Senior Sierra Rodriguez is greeted at home plate by the Sun Devil team after her home run Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015, at Farrington Stadium in Tempe. (J. Buaer-Leffler/The State Press)Although ASU softball senior Sierra Rodriguez played at two community colleges, the dream to play for the Sun Devils never left her sights.
Rodriguez, who grew up in Chandler, started playing softball when she was 8 but said she wasn't any good when she first started.
"I had brothers who played baseball, so I grew up watching it," she said.
Although it took a couple of years, her passion for softball finally clicked when she was 10.
"College was a big thing in our family, and my brothers played college baseball, so I told myself that's what I was going to do," Rodriguez said. "You get your school paid for while playing a sport and that was the biggest thing."
After high school, Rodriguez played at Yavapai College in Prescott before transferring to Phoenix College.
"It's always been a dream of mine to come to ASU because I'm the hometown girl that grew up wanting to come here," she said.
However, she did not have to choose the community college route. In fact, Rodriguez had offers from Division I schools, including Oregon, but decided to wait until ASU came calling.
"I just wanted to go to ASU and I wasn't really up to leaving home yet, so I decided to take the junior college route," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said many were baffled at the decision to reject the Division I offers, setting up a "go big or go home" situation.
"I got a lot of 'What are you thinking?' questions asked," she said. "It worked out in the end and I'm happy that I'm here now, so that's all that matters."
Although ASU was always the ultimate goal, she maintained focus during her community college days, taking it one day at a time.
"I just tried to work hard, knowing that the bigger goal was at the end of the line," Rodriguez said. "I've always had that goal in my sight so I would just keep pushing and pushing everyday, but now I'm here."
One day, everything changed when ASU head coach Craig Nicholson called before her junior year.
"My coach from Phoenix College asked where I wanted to go and I wasn't sure at the time, but then I got a call from Coach Nicholson really late in the summer saying they had room at ASU, so I jumped on," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez did not crack the lineup much during her junior year, but is now the team's leadoff hitter in her senior season.
She is batting .372 with four doubles, 11 RBIs and a home run. In addition, her .550 on-base percentage is the highest among the regular starters, which gives evidence to her quality performance as the team's catalyst.
"My job is just to get on base, whether it be by a hit, a walk or even by being hit with a pitch," Rodriguez said. "I'm just going to try to keep getting runs for our pitchers because that's what the main goal is."
Rodriguez said the main difference in Division I softball is not only the level of competition, but also the preparation involved.
"The competition level is way higher here and I've grown a lot in the past two years," she said. "In junior college, you just went out there and hit, but now you study pitchers and pitchers know you — it's a different game."
Although it is only her second year at ASU, she is taking an active leadership role as one of the team's five seniors.
"The other four seniors have been here all four years, so I try to take the role of leading by example and pushing what they say," Rodriguez said.
Looking ahead, Rodriguez said the team's chemistry, which is one of its biggest strengths, starts with the solid group of seniors.
"Our girls are really outgoing and we mesh well together this year," she said. "We have a good group of seniors that set the tone and everyone just follows."
Being a local player and lifelong ASU fan, the achievement of her dream is fulfilling for not only Rodriguez, but also her family, who attend every home ASU softball game.
"It's great to know that all the hard work has finally paid off," she said. "You can hear my family every time my name is said in the stadium, and it's a great feeling."
Reach the reporter at Justin.Toscano@asu.edu or follow @justintoscano3 on Twitter.
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