UA sophomore utility player Marissa Schuld is transferring to ASU softball in search of a greater opportunity to contribute as a pitcher.
The former two-time Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year looked to transfer after appearing in only eight total games as a pitcher in her two years at UA. After entering the transfer portal, Schuld said she felt an immediate connection to the ASU team and head coach Trisha Ford.
"I knew I wanted to stay in a Power Five conference, I grew up an ASU fan and I have also played with and against half of the team," Schuld said. "It’s Arizona, I’m comfortable here."
During her freshman year, Schuld pitched 14.2 innings and finished the season with a 0.48 ERA. However, Schuld only pitched three innings in her sophomore year. Schuld was left out of UA’s rotation for much of this past season, but she is confident that she will get a fair shot at ASU with Ford as her head coach.
“I definitely think that I will be a compliment to the pitching staff,” Schuld said. “Coach Ford seems to use all of her pitchers, so it’s a true pitching staff. I know Coach Ford gives all of the opportunities that she can to all of her pitchers and I’m just looking to compliment them, develop with them and really learn and grow from them.”
Ford is fascinated by the dynamic Schuld brings to the team as both a pitcher and a hitter.
"She can play outfield, she can rake and she was very, very successful in her youth years in the circle," Ford said. "I think she’s going to fit in very seamlessly."
During her sophomore season, Schuld became a mainstay in UA's batting order, starting 15 of the team's 25 games as a designated player. She finished the shortened season with a .350 batting average and a .525 slugging percentage in 40 at-bats.
Schuld will likely have some time to get comfortable with her new team, as UA has control over her eligibility. According to Ford, the team is still waiting to hear if Schuld will be immediately eligible next year.
“They (UA) could release her, and she could play next year, or they can uphold the Pac-12 transfer rule," Ford said. "For her that was really hard. I told her, ‘You have to enter this anticipating the worst. Which the worst would be you’d have to sit out a year.’ I think that’s what took her a while to come to grips with.”
Even though Schuld is anticipating having to sit out a year, she is excited to help the team reach its goal of making the Women's College World Series in the future.
“I’ll take that first year to develop and learn their system and their processes and how things go,” Schuld said. “Then the next years of eligibility, I’ll work my way into the mix of things and hopefully help them get to the World Series.”
Reach the reporter at cfahrend@asu.edu and follow @chris_drop_ on Twitter.
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