If you were to guess who the home run leader is for ASU softball this season, you would probably say Amber Freeman, and you would be correct.
But she's not alone atop that list.
Joining Freeman among the Sun Devils' best sluggers is senior first baseman Bethany Kemp, who is tied with Freeman for the team lead with 14 home runs.
The Santa Clarita, California, native is adding to her illustrious career at ASU in her final campaign in the maroon and gold, boasting a .281 batting average to go along with a .656 slugging percentage and 35 RBIs.
Kemp is an unquestioned leader on an ASU team that features five senior starters, and she embraces that role wholeheartedly.
"This year, our whole senior class has had to step into that (leadership) position," Kemp said. "We have so many new and younger players, including our freshman pitchers, so this year it's about teaching and being leaders."
Leading by example is a surefire way to influence the younger players, and Kemp does exactly that with her work in the batter's box as well as only committing three errors all year at first base.
However, Kemp said she tries not to think too much about her personal accomplishments.
"I don't really pay attention to (being the home run leader)," Kemp said. "The only reason I know how many home runs I have is because my Grandma will text me and put it on Facebook."
Kemp said she has grown close with Freeman over the years and that it's always fun to go back and forth with her for the team lead in homers.
"Me and Amber have been playing together forever," Kemp said. "I don't think it's (a competition between us); it's more of a 'I hit a home run, now you hit a home run,' and just encouraging each other."
Sunday's home run against Oregon State moved Kemp to 10th all-time in ASU history, and she said that she hopes to have left a mark on this ASU program.
"There's so many people before me that have left their mark (at ASU)," Kemp said. "It's definitely an honor to be a part of that."
Oddly enough, Kemp's older sister Victoria played for rival Arizona from 2008-11, joining the Wildcats the year after they won their eighth national championship. That sort of amplified sibling rivalry was present throughout Bethany's career.
"(Victoria) was (at Arizona) when I committed here, so that was like a stab to her heart a little bit," Kemp said. "She was kind of giving me a hard time for that, but she's supported me since I've been here. Every time we play Arizona, it's hard for her to put on that ASU shirt."
Kemp takes pride in having taken the series over her sister's beloved Wildcats this season.
"Every time you go down to Tucson, you definitely want to win," Kemp said. "I think (Victoria) was more nostalgic about it, because she knew that was the last time either one of us would be playing on that field."
Kemp's final time playing at Farrington Stadium will likely be on May 9 against UCLA, since ASU is likely out of the running to host a regional in the postseason. While that moment will probably rank at the top for Kemp when her career is over, she has a few others that hold plenty of significance for her as a softball player and teammate.
"Almost every year we've beat U of A, so that's a good team memory, but going to the Women's College World Series was huge," Kemp said. "On a personal level I think that my favorite memory was my (walk-off) grand slam against Oklahoma, just because it was my first one here at Farrington."
Kemp will take first base at Farrington six more times in her Sun Devil career, the first of which will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday against the surging Utah Utes for the first of a three-game series.
Reach the reporter at rclarke6@asu.edu or follow @RClarkeASU on Twitter.
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