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Pac-12 softball and Washington has led the nation for the last six consecutive weeks. Washington has been No. 1 in the USA Today/NFCA poll and USA Softball/ESPN.com since February 17th, but has consistently been in the top five since the preseason. UCLA and Oregon have also consistently been in the top 10 since the preseason. Arizona has been in the top 13 since the preseason.
Joining No. 1/1 Washington in this week’s polls is No. 3/4 UCLA, No. 5/2 Oregon, No. 8/7 Arizona State, No. 11/9 Arizona, No. 22/21 California and No. RV/25 Oregon State. The four teams in the top ten of the USA Today/NFCA poll is second to the five SEC teams, but Arizona closely follows in 11th. The five teams in the top ten of the USA Softball/ESPN.com poll is the most of any conference.
This week is highlighted by a pair of series pitting ranked foes: No. 5/2 Oregon travels to No. RV/25 Oregon State and No. 22/21 California travels to No. 11/9 Arizona. No. 8/7 Arizona State has four non-conference games on its schedule for the week with two games against BYU and two against North Dakota State. Five non-conference games appear on the schedule on Tuesday, including a doubleheader between Portland State at No. 5/2 Oregon.
The series between then-No. 1/1 Washington and then-No. 9/9 Arizona highlighted last week’s competition with the Huskies taking all three close games (2-1, 4-3, 2-0). Then-No. 12/10 Arizona State bested then-No. 20/20 California in the series hosted by the Golden Bears. Then-No. 4/4 UCLA went 3-0 in the series against No. RV/24 Oregon State.
Washington’s Sis Bates picked up the fifth Pac-12 Player of the Week honor of the season for the Huskies (.455 avg, .636 SLG%, 2 runs, 5 hits, 1 RBI). Arizona State’s Giselle “G” Juarez picked up her third-consecutive Pitcher of the Week honor (4 wins, 22.0 IP, 37 K, 0.00 ERA in 4 games). Juarez was also honored with the NFCA National Pitcher of the Week and USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week. Arizona State’s Danielle Gibson picked up the first freshman on the week honor of the season for the Sun Devils (.385 avg, .462 SLG%, 5 hits, 3 RBI).
The Pac-12 tops the NCAA statistics in eight categories, including five team and three individual categories. UCLA leads the nation in batting average (.371), on base percentage (.449) and scoring (7.40). Oregon is ranked first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.76) and Washington is first in W-L percentage (.941). Pac-12 teams appear in the top-10 in 12 of 14 NCAA categories.
In the individual categories, Utah’s Heather Bowen is ranked first in doubles (14) and Stanford’s Montana Dixon is first in hit by pitch per game (.54). Three Pac-12 student-athletes are tied for first in shutouts: Washington’s Taran Alvelo, Arizona State’s Giselle Juarez and Arizona’s Taylor McQuillin each have eight shutouts. Pac-12 student-athletes appear in the top-10 in 20 categories in the individual statistics.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Thursday, Mar. 29 | ||
#5/2 Oregon at #RV/25 Oregon State | P12N | 4 p.m. PT |
#3/4 UCLA at Utah | P12N | 5 p.m. PT |
#1/1 Washington at Stanford | P12N | 6 p.m. PT |
#22/21 California at #11/9 Arizona | Live Stream | 6 p.m. PT |
Friday, Mar. 30 | ||
#5/2 Oregon at #RV/25 Oregon State | P12N | 3 p.m. PT |
North Dakota State at #8/7 Arizona State | Live Stream | 4 p.m. PT |
#3/4 UCLA at Utah | P12N | 5 p.m. PT |
#22/21 California at #11/9 Arizona | Live Stream | 6 p.m. PT |
BYU at #8/7 Arizona State | Live Stream | 6:30 p.m. PT |
#1/1 Washington at Stanford | P12N | 7 p.m. PT |
Saturday, Mar. 31 | ||
#3/4 UCLA at Utah | P12N | 12 p.m. PT |
#22/21 California at #11/9 Arizona | Live Stream | 12 p.m. PT |
North Dakota State at #8/7 Arizona State | Live Stream | 1:30 p.m. PT |
#1/1 Washington at Stanford | P12N | 3 p.m. PT |
#5/2 Oregon at #RV/25 Oregon State | P12O | 3 p.m. PT |
BYU at #8/7 Arizona State | Live Stream | 4 p.m. PT |
Tuesday, Apr. 3 | ||
#22/21 California at Pacific | 4 p.m. PT | |
Portland State at #5/2 Oregon | 4 p.m. PT | |
Fresno State at Stanford | Live Stream | 6 p.m. PT |
Portland State at #5/2 Oregon | 6 p.m. PT | |
CSUN at #3/4 UCLA | 6 p.m. PT |
CONFERENCE STANDINGS (Expanded Standings)
Teams | Pac-12 Record | Overall Record |
---|---|---|
Arizona State | 5-1 | 27-4 |
Washington | 4-2 | 32-2 |
UCLA | 4-2 | 28-2 |
Oregon | 2-1 | 25-5 |
Arizona | 3-3 | 24-6 |
Oregon State | 2-4 | 19-13 |
Utah | 2-4 | 17-12 |
Stanford | 1-2 | 20-10 |
California | 1-5 | 24-8 |