Hillary Bach has always wanted to be a softball player.
She has done her time on the mound and spent every minute of her early career working to advance her game.
In high school, she was a four-time letter winner, a three-time All-Conference player and the captain of her team — but now, things have changed.
The resume she built and the experience she obtained seem to have taken the backseat to the journey she is about to begin as part of the defending national champion Sun Devil softball team.
“I’m really learning as I’m going, and I have a lot ahead of me,” she said. “Right now I’m enjoying the experience and taking it one step at a time.”
Coming in as one of the younger players on the team, it didn’t take long for reality to set in. Though it is the first time she has pitched at a collegiate level, the real change came with the uniform.
“The most exciting part of it all was putting on the Sun Devil uniform and knowing that I made it,” she said. “I knew that all the hard work we put into the fall would be able to come together now.”
On defense, hers is a strategy that employs laughter and the idea of having a good time.
She tries to stay calm and finds the most relaxation in the words of her teammates.
“I definitely like to have fun and keep people laughing,” she said. “I like when my shortstop comes in and tells me a funny joke. That really keeps me happy and keeps my mind off any problems. I have confidence in my team. I know they will do well. I just like to crack jokes and keep everyone in a good mood.”
And it’s a concept that seems to be working.
Bach has already claimed three wins in the season and will try to improve upon her start in tonight’s game against Chattanooga and this weekend’s Littlewood Classic tournament.
“The plan for this weekend is to take it one game at a time, one pitch at a time,” she said. “I want to win every pitch, win every inning and win every game.”
But she doesn’t have to do it alone.
In addition to the offensive help from ever-productive senior outfielder Kaitlin Cochran, who had two homeruns last weekend, the Sun Devil’s will also have the added benefit of a proactive dugout.
“We’re cheerers,” junior infielder Caylyn Carlson said. “Leading from the dugout is something that is really important to me and our team. We try to get our girls [ready], especially our pitchers.”
Chattanooga comes into tonight with a record of 4-2 and will face the Sun Devils again in the Littlewood Classic on Friday at 7:30pm.
The Sun Devils will also gear up to face Illinois State, Iowa, Kent State and Idaho State in an effort to calm the nerves that accompanied them to their tournament last weekend.
“We’re a young team so this weekend we really need to mature and grow as a team,” Carlson said. “We need a lot of communication this weekend.
Last week we had a lot of jitters, it was a lot of girls first times out, so this weekend everyone is going to be a little more stable.”
Reach the reporter at emiley.darling@asu.edu.
