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COOL CUSTOMER: ASU sophomore pitcher Hillary Bach has posted a 17-2 record with a 1.99 ERA in 2010, but she’s also known for using her happy personality to stay calm in the circle. (Photo by Michael Arellano)
But it goes beyond her standing as one of the Pac-10’s best pitchers. On and off the softball field, the sophomore is known for always having a smile on her face and keeping things light.
Bach sat down with The State Press recently to talk about her “goofy” side, as well as how she handles pitching for one of the nation’s top teams.
The State Press: First, I’m going to call you out. You predicted in your official bio that the ASU softball team would return to the Women’s College World Series. Do you stand by it?
Hillary Bach: Of course. I think if we didn’t face struggles on the way there then we’d get there and be thoroughly disappointed. We have the talent and we have the work ethic and we have the desire. We know what it feels like to be there and we’ll have that fire in our hearts. It’ll happen.
SP: How amazing would it be to win a title in your home state of Oklahoma?
HB: Incredible. It’s such an honor to just go and compete every year. It’s what everyone dreams about. It’s my lifelong goal, and I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.
SP: You also said in your bio that if you could live anywhere, it would be somewhere warm. You have to be happy with your choice.
HB: Ecstatic! I love it here. I love everything about it. The weather is so great. Every day, I wake up and I can call my dad in shorts and a t-shirt and say, “How’s the snow?” More than that, I love the girls and I love waking up every morning knowing that I get to live my dream and compete on the field and in the classroom.
SP: Tell me about your reputation for always having a smile on your face.
HB: I think one of the most important things in life is being happy. My parents always told me, “Find something you love to do and get paid for it.” For me, this is not even a job. It’s an honor and a gift to get to play. When I’m at practice or at a game, I’m having fun — this is what I want to do. I can’t be angry or disappointed. This is a competition, but I’m smiling because I’m enjoying myself. When I’m not smiling, then I’m thinking too much and I just like to keep it fun and keep it loose. I’m passionate and I love what I do, so that’s why I smile.
SP: What’s the weirdest conversation you’ve ever had in the circle while you were pitching?
HB: Sometimes, if I’m struggling, I just like to take my mind off of it. One thing that’s worked recently is “pizza night.” Friday night is pizza night so [junior catcher] Kaylyn [Castillo] and I eat pizza and do our accounting homework together. So she’ll say, “Hey, what’s Friday night?” and I’m like, “Pizza night!” So it’s kind of a joke, and I snap back into it.
SP: Do you have any superstitions?
HB: No! I’m superstitious about being superstitious. I hate when people talk about it. I don’t want to worry about a favorite ribbon, because if you leave your ribbon at home, you’re in a world of hurt and you don’t know what to do. There’s too much I can’t control.
SP: Did you feel a lot of pressure to perform this year after winning 31 games last season as a freshman?
HB: The pressure that I felt the most was pressure that I put on myself. The more I realize how silly that is, the more I’m focusing on not putting that pressure on myself. There’s no need for that pressure. I just need to stay relaxed, throw my game and be confident in what I have. That’s when I’ll be the most successful.
SP: What do you do to stay relaxed during the most intense moments?
HB: When we [meet in the circle], we always have a joke so we send everyone back to the field laughing. In the most intense moments, I try to crack a joke or remember positive thoughts.
SP: What do you do to get past mistakes?
HB: I have to find something positive out of it. No matter the outcome, something good happens. So find the good and then find the way to improve on the bad. This is my quote of the week: “Failure is only failure if you fail to learn from it.”
SP: What has been the best moment of the season so far?
HB: As a team, the best moment was beating UA. We were proud of [freshman pitcher] Sam [Parlich] and proud of the hitters. That was a really exciting moment for the team. It wasn’t a total sweep, but it was our rivals, and we worked hard for that and it was a great game.
Reach the reporter at tyler.lockman@asu.edu
