ASU Softball: Sun Devils set to host regional as No. 8 seed

Arizona State softball is set to host its third NCAA regional in five years after being named the eighth seed during Sunday’s NCAA selection show.

The Sun Devils have had a jaw-dropping season (30-9, 20-4 in conference) thus far, earning their third Pac-12 title and first since 2011 when they last won the College World Series.

Cal State Fullerton, San Diego St., and LSU will head to Tempe with the first round of regional games scheduled to start on Friday, May 20th.

The last time LSU and Cal State Fullerton both traveled to Tempe for a regional was in 2009 when the Sun Devils defeated the Titans 7-0 and beat LSU in both games they faced off in. In 2011, San Diego St. also traveled to Tempe where the Sun Devils topped the Aztecs on their way to the WCWS Championship.

Eight of the nine Pac-12 teams will compete in the tournament for the first time since 2012, with UCLA earning the five seed despite Arizona State’s conference series win in early May.

The Sun Devils are heading into the NCAA red hot led by the Pac-12 Coach of the Year Trisha Ford. This is the second time Coach Ford has earned this honor while at Arizona State. She led her team to a 20-game win streak this season, the longest since 2010 and the fourth-longest in program history.

Arizona State also had eight players earn Pac-12 honors. Senior Yanni Acuña, Lindsay Lopen, and Alynah Torres were all named to the Pac-12’s All-Conference first team.

This was the first time Acuña and Torres earned all-conference honors, however, there was no doubt they would. Acuña was ranked fourth in the Pac-12 in batting average (.420), first in doubles (16), and first in runs at the time of the conference honors announcement. While Torres knocked five leadoff home runs and 11 since conference play began. She was second in RBIs (23) and slugging percentage (.878) when the all-conference teams were announced.

Lopez was the Sun Devils' ace in the circle all season leading the team with a 1.56 ERA, and 66 strikeouts in the season thus far.

Freshman star Cyndey Sanders was also named to the Pac-12 All-Conference first team after a stellar freshman campaign. Her 20 home runs also earned her Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a place on the All-Freshman team. Sanders is the fourth Sun Devil to win the Pac-12/10 freshman of the year honor in program history.

Marissa Schuld and Jazmine hill earned second-team honors, with Jazmyn Rollin and Mac Morgan not far behind on the third team.

Schuld lead the team in strikeouts at 84 which helped her earn her first career all-conference honor.

Jazmine Hill earned her second all-conference honor with a stellar sophomore season following up her freshman campaign that earned her All-Third and All-Freshman honors last year.

The Sun Devils are set to face Cal State Fullerton on Friday, May 20th at 7:30 pm following San Diego State and LSU’s matchup at 5 pm. Both games will take place at Alberta B. Farrington Stadium.

Arizona State looks to win its first regional since 2018 with the chance to host the Super Regional at Farrington if victorious.