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WCWS Power Rankings: Oklahoma favorited to take national title

(05/28/13 8:12pm)

The Women’s College World Series begins Thursday in Oklahoma City where eight teams will duke it out to determine the national champion. Can anyone defeat Oklahoma? What are ASU’s chances of winning a third national title? Here's how the field stacks up in the Women's College World Series power rankings: 1. Oklahoma (52-4). Seed: 1 All season long, Oklahoma has looked like the national championship favorite. Led by sophomore first baseman Lauren Chamberlain and senior pitcher Keilani Ricketts, the Sooners possess star power far exceeding their competition. Oklahoma leads the NCAA in runs (7.93) and ERA (1.16). The Sooners defeated Texas A&M; in two run-rule games to get to Oklahoma City, the only run-rule games of the Super Regional. Last year, they lost in the national championship series and look hungrier than ever to get their shot. 2. Florida (57-7). Seed: 2. Florida earned its fifth Women’s College World Series appearance in six seasons after beating unseeded UAB in two one-run games. The two close games were a little concerning, but outside of Oklahoma, nobody steamrolled through the Super Regional round. The Gators are young and were predicted to finish seventh in the SEC this season by the conference’s coaches. After winning the SEC regular season title and the SEC tournament, the Gators far exceeded those expectations. 3. ASU (50-10). Seed: 5 Fortunately for ASU, the Sun Devils were able to host in the postseason, where they have a 40-3 record. Now, they’re going to have to win away from the friendly confines in Tempe. The Sun Devils are undefeated in the postseason, winning four of their five postseason games against SEC programs Georgia and Kentucky. At times, junior pitcher Dallas Escobedo has looked unhittable. Offensively, half of the lineup is hitting well, while the other half is struggling. The regular 5-8 hitters in the lineup are 6-for-48 in the postseason, while the 9-4 starters are hitting .388 with five homers. 4. Texas (49-8). Seed: 4. As long as senior pitcher Blaire Luna takes the circle for Texas, the Longhorns have a chance. Luna pitched a no-hitter over Florida State to thrust Texas into the Women’s College World Series. In 29 postseason innings, she has allowed four earned runs to go along with 32 strikeouts. Luna, a strikeout machine, ranks second in total strikeouts (384) and leads the country in strikeouts per seven innings (11.7). Offensively, Texas is strong too but primarily relies on speed. Four players have at least 20 stolen bases for Texas. 5. Tennessee (49-10). Seed: 7. En route to advancing to the Women’s College World Series, Tennessee eliminated the defending national champions, Alabama, in two games. Sisters Ellen and Ivy Renfroe have been solid in the circle all season. At the plate, third baseman Raven Chavanne was named a top-three finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year, while second baseman Lauren Gibson was named SEC Player of the Year.6. Michigan (50-11). Seed: 8 The Wolverines eked out their 10th trip to the Women’s College World Series in dramatic fashion. It took Michigan three games to eliminate Louisiana Lafayette, needing late heroics in both of their wins. Offensively, Michigan entered the weekend scoring 7.16 runs per game but were outscored in the Super Regional and only plated six runs in the three game set. 7. Nebraska (45-14). Seed: 14. By defeating No. 3 seed and Pac-12 champion Oregon, Nebraska pulled the first shocking upset in the NCAA tournament. After losing an 11-inning heartbreaker in the middle game of the series, Nebraska bounced back to defeat Oregon 4-2 later that day. Nebraska rattled Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year Jessica Moore, scoring 11 runs in the series off her. Earlier in the season, The Huskers handed top-seeded Oklahoma one of their four losses. 8. Washington (43-15). Seed: 11. Washington was the first team to book its trip to Oklahoma City, when it put a mild surprise in No. 6 seed Missouri. The Huskies, who finished third in the Pac-12, dominated the Tigers when on the mound by allowing one run and six hits in the two games. Day 1 Schedule: Nebraska vs. Washington, 9 a.m. PT, ESPN2 Tennessee vs. Florida, 11:30 a.m. PT, ESPN ASU vs. Texas, 4 p.m. PT, ESPN Michigan vs. Oklahoma, 6:30 p.m. PT, ESPN Reach the reporter at Justin.Janssen@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @JJanssen11

https://www.statepress.com/article/2013/05/wcws-power-rankings-oklahoma-favorited-to-take-national-title

