The unique thing about Pac-10 softball is that the standings rarely reflect where the power lies. The way the eight teams batter each other each week makes for constant drama and a regular shake up of the conference standings.
After three weeks of play, here’s how one of the nation’s most competitive conference stacks up.
1. Washington (35-4, 7-2 Pac-10)
Though still a clear-cut No. 1, the Huskies showed that they are beatable last weekend, falling 4-0 to Oregon even with ace Danielle Lawrie (25-2) in the circle. Lawrie’s ability to get outs while limiting her pitches could allow her to pitch nearly every game for the rest of the season, which could mean a conference title for the Huskies.
While UW’s grip on the No. 1 ranking in the nation is slipping a bit, they still hold a pretty firm grip as the favorite to win the Pac-10.
2. UA (35-7, 5-4)
Freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler (24-5, 1.35 ERA) was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week after earning three wins over the weekend in a sweep of Stanford. Junior catcher Stacie Chambers was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week after hitting .500 in the series and notching three home runs and seven RBI.
Clearly, No. 3 UA’s got talent.
With a high-powered offense averaging 7.69 runs per game and a stud pitcher like Fowler, this team could certainly threaten for its ninth championship under coach Mike Candrea.
The only thing that could stop UA from making a run at that title will be what seems like a tendency to occasionally fall asleep at the wheel.
3. Oregon (30-8, 6-3)
Oregon has certainly shown that its early-season success was no fluke.
It just so happened that last week the Ducks ran into the UW buzz saw. The fact that the No. 16 Ducks, led by first-year head coach Mike White, were able to steal one win in the series says a lot about their ability to capitalize when it counts.
Freshman outfielder Samantha Pappas continues to show that she’s the real deal, not dropping off in conference play as she’s now hitting a Pac-10-leading .453 with 42 RBI and 11 home runs.
With offensive support like that, any pitching staff could get wins, but the Oregon staff has done so with an impressive 1.57 ERA (second in the Pac-10) and a .194 opponent batting average.
4. ASU (35-9, 4-5)
Consistency remains an issue with the No. 9 Sun Devils, as they went from sweeping the No. 5 team (UCLA) to getting swept by the then-No. 19 team (Cal).
After leaving 25 runners on base against Cal last weekend, the Sun Devils certainly need to do something on offense to start taking advantage of opportunities when they get them.
One of the greatest keys to ASU’s success is sophomore ace Hillary Bach. Bach has been very hot and cold lately. Her ERA has ballooned to 2.16 and she is allowing more walks than usual. Bach needs to get back on track and finish the season strong.
This team shows flashes of a title contender, but has to find better consistency game-to-game.
5. California (33-11, 4-5)
After sweeping ASU on the road, it might have been fair to put the No. 17 Golden Bears in the fourth spot, but it’s hard to look past the fact that they, like ASU, were swept the previous weekend.
However, Cal may be the team that does the most climbing as Pac-10 play continues.
Already the Pac-10’s greatest threat on the base paths, the Golden Bears showed over the weekend that they could be a power team as well. The team totaled 11 home runs on the weekend, while the pitching staff limited ASU to one.
The Bears did, however, get some help from the Sun Devils, be it from careless errors or failure to capitalize offensively.
6. UCLA (30-9, 4-5)
Another victim of inconsistency in a tough conference, No. 7 UCLA will be truly tested in the final stretch of the season as it faces Oregon, Cal and UA. With success in those match ups, UCLA could finish much higher than sixth.
A lot of UCLA’s ability to finish strong will depend on the health of its pitching staff. With senior Megan Langenfeld and freshman Aleah Macon both limited by arm troubles, the pitching load has been on the shoulders of junior Donna Kerr. Kerr has done well (15-5, 1.97 ERA) but tends to throw a lot of pitches and could get a tired arm as the season progresses.
7. Stanford (30-9, 4-5)
Don’t be fooled, even this low the Cardinal are still a pretty safe bet to play beyond the regular season.
The biggest reason No. 11 Stanford sits in the No. 7 spot is uncertainty regarding the health of freshman ace Teagan Gerhart (22-6, 1.67 ERA). Gerhart pitched just 2.2 innings while UA swept the Cardinal. It could be that Gerhart just needed a weekend of rest after starting a Pac-10 leading 29 games, but a more serious arm problem could spell trouble for Stanford’s postseason plans.
With a gauntlet ahead, including UCLA, ASU, UW and UO, the Cardinal will really need Gerhart. The pitching behind her cannot provide what she did and Stanford would have to rely on its offense, which with 5.54 runs per game isn’t the worst situation to be in, but it certainly is unfavorable against teams that can score like UW and ASU.
8. Oregon State (21-21, 2-7)
Not a lot to say about a team like OSU, but its resiliency is impressive. Despite falling to .500 for the season after getting swept by UCLA, the Beavers don’t stop fighting.
With four weeks remaining, it’s not unreasonable for OSU to look toward the future. The team has pieces to improve its Pac-10 lot including junior catcher Audrey Roderfeld, who’s hitting .333 with 42 RBI and 13 home runs.
What the Beavers really need though is a nasty pitcher who can limit opponents every weekend.
