Hillary Bach knows all about the Women’s College World Series.

After all, she’s been inside ASA Hall of Fame Stadium the past six times the NCAA softball national champion has been crowned in Oklahoma City.

But this year, the circumstances are a bit different.

Bach is no longer the wide-eyed local fan sitting in the stands.

She is now the freshman ace pitcher of the ASU softball team making its fourth straight appearance in the WCWS and aiming to repeat as national champions.

“This is what I’ve been dreaming for ever since I started playing softball,” Bach said. “I’m excited for the chance to travel back home with my team, and I know we’re going to do great things.”

Bach grew up in Tulsa, Okla., and started making annual trips to attend the WCWS with her family six years ago.

She was “looking through the fence” last summer when former ASU pitcher Katie Burkhart dominated the competition and the Sun Devils captured their first NCAA title.

But Bach won’t just be on the other side of that fence when ASU squares off with Missouri Thursday afternoon. She will be the player that the No. 10 Sun Devils (46-17) rely on to be the anchor in the circle as they begin their title defense.

“[ASU] had such a great team [last year], but we have a great team this year, so I’m excited that it’s my turn now and I get to be on the field,” Bach said. “It was hard watching [ASU win the national title last year], just because I wanted to be down there so badly.”

Bach began her rookie campaign as the second pitcher behind junior Megan Elliot, but her innings consistently increased as the season went along, and she eventually solidified herself as the No. 1 starter despite struggling during the Sun Devils' six-game losing streak from April 25 through May 2.

ASU coach Clint Myers said that he has had numerous “talks” with Bach throughout the year to help her develop as a pitcher during her first season in maroon and gold.

“We sat her in the high chair—a tall high chair,” Myers said. “One of the tendencies of a young player is to try and do more, and we’re trying to tell her, ‘Hey, listen, what you’re doing now is all we can expect.’”

Those talks, along with increased experience, have paid off in the postseason. Bach threw five complete-game shutouts during regional and super regional play and picked up her 30th win of the season against North Dakota State last Saturday.

In the two super regional games against NDSU, Bach gave up just five hits total and did not walk a batter.

“Hillary Bach has really grown up,” Myers said. “She’s having a tremendous amount of fun, [and] she’s pitching better than I’ve ever seen her pitch.”

Now, Bach gets to return to her home state to play on the sport’s biggest stage for the first time.

“I don’t really think that [my friends and family] believed that I was going [to the WCWS], when I knew the whole time that I was going to Oklahoma City,” Bach said. “Now that I’m headed that way, people are like, ‘Oh, I better get my tickets.’”

And while Bach has experienced the atmosphere of the WCWS firsthand, she knows being on the field rather than in the stands will be quite different.

“This is a whole new level,” Bach said. “I don’t think you can be prepared for this. I just know that I have to play my game. That’s going to be the hardest part, to really just stay focused and just get the job done.”

Being the player that will get the ball for the defending national champions in Oklahoma City seems like a tall order for any freshman, but Bach said she is up for the challenge as she gets ready for the biggest game of her life so far.

“It’s crazy surreal,” she said. “It’s what I always wanted, but I didn’t realize that it would come this fast. I have a great team behind me, so I’m not worried. I’m just confident and ready to go. I’m ready to play some ball.”