By Craig Morgan, thesundevils.com Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Abby Spiel walked off the field at UCLA's Easton Stadium on May 1 beaming with pride about the Sun Devils softball team. ASU had just dropped a 9-4 decision to the Bruins to extend ASU's losing streak to 12 games, but the senior outfielder from Chandler had a much deeper view than the casual observer.
"I was super proud of the way our team came together after that series," she said. "We were so respectful of each other and our coaching staff and we were so positive. That was the moment where I realized, 'wow, I really love this team.' We have been through so much adversity and we just keep working hard."
Adversity has been a common thread for ASU's seven seniors. Most were recruited by former coach Clint Myers, they have played under three coaching staffs and they have endured a 30-24 season (6-17 Pac-12) that featured nine, one-run losses.
"It's been an interesting four years," senior second baseman Nikki Girard said. "It's no secret that we've had a rough year and there's been a lot of adversity that we have gone through, but I wouldn't change it. It brought us all together in a different way than I ever expected. It made us grow up."
The 2016 season hasn't been without its tangible rewards.
Girard had a career year, hitting .319 with 51 hits, 10 doubles, 46 RBIs and six homers. The hit, doubles and RBI totals were all second best on the team. Catcher Katee Aguirre also set career highs in batting average (.319), RBIs (29) and homers (8). Spiel set career highs with 40 hits and nine RBIs and finished tied for second in the Pac-12 with 13 stolen bases.
Senior outfielder Jenn Soria set career highs in batting average (.363), homers (team-high 14), runs (team-high 52), RBIs (41) and seniors Allie Butterfield, Breona Peralta and Raianna Dobbs have all made significant contributions.
The Devils' seniors finished off their final series at Farrington Stadium in style, sweeping Stanford in three games by a combined score of 25-10.
"There's no better way to go out at home than with a sweep," Aguirre said. "It was nice to end our home schedule on a good note and we knew it was almost over and this could be it on our home field so we knew we had to go out and leave it all on the field, play for each other."
The Devils season isn't over, however. On Sunday, they were rewarded with an NCAA Tournament berth. ASU will face McNeese State on Friday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"I know everyone was saying our series at Oregon State (last weekend) might be our last game but I wasn't thinking about that," Girard said. "I've been thinking about postseason. We still have a lot we can accomplish."
Whatever happens in Baton Rouge and beyond, Spiel said she has already put her four-year Sun Devil experience in proper perspective.
"I came to ASU thinking I was going to get four rings because this program was so good," Spiel said. "Now, after four years, I've realized that's not what's important. It's not the rings, it's not the wins, it's not the losses or the performance on the field. That's not what I'm going to brag about one day.
"It's the relationships you make with your sisters -- my teammates -- and the staff. It's the memories you build with those people that will stick with you for the rest of your life."