Arizona State claims 2022 Pac-12 softball title for the first time since 2011

SAN FRANCISCO — The race for the 2022 Pac-12 Championship came down to the final day of the regular season as No. 10 Arizona State captured this year's title after picking up the series-clinching win against No. 8 Washington (5-2) on Sunday, May 14. As Pac-12 regular-season champions, the Sun Devils will receive the Conference's automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament. 

Arizona State finished the season atop of the Conference standings (39-9, 20-4 Pac-12) with a (.883) win percentage, the most conference wins in program history. The Sun Devils are crowned league champions for the first time since 2011 and third time overall. The last time the Sun Devils were crowed league champions, they went on to win the national championship that same year. 

In the latest USA Today/NFCA DI Coaches Poll, Arizona State is ranked No. 10 closely behind Conferences foes, No. 6 UCLA and No. 8 Washington. Arizona State's roster produced a total of eight student-athletes to the Pac-12 All-Conference Team, while freshman Cydney Sanders claimed Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and head coach Trisha Ford was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Prior to the final series, Sanders lead all Pac-12 freshman in batting average (.425), slugging percentage (.950), on-base percentage (.557), runs scored (45), RBI (52), home runs (17), total bases (114) and walks (34). Arizona State led the Conference in doubles (76), doubles per game (1.65), home runs per game (1.93), on base percentage (0.427), scoring (6.89), and slugging percentage (0.631).

The Pac-12 currently has four programs ranked in the top-25, No. 6 UCLA, No. 8 Washington, No. 10 Arizona State and No. 22 Oregon while Stanford and Oregon State are receiving votes.