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Rival ASU comes to town for a night cap

Arizona seeks to remain undefeated in Pac-10 play against No. 5 Sun Devils

It doesn't get much bigger than this for the UA women's softball team as in-state rival Arizona State comes to Tucson for a night cap in a key Pacific 10 Conference battle.

The Sun Devils (34-6 overall, 2-1 Pac-10) are ranked No. 5 in the nation and defeated No. 11 Oregon State on Friday night and split a pair of games with on Saturday and Sunday with No. 23 Oregon.

"Besides the fact that it is a Pac-10 game, it just adds more excitement and more adrenaline," junior left fielder Lauren Bauer said of playing rival ASU.

Junior center fielder and California native Nicole Giordano, said the game would mean more to head coach Mike Candrea, an ASU graduate, and native Arizona players.

"Our coach is really amped and excited," she said.

Pitching for Arizona (39-3, 3-0) will be junior Becky Lemke, who won two games last weekend against the Ducks and Beavers.

Lemke is 21-3 on the season with 12 shutouts and a minuscule 0.73 ERA along with 216 strikeouts.

The Wildcats offense will most likely face ASU sophomore pitcher Kirsten Voak, who is 23-2 on the season with 206 strikeouts, 10 shutouts and an ERA of 0.73.

"I think if we lay off of her rise ball it won't be much of a pitching duel and it will turn into a hitting duel for us," Giordano said.

With two All-American pitchers dueling, the game will likely be won with situational hitting from the top of the UA lineup were leadoff hitter Giordano and senior second baseman Katie Swan excel.

"I think what we need to do is bring a lot of short game into the contest," Bauer said. "We need to set the table early and often for our power hitters."

Providing the power for the UA attack is sophomore first baseman Jennie Finch and junior catcher Lindsey Collins.

Finch is leading the team in home runs with 14 while having driven in 42 runs and hitting a robust .386.

Collins, who bats sixth in the Wildcat lineup, leads the team with 44 RBI along with 10 homers and a .364 batting average.

Giordano leads the team in batting average (.479), hits with 67 and runs (37).

As a team UA is batting .365 and has outscored their opposition 292-30.

"I think we are swinging the bats well but every pitcher in the Pac-10 is good," Bauer said.

Arizona State will try and counter the Arizona attack with an offense led by sophomore designated player Erica Beach, who is hitting .383 with seven homers and 41 RBI.

The game starts at 6 p.m. and will be played at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.