Last Sunday, the ASU softball team and No. 5 UCLA combined for just three runs in the third game of ASU’s series sweep.
The 2-1 outcome reflected a trend of pitchers’ duels likely to unfold more often as the Sun Devils (36-5, 4-2 Pac-10) work through Pac-10 play.
“[The] Pac-10 is the best conference in softball, and we have some of the best pitchers in the nation, so we expect that,” senior second baseman Ashley Muenz said.
Competing against some of the nation’s most elite hurlers, the Sun Devils know plenty of conference matchups will come down to pitching. With that in mind, the team, which rose to No. 6 in the ESPN/USA Softball rankings this week, will aim to find continued success in the circle against No. 19 California (30-11, 1-5) at home this weekend.
“We’ve done some things that we needed to do along the lines of consistency,” ASU coach Clint Myers said. “But we’ve got to become more efficient with our pitches.”
Facing the Pac-10’s most lethal base-running team, ASU will try to neutralize the small ball efforts of the Golden Bears. Cal leads the Pac-10 with 109 stolen bases, and sophomore outfielder Jamia Reid’s 41 swiped bags are second-most in the nation.
Myers said the Sun Devil’s best defense against runners getting on base will be its pitching staff, led by ace Hillary Bach’s 17-2 record and 1.99 ERA.
“You can’t steal if you don’t get on,” Myers said.
Reid’s .394 average in the leadoff spot makes limiting runners seem much easier said than done. The most telling statistic of the Golden Bears, however, is their .385 on-base percentage as a team, the second-worst in the conference.
Even with Cal’s struggles to get on base, ASU isn’t taking the team’s baserunning prowess any less seriously.
“When we’re playing a team that has speedy runners, it does put more pressure on us [to steal bases],” ASU junior center fielder Lesley Rogers said. “If we have that same approach of just getting on base and taking advantage of the opportunity to advance and get more bases, we’re going to hang in there with them.”
The Sun Devils will likely look to Bach and freshman Sam Parlich (7-3, 2.45 ERA) to counter Cal’s pitching staff that features the Pac-10’s third-lowest team ERA at 1.55. The Cal staff features freshman Jolene Henderson (13-5, 1.25 ERA) and junior Valerie Arioto (14-6, 1.37 ERA), who’s averaging 10.1 strikeouts per seven innings.
Bach seems to have found her stride and, despite allowing 17 runs over her last three starts, is holding opponents to a .227 average. Parlich has excelled as a freshman and is 2-1 in conference starts, prompting Myers to call her efforts “outstanding.”
“She’s beat the No. 5 team [UCLA] and the No. 3 team [UA], so I have to say I’m pretty pleased,” Myers said.
The consistency of the ASU pitching staff will be crucial to its continued success, especially in the face of injuries to key players. Sophomore shortstop Katelyn Boyd, the team’s offensive leader, suffered two broken fingers on her non-throwing hand against UCLA but isn’t expected to miss any time. Senior left fielder Caylyn Carlson has battled back injuries all season and missed three of the team’s last six games, but she is expected to play this weekend.
With top-25 opponents on the schedule nearly every weekend from here on out, Myers said his team must continue to raise its level of play.
“I’m pleased with the direction we’re going,” Myers said. “We just can’t get complacent. Right now, we’re in a situation where we control our own destiny.”
ASU opens the series at Farrington Stadium Friday at 7 p.m., followed by games Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon.
Reach the reporter at tyler.lockman@asu.edu
