(Photo via Zina Garcia/WCSN)
The Arizona State softball team travels to Eugene for a weekend series against the Oregon Ducks. The Sun Devils’ third in-conference series this season also begins a lengthy road trip spanning the next three weeks.
ASU dropped the first two games of their series versus Oregon State this past weekend before coming out on top in a defensive duel with a 5-1 victory. The team hopes the momentum gained from its strong performance on Sunday will help it find its first series victory against a Pac-12 Conference opponent this season.
The Devils (17-11, 2-4 Pac-12) still offer a lethal offensive attack as their biggest overall strength. They are currently ranked second in the Pac-12 in batting average, slugging percentage, and stolen bases. Arizona State also thrives in high-leverage situations, scoring eleven of its thirteen total runs against Oregon State when there were two outs.
Sophomore outfielder Tanya Windle has continued her torrid pace with a .427 batting average and remains the team’s leader in hits thanks to collecting five last weekend. She’ll look to maintain her current five-game streak of getting one or more hits moving into this series.
However, several obstacles have emerged in ASU’s path that will need to be addressed. The Sun Devils leave runners on base at a high rate and have a below-average strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Arizona State’s 3.87 ERA showcases the pitching staff’s struggles with consistency. The bullpen giving up four home runs and ten runs in the final two innings played a major role in the Devils dropping back-to-back games to the Beavers.
The main concern comes in the loss of sophomore outfielder Yannixa Acuña for the season. The team’s primary leadoff hitter and one of the conference’s top performers in stolen bases will not return due to an undisclosed injury suffered last Friday. Replacing her level of production will certainly be challenging for the Devils and requires a complete team effort from this point forward.
Oregon’s (16-10, 4-2 Pac-12 conference) offense is middle of the pack when compared to the rest of the Pac-12. The Ducks rank high in terms of individual achievements but not in team categories, making their lineup more top-heavy. Their main strength comes from their low overall strikeout rate and ability to challenge opposing pitchers.
The same can be said about Oregon’s pitching staff, which ranks fourth in the Pac-12. While they possess a 2.72 ERA and rarely walk batters, the Ducks are also dead last in producing strikeouts. Similar to ASU, Oregon has five active pitchers on their roster with only three having five or more starts this season.
In order to get the series win this weekend, ASU will likely need to battle Oregon’s starting pitching to avoid strikeouts, put runners on base, and keep offensive pressure high. If the Devils’ starters can also remain on the mound and minimize bullpen appearances, the team has a chance to win their first Pac-12 series of the season in the home of one of the conference’s best.
