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For the 11th consecutive season, the ASU softball team will make a trip to the NCAA Tournament. However, for the first time since 2010, the Sun Devils will begin regional play on the road, as they travel to the Baton Rouge Regional to play hosted by fifth-seeded LSU.
ASU will open their postseason journey Friday against the University of Nebraska at 1:30 p.m. PT on ESPN3. LSU will face Texas Southern at 4 p.m. PT. Regionals are double elimination and the winner will advance to a best-of-three Super Regional, the winner of that best-of-three series will advance to the Women's College World Series.
ASU and Nebraska faced off last year in the Judy Garman Classic, with the Sun Devils winning 1-0 on a Bailey Wigness walk-off single in the eighth inning. The Sun Devils own a 22-10 all-time record against the Cornhuskers. Nebraska advanced to Super Regionals in 2014 and the Women's College World Series in 2013.
LSU earned the No. 5 seed in the tournament. However, after being ranked No. 1 for some weeks, the Tigers dropped two of their final three series of the season and was eliminated in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
The Sun Devils own a 9-4 all-time record against the Tigers, last playing LSU in the 2012 Women's College World Series. If ASU advances to the Super Regional Round, they would likely meet Arizona in Tucson, as the Wildcats earned the No. 12 seed in the tournament.
This year as been one of transition for the Sun Devils. Losing Dallas Escobedo and Mackenzie Popescue, ASU relied on two freshman inside the circle in Brianna Macha (16-11, 3.98) and Dale Ryndak (14-8, 5.09). At the pate, ASU is led by Amber Freeman (.439, 15 HR, 50 RBI) and Haley Steele (.335, 13 HR, 67 RBI).