Knowing it would be the last time the ASU softball team plays at Farrington Stadium for several weeks, Erica Beach showcased her abilities to the home crowd with an impressive weekend against top-ranked UCLA and 10th-ranked Washington.
In the final home stand until the weekend of Apr. 26, the senior left-hander and designated player threw 12.2 innings, allowing only eight hits, while blasting two home runs to help ASU record three straight wins against Pac-10 opponents. Beach distanced herself in the school's all-time home run chart, as her 25th career bomb in Sunday's 6-1 victory over the Huskies put her nine ahead of Suzie Gaw (1979-82).
"Honestly, it's (home run record) not what I'm even thinking about right now. I'm just trying to keep hitting the ball hard," Beach said. "I feel really good and am trying to keep with the solid hits. It's working so far."
Beach started all three games for ASU, earning two wins and improving her record on the season to 20-6, an accomplishment she values more than her performance at the plate.
"We have so many good hitters on this team and we all support each other on offense, so I'm just trying to help out on defense as much as I can," Beach said. "That's where I feel like I'm working and trying to help the team -- in pitching."
One of ASU's most consistent players, Beach has established herself as a main anchor for the team on both sides of the field. She marked the game's first run Sunday after launching a home run over the center field wall in the second inning. Beach went 4-for-5 from the plate with three walks on the weekend.
"I always seem to do better against these (UCLA and Washington) schools," Beach said. "I made some adjustments to both my pitching and hitting, and feel it has helped. I hope I can carry this performance into the next couple weeks and not make it just a one-weekend performance."
Sun Devil head coach Linda Wells also recognizes Beach's contribution to the team not only on the weekend, but also on the season in general.
"We have to have her pitch, but then we'll take her bat, but we'll also take her emotion in the dugout because she's our cheerleader," Wells said. "She does it all. She's just a workhorse."
Reach the reporter at steven.ganczaruk@asu.edu.
