score of 9-0 to end the game in five innings.

The Huskies, like the Sun Devils, have depth throughout their pitching staff. Sophomore pitcher Taran Alvelo is 12-1 and pitched a gem against the Gophers, allowing only three hits and no runs.

The starters have not been established as Trisha Ford likes to rotate all of her pitchers, but juniors Dale Ryndak and Breanna Macha are sure to be the headliners for the series.

Ryndak closed the first two games against Nebraska last week, and she started the third while Macha finished it.

Washington also has freshman pitcher Samantha Manti who is 4-0 and very capable just as ASU’s freshmen pitchers Alyssa Loza and Giselle Juarez are.

Sophomore Morganne Flores leads Washington with eight home runs and fellow sophomore Sis Bates leads the team in hits and triples with 33 and four, respectively.

For the Sun Devils, it’s the usual suspects as senior Chelsea Gonzales leads the team in multiple categories including runs with 19, doubles with seven, triples with two, and total bases with 53.

Power has been there as well for ASU as Fa Leilua leads the team in homeruns with six.

The series gets underway at 2:00 p.m. MST time Friday in Seattle.