The Sun Devil softball team will step onto the diamond for the first time this season with a barrage of games as they compete in the Fiesta Bowl Tournament.
The inaugural tournament of the 2002 campaign will feature a total of 17 teams, eight of which are ranked in the top 25 in the nation.
"It will be nice to get off to a good start, but the season is so long that I think it's (the tournament) more a chance to see a variety of competition and get an idea of what our strengths and weaknesses are," said coach Linda Wells.
This afternoon the Sun Devils will take on Utah State followed by a game against Texas A&M at Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix. The team will return home on Saturday to host Texas Tech and Fresno State, before heading west once again for games against Kansas and New Mexico State. Friday and Saturday's contests begin at 3:30 p.m and Sunday's game starting at 10 a.m.
ASU takes an experienced team onto the field this Spring after losing only one player from last season's squad which finished 36-22 to go along with a ninth-place national ranking.
The Sun Devils take perhaps their best pitching staff of all time to the mound with seniors Kirsten Voak and Erica Beach. Voak, a two-time All-American, is currently second all time in wins (69) and strikeouts (791). Last season she posted a 2.09 ERA in 141 innings pitched. Beach emerged last season to lead the team in wins with 17 and a 1.35 ERA.
Third baseman Phelan Wright returns for her sophomore season after pacing the Sun Devils offense with a .399 batting average as a true freshman to go along with a .530 slugging percentage and 27 RBI.
Wright said she believes the Sun Devils are up to the challenge the Fiesta Bowl Tournament will pose.
"Every team is good so we can't take anyone lightly," she said. "Our defense is solid and we have a lot of good hitters, so if we play like we know we can then we'll be fine."
Reach the reporter at christopher.drexel@asu.edu.
