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No. 5 ASU softball sweeps Cal in 5-3 win

Coming off a series loss to Utah, the No. 5 ASU softball team needed to get back on track.

Out of Bounds: Goodbye for Now

At the beginning of my freshman year in the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, I never thought I would have so many opportunities my freshman year. I’ve interviewed athletes, gone to countless basketball and softball games and, of course, written this blog. I never expected to obtain a position at the State Press, much less a position where I got to write about my passion in sports.

Junior outfielder Alix Johnson runs through the bag in a game against North Dakota on March 1. Johnson's home run in the first inning helped ASU to a 10-2 win over Cal on April 26. (Photo by Dominic Valente)

ASU softball clinches series over Cal after 11-0 win

After Friday's offensive performance, it would be hard for the ASU softball team to duplicate its success.

No. 5 ASU softball slugs six home runs, routs Cal

Following a series loss to unranked Utah, the No. 5 ASU softball team needed a performance like this.

ASU softball looks rebound vs. Cal after series loss

The ASU softball team hadn’t lost a series all year. So facing the Utah Utes, who only had one conference series win in one and half years, shouldn’t have been a problem. However, games aren’t played on paper, and ASU lost the series. The No. 5 Sun Devils (39-7, 10-5 Pac-12) look to counter the surprising series loss with a home showdown against No. 10 Cal (35-9, 9-6 Pac-12). “This team has to distinguish themselves what kind of legacy and identity they want to have,” coach Clint Myers said. “We’ve had it happen in the past, and we’ve bounced back really well.” Early in the season, the Cal series was thought to decide the Pac-12 conference championship. Now both teams are on the outside looking in with three weeks remaining in the regular season. Cal and ASU were picked to finish 1-2 in the conference before the season began. It will be difficult for either to catch Oregon (38-6, 13-2 Pac-12). ASU dropped from No. 2 in the polls last week to No. 5 this week following the losses at Utah. Cal began the season at No. 3 in the country. Cal senior pitcher Jolene Henderson could miss the series with an injury she suffered on Sunday against Oregon State. “Moments after throwing the ball to first base, Henderson grimaced and collapsed to the ground holding her left leg,” Sean Wagner-McGough of The Daily Californian wrote. Henderson means everything for the Golden Bears. She appeared in 40 of Cal’s 44 games on the mound, starting 33 of them and has 13 shutouts. Henderson also leads the conference in ERA with 1.21. “She’s a great pitcher,” Myers said. “Pitchers are huge for any program. I’m hoping that she’s OK. She’s a great competitor, good for the game of softball. I’m guessing that just knowing her that she’s going to be in the circle, unless somebody took her leg off.” Cal’s other pitchers don’t have nearly the experience or the success of Henderson this season. Henderson is one of the national leaders with 249.2 innings pitched this season. The rest of the team has thrown 52.1 innings with a 2.94 ERA. “Whether she pitches or doesn’t pitch, we have to bring our ‘A' game,” Myers said. “That’s the most important thing, coming to play regardless of who’s in the circle.” Senior second baseman Sam Parlich echoed Myers’s thoughts, especially considering the pitchers ASU lost to last week. “She’s a big part of the program, but they have other pitchers who are capable of beating us,” Parlich said.Notes - All three games in the series will be aired on television. The first game, on Friday, airs on ESPNU at 7 p.m. Saturday’s game is on Pac-12 network at 7 p.m., while the series finale airs at 3 p.m. Sunday on the same station. - Cal is the only Pac-12 program that Myers has a losing record against with a 10-11 mark. Reach the reporter at justin.janssen@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @JJannsen11

Softball's lone senior Parlich boosts defense

It wasn’t always easy for Sam Parlich.

Parlich helps ASU softball avoid series sweep at Utah

ASU senior second baseman Sam Parlich was called for the final out in the first and second games of the series against Utah. She didn’t want to do the same in the finale.

Utah upsets No. 2 ASU softball in series opener

The No. 2 ASU softball team expected a relatively easy series against Utah.

No. 2 ASU softball focuses on outmatched Utah

It would be easy for the No. 2 ASU softball team to look past its road series against the Utah Utes with a big series against No. 10 Cal on the horizon. Record-wise, the Utes (19-23-1, 4-11 Pac-12) will probably be the weakest team the Sun Devils (38-5, 9-3 Pac-12) will face the rest of the season. Last year, Utah was in for a shock when they moved from the Mountain West Conference to the Pac-12. “It was a pretty big adjustment,” coach Clint Myers said. “Let’s face it, (the Pac-12) is the best conference in the country. You’re playing postseason teams every weekend.” Utah endured the growing pains and went 2-22 in the conference in 2012. It’s been a little better for the Utes in 2013 with a 4-11 conference mark. “I would say last year was pretty rough for them,” sophomore catcher Amber Freeman said. “They definitely had a wake-up call, because this is probably the best conference in the country. They’re having a better year, and it seems like they’re adjusting.” Utah has won three of its past six conference games, which included its first Pac-12 series victory earlier this month against No. 18 UCLA. ASU is taking the approach that it can only control its half of the game. Regardless of who the Sun Devils face, their goals remain the same. “Who we play is a little bit irrelevant, because we approach every game the same way, whether it’s Arizona or Alabama or UCLA or Florida or any of those teams," Myers said. "Certain games get a little more hype, but what we’re expecting to do and what we’re trying to do remains constant all the time.” The series against Utah marks only the third true road series of the year for ASU. The Sun Devils also played a neutral-site tournament on the road. They’ve played a large amount of games at home, which included 26 in a row at home to start the season. ASU has played 32 games at Farrington Stadium with a record of 30-2 and only 11 games away from home with a record of 8-3. “When teams play at home they always play better,” Freeman said. "We just need to go there and play our best softball and come home with three (wins).” Reach the reporter at Justin.Janssen@asu.edu or follow on Twitter @JJanssen11

