ASU softball claims first Pac-10 title

ASU’s softball team has continued its historic season, clinching its first ever Pac-10 championship.

The team clinched the title behind ASU’s seniors in their last regular season game at Farrington Stadium with a win over the 23rd-ranked Cal Golden Bears 5-2. The win wraps the 2008 regular season for ASU with a record of 56-5 and 18-3 in the Pac-10.

The team will now move on to host the NCAA Tempe Regional, in the first round of the NCAA Softball Tournament May 16 – 18. The team will enter the tournament as a No. 6 seed. Also included in the Tempe Regional are Mississippi St. (40-20), Stony Brook (33-21-1) and Hawaii (38-18).

It is the 19th time in program history and fourth consecutive year, the Sun Devil softballers have been selected as a NCAA Tournament team. If ASU advances, they will host the Tempe Super Regional the following weekend. The Sun Devils will be attempting to make the Women's College World Series for the third consecutive year, after appearances in 2006 and 2007.

As the Sun Devils enter the post-season, the team is celebrating one of its most successful seasons ever.

The Sun Devils made history in March, earning its first-ever No. 1 ranking in school history in the NFCA and USA Softball/ESPN.com polls.

During the season the team also completed its first series sweep of rival Arizona, the two-time defending national champion, since 1988.

ASU also had a series win against UCLA, another traditional Pac-10 and national power. ASU topped the then-No. 4 UCLA Bruins to clinch the series over the Bruins for the first time since 1980

Now, ASU is hoping to continue it’s history making ways.

Game times for the NCAA Tempe Regional are tentatively as follows:

Friday, May 16
• 4:30 p.m. - Mississippi St vs. Hawaii
• 7 p.m. - Stony Brook vs. ASU

Saturday, May 17
• 2 p.m. - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
• 4:30 p.m. - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
• 7 p.m. - Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4

Sunday, May 18
• 1 p.m. - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
• 3:30 p.m. - If necessary repeat of game 6

For ticket information, call the Sun Devils Ticket Office at 480-727-0000.