If No. 24 ASU softball ever wanted to break out of its slump, this would be the weekend to do it.
The Sun Devils (30-18, 8-9 Pac-12) nearly slipped out of the NFCA/USA Today top 25 for the first time since 2006 after dropping the series to Utah last weekend in Tempe.
But greener pastures likely lie ahead for ASU as it travels to Stanford for a three-game series with the lowly Cardinal (16-32, 1-17 Pac-12), who come in at dead last in the Pac-12 standings and our power rankings.
Stanford has amounted only one conference win all season, and is led by junior Kayla Bonstrom in the batter's box. Bonstrom is batting .432 on the year to go along with a team-leading 11 home runs and .543 on-base percentage.
In the circle, Stanford has tried seven different pitchers with ERA's ranging from a 2.09 from a starter all the way up to a reliever with a 26.25 ERA.
The Cardinal were demolished in Tucson by No. 16 Arizona last weekend, going down by a combined score of 43-7 in 16 innings of play over the span of three games.
Matching poor pitching with a dangerous ability to hit the long ball by the opponent usually ends in a tough day for Stanford. ASU's ice-cold bats will have their chance to heat up this weekend, so the difference in these three games will be whether or not the Sun Devils get positive contributions from freshman pitchers Dale Ryndak and Breanna Macha.
Macha and Ryndak have given up 58 combined home runs all season, and Stanford has only hit 34 total, so the lack of power in the opposing lineup should make for a confidence-boosting weekend in the circle for the Sun Devils.
Consequently, ASU has 70 total homers and boasts four players with a double-digit home run count, so a struggling Stanford bullpen will likely continue to experience adversity.
"We have to get a sweep (over Stanford)," senior catcher Amber Freeman said after the Utah series ended on Sunday. "It's a very, very important series that we go get a sweep. We need to make a statement."
The Sun Devils will look to begin forming their statement in game one against the Cardinal, with first pitch scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. in Stanford, California.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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