Pre-conference play gave No. 20/21 ASU softball a chance to try different players at different positions and see who deserves a starting spot.
Now that season is well underway, most positions are locked and loaded. The corner infield positions were the two spots that were still up in the air, but the lineup is looking more stable as the Sun Devils enter their second week of Pac-12 play.
Freshman third baseman Taylor Becerra has stepped up and secured the spot at third base.
Co-interim head coach Robert Wagner said the deciding factor comes down to what player has been producing for the team.
“Becerra has solidified that role at third base, to this point,” Wagner said. “Especially since she is a lead-off hitter, and she is playing really good defense.”
Not only has Becerra performed well defensively, her offensive talents have flourished. Becerra has a .429 batting average and a .500 on base percentage, both of which are team-leading numbers.
At first base, Wagner said the spot might be split up between freshman Ulufa Leilua and redshirt sophomore Margaret Stahm.
“Margaret is playing a little better defensively, and for the most part Leilua is doing a little better offensively,” he said. “So we have been trying to split the game up between them two.”
Recently Wagner has played both of them, placing Stahm in the field and Leilua as a designated player due to her offensive contributions. She's hitting .389 and has hit four home runs to go with 14 RBIs.
Wagner still said he thinks anything could change, but because of some recent struggles on offense, he’s mainly looking for players who can produce at the plate.
“Whoever gets hot offensively will get the bulk of the playing time at first,” he said.
The Sun Devils will need offensive efficiency this weekend. They'll play against Cal (14-12-1), whose multitude of pitchers could pose a threat to ASU.
The Bears have a five-pitcher staff, giving them an array of options for starters this weekend. They combine for a 2.34 ERA with 149 strikeouts.
The pitcher to watch from Cal is undoubtedly Nisa Ontiveros, whose 1.43 ERA is the lowest between both teams. She also has 72 strikeouts.
The weekend may be a pitching battle. ASU's trio has a combined 2.62 ERA with an impressive 168 strikeouts this season. Redshirt junior Kelsey Kessler leads the team with a 1.89 ERA and 109 strikeouts.
After Sunday's game against Texas Tech, co-interim head coach Letty Olivarez said the rotation needs to focus on a couple specifics. Additionally, she wants to have the bullpen active early in the week so they can become accustomed to the increased amount of pitching.
"(We're) going to try to keep everything low in the zone, and obviously focusing on hitting our spots," she said.
The Sun Devils pitchers will have to pitch carefully around the Bears, who have a team batting average of .309. A specific target will be freshman infielder Lindsay Rood, who posts a .386 batting average in 83 plate appearances. The Sun Devils also need to watch for junior infielder Kylie Reed, who hits .382.
Sophomore infielder Taurie Pogue is coming off an impressive weekend where she clenched a victory over Sacramento State with a three-run home run. Her five homers lead the team this season.
Despite the Golden Bears' 4-6-1 record against ranked teams, the dynamic hitting and depth of the pitching roster could pose a threat to the Sun Devils and their four-game winning streak.
Reach the reporters at lmbrunet@asu.edu or follow @Leah_brunette on Twitter and at kcvalen1@asu.edu or follow @kvalenzuela17 on Twitter.
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