ASU Softball: Palacios Earns Pac-12 Player of the Week

After a week that saw her hit six balls over the fence for ASU softball, senior Sashel Palacios was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week.

Thanks to Palacios’ efforts, ASU softball went 4-1 on the week.

Besides her six home runs, Palacios also batted .533 on the week and was responsible for 11 RBIs on the week.

According to Arizona State Athletics, head coach Trisha Ford was proud of what Palacios did this past week.

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“What an honor for Sash, she has continued to be a rock for our team both offensively and defensively. She continues to put in work day in and day out and it is really starting to show,” Ford said.

If Palacios can continue to play at the level she did this past week, the Sun Devils will be in contention for the Pac-12 crown.

Currently ranked at No. 21, Arizona State has a tough weekend ahead as they travel to the University of Oregon to take on the No. 3 Ducks.

If ASU can get the same type of production out of Palacios, and pair it with solid pitching, the Sun Devils might have a chance to hand the Ducks their first loss of the season.

With 18 games remaining, it is starting to become put-up or shut-up time for Arizona State. In the highly competitive Pac-12 conference, a 2-4 conference record isn’t the best way to leap into the upper echelon of the Pac-12.

A good weekend for ASU will be critical to the success of this team further into the season. If they somehow can take a game or two from the Ducks then they will have beaten the best team in the conference and they will be prepared to go up against any of the tougher opponents in the Pac-12.

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So far this season, the Sun Devils haven’t won a game they have played against ranked opponents. That will need to change this weekend, and with how Palacios has been playing as of late, it might just happen.