Sun Devils face No. 18 Oklahoma State in midweek tilt

(Photo credit: Madison Sorenson/WCSN)

Off the back of two consecutive series losses, the Arizona State softball team looks to rebound with a standalone game Wednesday evening against the No. 18 Oklahoma State Cowgirls.

ASU (24-12, 6-6 Big 12) struggled offensively against Arizona and Iowa State, only scoring more than three runs in one single game. In the lone game where the Sun Devils flipped the script, they saw themselves take a game off Iowa State with an 18-4 victory.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma State (21-9, 4-3 Big 12) has had its own share of battles over the last two weekends, including a 2-1 series win against Baylor, before a roller-coaster trip down to Georgia.

The Cowgirls led early against Georgia, but a late collapse saw the Bulldogs steal an 8-4 win. Another loss against Georgia Tech immediately followed, but then the weekend’s roller coaster started its ascent. Two all-around offensive performances against Georgia Tech and Penn State saw the Cowgirls score 17 runs in only 13 innings.

Sophomore outfielder Tia Warsop leads Oklahoma State with a batting average of .439, which also leads the Big 12. Warsop is a contact hitter towards the top of the lineup, as she only has three career extra base hits.

The Cowgirls’ power comes from a plethora of bats, but none more than junior catcher Amanda Plaser. Plaser leads her team in home runs with eight, sitting tied for seventh in the conference. Sophomore infielders Rosie Davis and Karli Godwin can also provide power outings, with each tallying four home runs.

As a whole, Oklahoma State isn’t expected to produce a whole lot of runs. Their 5.3 runs per game sit sixth in the Big 12. Where the Cowgirls can be expected to produce is through their contact up and down the lineup.

The whole team has a combined batting average of .319, tied for second in the conference. Although it doesn’t lead to as many runs as some of the other prolific Big 12 offenses, Oklahoma State can turn it on in an instant.

Where the Cowgirls thrive is in the circle, showcasing an ERA of 2.50. That mark sits third in the conference, as well as 36th in the entire country. Junior right-hander Ruby Meylan takes the majority of the workload, appearing in 23 of the team’s 29 games. Meylan leads the conference with 101.1 innings pitched and sits in second for ERA with a 1.01 line.

Facing an elite pitcher like Meylan could end up being the worst nightmare for the Sun Devils, who have struggled offensively. If ASU can get after Meylan early, the Cowgirls would likely turn to sophomore right-hander Katie Kutz, another solid pitcher. Kutz has posted a 3.41 ERA, 17th in the conference, and a WHIP of 1.63.

While the offense may not stand out for either team, both the Sun Devils and Oklahoma State carry elite pitching staffs, which could lead to this game being a low-scoring affair.

This game will not count towards either team’s Big 12 record, and will be treated as a non-conference matchup, a unique fold to Wednesday’s standalone game.

Following Wednesday’s matchup, ASU will host the middling Kansas Jayhawks in a three-game series, which could be another chance for the Sun Devils to build momentum again.