It might be tempting for UW softball fans to start dreaming of next year, when All-American pitcher Danielle Lawrie returns to the mound and All-American shortstop Ashley Charters gets healthy again.

But there’s work left to be done this season. An NCAA tournament bid is likely in store for Washington, which places added importance on the final two weekends of the regular season for determining the UW’s seed.

That work begins today. The Huskies are welcoming No. 1 Arizona State and No. 10 Arizona into Husky Softball Stadium this weekend to play a three-game set that is crucial to the Dawgs’ postseason positioning.

One of the program’s veterans will be saying goodbye to her home park this weekend. Senior Caitlin Noble, a solid contributor in the circle for the past four seasons, will play in her final three games in Seattle as a Husky. Charters and outfielder Lauren Greer are also technically seniors, but both are expected to return next season after sitting out this year with injury redshirts.

The Huskies have proved capable of hanging with the nation’s best this season, despite its somewhat mediocre win-loss record (26-18-1). Wins against then-No. 1 Alabama and the same No. 1 Arizona State squad that awaits the Dawgs today prove that they can compete with the best.

Washington is one of only three teams to defeat All-American ASU hurler Katie Burkhart this season. Burkhart, the conference’s reigning pitcher of the year, has struck out 369 batters and boasts a 0.78 ERA.

ASU’s offense is just as impressive as its pitching. Kaitlin Cochran, last season’s Pac-10 player of the year, leads the conference in batting with a .446 batting average. She also ranks at the top of the Pac-10 in slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs and doubles. The Sun Devils lead the Pac-10 in team batting average at a scorching .340 clip and have belted a conference-high 84 home runs.

Tomorrow and Sunday’s games against two-time defending national champion Arizona should present a less daunting task than in years past, but even in a down year the Wildcats are a force to be reckoned with. Taryne Mowatt hasn’t been in the same dominating form that won her an ESPY last season, but she is still capable of shutting down an offense, which is not good news for a Husky team struggling to find hits.

The Cats are led on offense by Brittany Lastrapes, the younger sister of former UW All-American Dominique Lastrapes. Brittany leads her team with a .368 batting average and drove home the game’s winning run in the first meeting with Washington.

The Huskies will close out the regular season next weekend with a game in Corvallis, Ore., against Oregon State before heading to Eugene, Ore., for three contests against Oregon.