(Photo via Julia Coyne/WCSN)
The Arizona State softball team is just a day away from returning to the diamond to kick off the 2024 season. After finishing last season with a 22-26 record and failing to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016, many ASU faithful carry the hope that second-year head coach Megan Bartlett will begin to steer the program back toward legitimacy.
One factor that will greatly determine how successful this squad can be is its focus on developing its relatively young roster. After the departure of 12 players from the previous season, 10 of the 21 players on ASU’s current roster are listed as either a freshman or a sophomore.
To guide the Sun Devils through such a massive roster overturn, all eyes turn to the new guard. Freshman outfielder Jada Lewis and freshman infielder Libby Walsh will be names to look out for, as both were listed on the Extra Elite Top 100 Recruits list. However, the spotlight will be shining extra bright for sophomore right-handed pitcher Kylee Magee, who finished 2023 with a 3.17 ERA and a selection to the Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman Team.
“The newcomers have settled in well, and I think they’re going to be some of our marquee players,” Bartlett said following Friday’s Maroon and Gold scrimmage. “We’re really excited with how they’ve all bonded.”
To combat the difficulties of overhauling and inexperience, Bartlett seemingly struck gold in the transfer portal. Graduate infielder Alesia Denby and graduate outfielder Kelsey Hall both make their way to Tempe from the Mountain West Conference. They are two-way stars that are expected to slot right in as Arizona State’s headliners.
Denby won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year award at Fresno State in 2023 on top of batting .314 at the plate. On the other hand, Hall’s resume at Boise State includes a .385 batting average, two all-conference selections and the 2023 Mountain West Player of the Year trophy.
Providing a sense of stability for the new-look Sun Devils, graduate infielder Jordyn VanHook is back for a fifth year to continue building on last year’s breakout season. After leading the Pac-12 in home runs last season, she hopes to end her tenure as a Sun Devil on a high note.
“She’s our very proud Sun Devil,” Bartlett said. “Jordyn loves the program and her teammates. She does everything with her heart, and she’ll have some great veteran presence and wisdom as the year goes on.
The biggest question mark for Arizona State in 2024 lies in the pitching staff. The Sun Devils’ play on the mound was their Achilles heel the year before, as they posted a 3.87 ERA on the season, including a 4.83 ERA in conference play.
Most of the Sun Devils’ pitchers this time around are familiar faces looking for improvement. Junior righty Kenzie Brown, the team’s leader in appearances, senior right-hander Mac Osborne, the team’s leader in innings pitched, and graduate right-handed pitcher Marissa Schuld, the team’s leader in saves, are all returning for 2024. Senior right-hander Deborah Jones, who pitched a 3.13 ERA in a limited sample size, is also back and looking to recreate some of her success from Ball State two seasons ago. They look to bolster the rotation that also includes Magee and highly-anticipated freshman righty Meika Lauppe.
A crucial part of the staff’s development will be its work with pitching coach Jeremy Manley. Bartlett believes he is the key to unlocking the pitchers’ full potential.
“(Manley) is one of the best in the business,” Bartlett said. “He’s always talking to them about the mental side of pitching and their emotional cues to get locked back in, so, with that, I think our pitching staff is coming along nicely.”
Looking ahead to ASU’s upcoming schedule, the season starts out with four straight tournaments on its home turf. The 2024 Kajikawa Classic and Littlewood Classic are on the docket first and include matchups against Virginia Tech and preseason No. 24 Northwestern. Then, the Sun Devils round out their non-conference schedule with the Sun Devil Classic and ASU Invitational.
A three-game set at No. 10 Washington beginning March 8 marks the beginning of the Pac-12 play gauntlet. Arizona State’s home slate includes Oregon State, No. 16 Utah, California and No. 8 UCLA. This leaves No. 13 Oregon, No. 3 Stanford and Arizona as its matchups on the road.
A long year of transition could give way to a needed first step in return to perennial contention for Sun Devil softball. With excellent pulls from the portal and several interesting pieces from 2023 returning this season, there’s an argument to be made that Arizona State is a dark horse contender in the Pac-12’s final go-around. Yet, the overwhelming need for development and an unpredictable pitching core may emphasize the need to walk before running in the early stages of the Megan Barlett era.
“This group will be the foundation of the culture, the clubhouse, and all the intangibles of what’s to come for some pretty amazing years of Sun Devil softball,” Bartlett said.
