Bears Set For Desert Duel Against Devils

Friday, April 29

Tempe, AZ

6:00 PM

California

Arizona State

Photo by: Erin Chang/klcfotos

4/28/2022 12:02 PM | Softball

Watch Live Stats Notes (PDF)

Cal Returns To Pac-12 Play At No. 14 Arizona State

By: Cal Athletics

BERKELEY -- California returns to Pac-12 play after a five-game nonconference break with a trip to co-conference leader and No. 14-ranked Arizona State this weekend at Farrington Stadium. The three-game series in Tempe will be carried on the Pac-12 Networks and streamed on the Pac-12 Now app with Tracy Warren on the call.

The Bears (26-20-1) head into the series at 6-9 in conference play after taking the series against rival and then-No. 24 Stanford by taking two of three games. Cal has five wins against ranked Pac-12 opponents after taking two of three from then-No. 7 Washington in Berkeley and earning a win in Eugene at then-No. 12 Oregon. The Sun Devils (32-7) are coming off of a series loss to Stanford last week, dropping two of three games, their first conference defeats of the season. Cal is 70-62 all-time against Arizona State, but lost the most recent matchup, 10-6, on May 5, 2019 at Farrington Stadium. The Bears haven't won the series against the Sun Devils since the 2012 season, when they took two of three games.

WEEKEND LINEUP

Teams: California (26-20-1, 6-9 Pac-12) at No. 14 Arizona State (32-7, 13-2 Pac-12)
Location: Farrington Stadium | Tempe, Ariz.
First pitch: Friday: 6 pm PT | Saturday: 6 pm PT | Sunday: 12 pm PT

HOW TO FOLLOW

Friday: Live Stats | Pac-12 Networks | Live Stream: Pac-12 Now
Saturday: Live Stats | Pac-12 Networks | Live Stream: Pac-12 Now
Sunday: Live Stats | Pac-12 Networks | Live Stream: Pac-12 Now

QUICK HITS

Cal is 70-62 all-time against Arizona State, but the Sun Devils won the most recent matchup, 10-6, on May 5, 2019. Cal's last series win against ASU came in 2012.
California returns to Pac-12 play after five straight nonconference matchups with the Bears going 2-2-1 over the break in conference action.
The Bears lead the Pac-12 in hits (373) and are fifth in both home runs (49) and batting average (.298) through the first five weeks of conference play.
Makena Smith leads the team with a .406 batting average and is tied for the lead on the squad and ninth in the Pac-12 with 11 home runs, even while missing 13 games due to injury.
Smith has recorded a hit in 27 of 34 games played this season and is second on the team with 30 RBI.
Tatum Anzaldo has been swinging a hot bat all season and leads the conference in hits with 66. Anzaldo is hitting .402 on the season and has scored 31 runs.
Acacia Anders was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week on March 21 after hitting two home runs in the series against UW, including a walk off shot on Saturday to secure Cal's first win over Washington since the 2016 season.
Anders is second in the conference among freshmen with 51 hits on the season and is second on the squad with seven home runs.
Sona Halajian has been the definition of a two-way player all season. She is second in the conference with 17 wins in the circle and is third on the team with a .375 batting average while sitting tied for ninth in the Pac-12 with 11 home runs.