Freeman using doctor’s words as motivation to overcome setbacks

(05/21/13 7:40pm)

Many athletes have setbacks or obstacles blocking their path to success. Fewer have overcome the adversity. Even less return better than before and become the best player in his or her respective league. For ASU sophomore catcher Amber Freeman, it was a long road to where she is now, the Pac-12 Player of the Year, after being told she would never play softball again because of injuries. “When I was 11, playing a tournament in Fresno, Calif., I remember stepping on first base wrong and complaining to my dad that my leg was bothering me,” Freeman wrote in her ESPNW blog. “We went to countless doctors, and no one could figure out what was wrong with me. Finally, after getting a sixth opinion, one figured it out. The top of my femur had slipped out of my hip socket. I had been playing that way for about a year. “Apparently it was common in children, but the doctor made it clear I would never be able to play the game I loved again. I had surgery, and to this day, I have a 3-inch titanium screw in my left hip. The doctor’s words have stuck with me, but I have used that as motivation each and every day to get back on the field.” Years after the surgery, Freeman excelled on the field instantly in high school. During her freshman year, she verbally committed to ASU over UCLA. Freeman said she grew up rooting for the Bruins, her hometown team and one of the nation's premier softball programs. Freeman said she committed to ASU because she fell in love with the program and the campus. In her sophomore season of high school, however, Freeman endured another setback. She tore her ACL and meniscus in her left knee. “It was a freak accident,” Freeman wrote. “All I was doing was running the bases when I felt a huge pop in my left knee.” The ACL tear is considered one of the most gruesome injuries in sports. Athletes vary in recovery times, and some are never the same after the injury. “I called (ASU) coach (Clint Myers) and told him that I’d hurt myself,” Freeman said. “He’s like, ‘ACLs are very common injures.’ He wasn’t worried about it, and I still had three years before I got here.” Freeman said the daily rehabilitation was difficult. It consumed part of her life. “It was really tough for me,” Freeman said. “It’s only supposed to be six months, but it took me eight months to get back on the field. I was really nervous about re-hurting myself again. It took me a few extra months to be comfortable enough to be able to play.” As a catcher, having to squat throughout a game puts additional pressure on the knees. Freeman said she still gets sore and added she wears a hidden knee brace to guard against future injury. Freeman came back from the ACL injury better than she was before. In her junior and senior seasons at Mater Dei High School, she hit .481 with 19 home runs in 135 at-bats, according to maxpreps.com. In her true freshman season at ASU, Freeman continued to hit, sporting a .349 batting average and 12 home runs. ASU finished third at the Women’s College World Series, and Freeman was named to Women’s College World Series All-Tournament team with a .500 batting average. Freeman re-tore her meniscus in her left knee last fall, missing the latter part of fall ball. Freeman said the injury occurred near the end of the fall, and she had enough repetitions in the fall to prepare her for this year. Now, the Sun Devils are vying for another national championship, and Freeman has blossomed into ASU's best hitter in her sophomore season. After a 3-0 record in regional play, ASU advanced to Super Regionals, and the team will face No. 12 seed Kentucky for a berth in the Women’s College World Series. On May 15, she was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year. Through Sunday, Freeman was hitting .382 with 18 homers and 61 RBI, and she hit home runs in each of ASU’s first two postseason games. “I knew I was always capable of (being) Player of the Year, but I never thought it would be this soon, my sophomore year,” Freeman said. To this day, Freeman uses the doctor’s words as motivation on the field. “I would not have been able to get through all of this without the unconditional support and love from my family,” Freeman wrote. “Each day I feel blessed to be able to play the sport I love, because I will never forget when the doctor told me I would never play again.” Reach the reporter at justin.janssen@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @JJanssen11

https://www.statepress.com/article/2013/05/freeman-using-doctors-words-as-motivation-to-overcome-setbacks
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