On the surface, it appears the 2006 ASU softball team exceeded expectations. Just don't tell that to first-year coach Clint Myers.
Sure the Sun Devils only won 30 games the season before and were breaking in an entirely new coaching staff, but Myers refused to let it be a rebuilding season. In fact, ASU enjoyed just the opposite.
The team won a school-record 53 games to go along with just 15 losses. It reached the College World Series in Oklahoma City for the first time since 2002. And it also set new attendance records with 120 season ticket holders and the first back-to-back sellouts in school history, April 14-15 against UA.
"From the very beginning Coach Myers and the whole staff came to ASU and made us believe in ourselves," sophomore ace Katie Burkhart said. "They came in saying, 'We're going to make it to the World Series this year.' At first we were kind of like, 'okay,' coming off the season the year before.
"As the season started progressing we started seeing it. Everyone was exuding a presence about them of how much they wanted to be out there and how much we were going to fight to have a spot in the World Series."
ASU ended its season with a 2-0, extra-inning loss to Tennessee June 3 after beating Oregon State 3-1 the same day and losing to Texas, 2-0, June 2 in the double-elimination College World Series. If they beat Tennessee, the Sun Devils would have had to beat eventual national champion UA twice to advance to the championship round of the series.
"They were in a constant state of learning, including the World Series," Myers said of his team. "It was very important they beat Oregon State because it showed them they can play with the top eight teams in the country.
"If we were going to be sent home, I'd rather preferred it be to Arizona than Tennessee. But I have no qualms, no regrets, no excuses to be made. We just came up a little short, but as far as the experience goes, it was awesome."
Though ASU's offense, which had become a trademark throughout the season, was not up to par in Oklahoma City, Myers attributed the slump to the quality of opponents his team faced. The team also had the misfortune of facing three-time national player of the year Cat Osterman of Texas in its opening game. Osterman set a World Series record with 18 strikeouts in the contest against the Sun Devils.
"One of the things we talked about in our coaches meeting was that it was one of the best if not the best World Series as far as talented pitchers," Myers said. "(Osterman) was out to prove some things; she's a craftsman of her trade. On our side, for being the first time any of our girls have been to the national championship, that was a tough draw. With our nerves and her experience, she shut us down pretty easy."
Though the Sun Devils will lose six seniors, the team will return a key nucleus of players in 2007. Burkhart has two seasons of eligibility remaining after going 30-8 with a 1.15 ERA and 420 strikeouts this season.
Second baseman Mindy Cowles also returns after bashing 17 home runs in her sophomore campaign. And sophomore-to-be Kaitlin Cochran looks like she can be the best big thing in college softball after hitting .437 with 17 home runs to earn All-American status as a freshman.
And of course, the team will return Myers' confidence inspiring coaching techniques.
"I can totally see us getting back to the World Series every year," freshman leadoff hitter Jessica Mapes said. "(Myers) knows what it takes to get us there, and I think it's going to continue on that road."
Reach the reporter at drex1_phx@hotmail.com.
