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Softball Opens Season as Host of Kajikawa Classic

by thesundevils.com
Feb 10, 2021

SB Game Notes - Kajikawa | 2021 Season Preview | 2021 Kajikawa Classic Tournament Central

Tempe, Ariz. -- The No. 16 Arizona State softball team opens its season this week as host of the annual Kajikawa Classic. ASU participates in four games in three days against Brigham Young University, Seattle, and Utah from Feb. 11-13 at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium. 

The tournament starts on Thursday with a doubleheader against BYU at 3:00 an 5:00 p.m.. ASU returns to Farrington on Friday to continue the weekend playing against Seattle on Friday at 5:30 p.m. To close out the weekend, the Sun Devils face Utah in a non-conference matchup on Saturday at 6 p.m.

At last year's Kajikawa Classic, the Sun Devils won four out of the six games they played. Kindra Hackbarth made a huge statement to open the 2020 season last time around - hitting a walkoff home run to upset No. 14 Northwestern. Relive the moment: 

This year, ASU will once again face Seattle. Last time around, senior pitcher Cielo Meza threw 14 strikeouts in her first no-hitter as a Sun Devil and the third of her career. Review the last time we played Seattle here.


 

The Sun Devils finished the shortened 2020 regular season with a 22-7 record. The team was ranked No.1 in slugging with a 0.648 percentage and led the country in walks with 133 walks through 29 games. 

Hitting an average of 0.334, the Sun Devils ranked No. 12 overall for batting. Senior K. Hackbarth led the team's offensive efforts while her twin, Maddi Hackbarth tied with then-freshman Alynah Torres in home runs with nine each. Senior mound boss Cielo Meza boasted a 1.98 ERA with a 10-2 record. Sophomore Lindsay Lopez led the sun devils in ERA with an average of 0.55. 

Need a refresher on what went down last season? We got you.

WHEN: Feb. 11-13
WHERE: Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium (no fans permitted)
WATCH: ASU Live Stream

ABOUT THE KAJIKAWA CLASSIC...
The classic is named in honor of Sun Devil legend Bill Kajikawa, an ASU graduate who earned his bachelor's degree in 1937 before completing a master's degree in 1948. While an undergrad, Kajikawa was a member of the varsity football team. In 1937, Kajikawa began his coaching career at ASU with the Arizona State Teachers College freshman football team. In addition, he served as head basketball coach from 1948 to 1957, and he was head coach of ASU's club baseball team from 1947 to 1957. Before retiring in 1978, Kajikawa had worked as the freshman football coach under a total of nine ASU head football coaches.

During World War II, Kajikawa took his only hiatus from ASU to serve with distinction in the Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd combat regiment, manned entirely by Japanese Americans, was the Army's most decorated combat unit.

Kajikawa, who was a professor emeritus of physical education at ASU, was recognized on April 6, 1995, in a ceremony that named the Sun Devil football practice field The Bill Kajikawa Practice Facility. He was also inducted into the Arizona Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968 and the ASU Hall of Distinction in 1982.

 

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