TEMPE, Ariz. – Heading into the weekend, expectations were high for an Arizona State softball team that had gotten off to its best start since 2011 – the last time it won a national championship.

Coming in with an 18-3 record, an offense that’s been firing on all cylinders, a pitching staff led by senior pitcher Kenzie Brown, and ranked No. 21 in the USA Softball Top 25, it felt like the Sun Devils were on their way to a special season.

While it is only two conference games, the past couple of days have been nothing short of disastrous, as ASU (18-5, 0-2) played a game it would like to forget. On Saturday, March 7, it got shut out 15-0 at home in run-ruling fashion – only five innings – against Utah (20-5, 2-0) at Alberta Farrington Stadium.

The first inning was the only time both teams put zeros on the board. After that, it was dominance from Utah on all fronts.

A nine-run second inning set the tone, and ASU had one hit in all five innings – coming on a line-drive single by sophomore outfielder Ashleigh Mejia.

Mejia’s single was the only hit of the game and one of three baseunners the Sun Devils had on the entire game. 

“I mean, Utah's a good team. They came to play, (we) weren't able to hold him down, and that's a rough one,” coach Megan Bartlett said. “We got to keep responding, and that's the name of the game right now.”

Part of the reason may be that the Sun Devils are adjusting to the level of competition conference play brings. The team put up big numbers before, but going against lesser-known teams in lesser-known conferences usually leads to less success if you’re not careful.

Now, it looks like ASU is overwhelmed and likely came into the weekend overconfident, which led to the results of the past two days.

“We’re not very decisive at the plate right now and doing a lot of second-guessing,” Bartlett said, “and I don't know, we prepared a ton for these pitchers, and we're still in the new (era) of college athletics with having so many new kids, and now we're at this really important point in the season. Maybe we overprepared them, and their heads are spinning a little bit, so certainly, as we continue to work with our personnel, we're going to have to adjust a little bit.”

Now ASU needs to make sure that this weekend isn’t a tone setter for what’s to come for league play. The team has shown enough that they’re capable of being a top-tier team in the conference, and if you ask the team, it’s frustrating how, at least in the first weekend, they’re not getting the results they hoped for.

“I believe in this team, and I believe in them, and I watch them compete every day, and I see how good they are,” Bartlett said. “But the reality is, I can't believe for them, and I can't swing the bat for them.”

Another question lingering is the use of Brown. The team’s ace hasn’t been in action over the past couple of weeks, and people are wondering what’s been happening with the 2025 All-Big 12 first-team pitcher, especially with conference play beginning.

But Brown was seen warming up in the bullpen during the fifth inning. And more positive news, based on the indication from Bartlett, there’s a good chance that we may see Brown back on the circle tomorrow – although nothing’s been confirmed at the moment.

“Get Kenzie back on the mound, hopefully get (senior outfielder) Tanya Windle back in the lineup, and change the mojo up a little bit,” Bartlett said.

Utah and ASU meet up for the final time on Sunday, March 8, at noon. MST. No matter who is on the mound, the Sun Devils hope they can get their bats to get going and salvage the series sweep.

“It's just going to take one hit, it's going to take a couple runs, and then the floodgates will come open. I have zero doubt. So we just have to make good (contact), do the little things right. Get sac bunts down, make sure we're in the appropriate defensive coverage, just little things that the momentum of the game starts to get away from you, and then you start pressing a little bit,” Bartlett said. “And then little things become big things and stick and ball sport that's going to happen.”