ASU softball’s Alix Johnson apologizes for suspension on twitter

Junior outfielder Alix Johnson apologized for a suspension that resulted in her absence the last two weekends from the ASU softball lineup. Johnson and junior outfielder Mary Spiel were suspended for breaking team rules, according to coach Clint Myers. The pair was with the team last weekend. They watched the Washington series from ASU’s dugout. They joined huddles and remained part of the team. Myers said the suspended duo was in the dugout, “because they’re still on the team, (and it) doesn’t mean we don’t like them. They made a mistake, and they’re paying for it.” Myers is not revealing the nature of the suspensions and said they were an “internal” matter. “They’re doing quite well with it,” Myers said. “Hopefully, we’ll have them back soon. That’s up to them.” Johnson took to her public Twitter account Sunday night to apologize for breaking team rules. She deleted the account sometime after the apology and before Tuesday afternoon. “To my friends, my family, teammates, fans, and all my public supporters, I would like to apologize for my poor decisions made recently in breaking our softball team rules,” she tweeted. “I know that my actions were wrong and affected a lot of people in different ways and for this, I’m truly sorry. I have taken full responsibility for my actions and accepted the consequences I have been given for the poor decision that I made. “I hope over time that I can convince everyone, especially my teammates, that I have learned from these mistakes and that ASU and ASU softball will be able to count on me to be there for them in an(y) capacity that they may need me. Thank you all for the constant support!”Freeman named finalist for USA Softball Player of the YearFor some, following up a breakout freshman year can be difficult.There are added expectations and increased pressures that follow a great season.In sophomore catcher Amber Freeman’s freshman year, she hit .346 with 12 home runs and was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.As a sophomore, Freeman has one-upped her stellar rookie campaign.She is hitting .379 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs. She was recently named a top-25 finalist for the 2013 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.“It was exciting,” Freeman said. “I wasn’t really having that many expectations, but to be on the top-25 list with those type of players, that was very exciting for me being only a sophomore, too."Freeman is the only catcher on the list and is one of six underclassmen to be named a finalist.The finalists will be narrowed down from 25 players to 10 on May 8. Then the list will be cut to three players May 22, and the winner will be announced May 28 at the Women’s College World Series. No masks for ASU pitchers When ASU took the field against Washington, the audience noticed something a little different from a Huskies pitcher. Washington junior pitcher Kaitlin Inglesby was wearing a pitcher’s mask to protect her on the mound. A mask helps defend the face against line drives. “(It's) for some people, not for me,” junior pitcher Dallas Escobedo said. “I guess she got hit in the face by her teammate. I’ve been fortunate enough, knock on wood, not to have been hit." The practice of pitcher’s masks is more common in lower levels of softball and isn't regularly seen at the college level. The mound sits 43 feet from home plate. On line drives, there may not be enough time for a pitcher to get their glove up to block an incoming softball. A regulation softball has a circumference between 11.875 inches and 12.25 inches and a weight of between 6.5 and seven ounces, according to the NCAA rulebook. “I know a lot of young girls and more pitchers are starting to wear them more often,” junior pitcher Mackenzie Popescue said. “It’s whatever makes the pitcher feel comfortable.” Reach the reporter at justin.janssen@asu.edu or follow on twitter @JJanssen11

Kemp’s pinch hit gives ASU softball series win over Washington

ASU sophomore first baseman Bethany Kemp only saw two pitches at the plate, but she made her at-bat count with the go-ahead single, giving the No. 2 ASU softball team (38-5, 9-3 Pac-12) the 2-1 win and the series victory over Washington (32-12, 10-5 Pac-12) on Sunday.

ASU softball blasts 3 home runs, routs Washington in 2nd game

After scoring a season low one run, ASU softball coach Clint Myers made a couple lineup adjustments to spark the No. 2 Sun Devils (37-5, 8-3 Pac-12).

No. 2 ASU softball records season low in runs in loss to Washington

One of the hardest things in softball is to remain consistent.

Junior outfielder Bailey Wigness bunts a ball during the Sun Devils' 3-0 win over Bradley on Feb. 10. Wigness will fill in for junior outfielder Alix Johnson, who has been suspended indefinitely for undisclosed reasons in ASU's home series against Washington this weekend. (Photo by Sam Rosenbaum)

Fraternity welcomes deaf student

Correction: Due to reporting error, an earlier version of this story and photo caption misspelled Ted Horton-Billard's last name and provided the wrong age for when he learned sign language. It has been updated with the correct spelling and age.

Johnson’s status unknown as ASU softball hosts Washington

With junior All-American outfielder Alix Johnson suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules, junior outfielder Bailey Wigness has taken her spot in the order as the No. 2 ASU softball team takes on Washington for a three-game weekend series.

Out of Bounds: Referees are People Too

You either love or you hate referees. There is no indifference for fans. A call in favor of your team and they’re your favorite person on the field, a call against it and they are your sworn mortal enemy. Some referees and umpires even get hate mail for calls they’ve made such as umpire Don Denkinger or the crew of the controversial Monday night football game last year between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers.

No. 2 ASU softball wins series, drops finale to No. 14 Stanford 4-3

A day after the ASU softball team slugged its way to 23 runs, the Sun Devils managed just three in a 4-3 loss to Stanford.

Freeman powers ASU softball to two wins over Stanford

Instead of the expected pitching duel, offensive fireworks ensued from the ASU and Stanford softball teams.