April 29, 2008
By Tony Mancuso, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Fanning a batter in the top half of an inning is something most people can't do. Blasting a tape measure home run in the bottom half of same inning is a feat most people only dream of.
Combing the two can only be described as a gift.
Then there is Penn State senior Ashley Esparza, who possesses a monstrous bat, a powerful arm and a golden glove on the softball field. These skills, coupled with a bubbling personality, create the formula for Esparza's effectiveness on the diamond.
"I just got a little lucky," said Esparza with a smile on her face. "I just work hard at what I do. I have a role as a pitcher and as a fielder. I know that I will always hit. I really can't explain the balance. It was something that I was given."
Being so effective in all three facets of the game creates a unique circumstance for the San Pedro, Calif., native. Dividing preparation for each aspect of her game is a distinctive problem most softball players would love to have.
"I always get mad when coach (Robin Petrini) doesn't let me hit," said Esparza. "I usually pitch every day, and I always try to hit as much as possible. Fielding just gets thrown in when I have some time.
"I have always loved hitting. I am not sure why that is, but it has always been the case. I asked coach if I could DH, and of course, she said no."
Her career stats speak for themselves. Batting north of .300 at the plate with 24 home runs, holding a near-2.00 career ERA and great glove work in the field are all on her softball resume.
Esparza's ability to provide the Nittany Lions with the tremendous balance garnered third-team NFCA All-American honors for her as a freshman in 2005. Since then, she has maintained exceptionally reliable form in the pitching circle and evolved into one of the Big Ten's most prolific power hitters.
"I just came in and knew nothing," said Esparza. "Nobody really knew who I was. We just had a great year as a team in 2005. None of the pitchers really knew who I was that year, so I was able to be successful at the plate and in the field. Over time, everyone probably knows everything that is wrong with my game. I just have been forced to work harder each year."
Just as the Lion senior alluded, success in any form of athletics, regardless of the talent level, is a byproduct of hard work. For Esparza, going hand-in-hand with the hard work is an open mind at the plate and in the field.
Her ability to separate a defensive half of an inning from a plate appearance makes her a tough out.
"When you hit, you don't really think," said Esparza. "You just go up there and react and make contact with balls. You have been preparing your whole life to become a good hitter.
"Pitching is just so much different. When you get into pitch, you can throw a ball five inches off the ground and a girl can hit it 250 feet. It can be a great pitch, but it is just in the mindset that you have to let things go. You just have to know that people are going to get hits and score runs, and put it behind you. I just separate that from hitting. If I have a bad inning, and then I step to the plate, I can't let that ruin the plate appearance."
The Nittany Lion senior's open-minded personality spills over in adverse situations. Whether she is behind in a count in the circle or at the plate, the senior has a unique method of coping with an undesirable situation.
"I just smile and laugh and people just hate it," Esparza said. "It is not like I am laughing in someone's face or anything, but that is just the way I deal with the tight situations. It is one thing that people don't understand.
"I don't really know why I act like I act, but I do feel like that if I stay calm, most of the rest of the team will see that and feed off my personality. It definitely takes the pressure off. Though, I think if someone did that to me, I would probably be really mad."
Although she has crossed 0-2 counts at the plate countless times in her lifelong softball career, Esparza faced an injury in 2007 for the first time, which ultimately caused her to shut down her playing time.
Stemming from her pitching motion, the California native essentially broke her pitching arm by striking her hip bone each time she released a pitch.
"I had never been hurt before where I had to sit out and watch," said Esparza. "I did look at the game a little differently, but it really made me want to get stronger for this year."
Since the injury, Esparza has tweaked her mechanics, and has once again returned to stellar form at the plate and in the circle this spring. She is batting .280 with seven home runs at the plate, and she has chalked up a 1.58 ERA in the circle with 195 strikeouts in 181.1 innings of work.
Maintaining the positive outlook and filling the offensive and defensive record books with eye-popping versatility for the fourth consecutive year will put a cap on her Penn State softball career.
The Nittany Lion senior wouldn't have it any other way. Playing softball is entrenched in Esparza's life. Without it, she would be lost. That is why she excels on the field, and puts new meaning on the term utility player.
"I just love everything about the game," she said. "I have done it my entire life. Without it, I probably wouldn't be here at school. It has led my life to what it is today."