College Update: Ashby tries to do it all for Stanford softball

Erin Ashby (Crescenta Valley High, 2011) Stanford softball senior: On a Stanford squad struggling with injuries, Ashby channeled the dual-threat days that made her a two-time All-Area Softball Player of the Year when she stood out in the pitcher’s circle and batter’s box.

With all of the Cardinal’s pitchers injured, position players took to the circle and Ashby led them Sunday with 3 2/3 innings pitched and also delivered the biggest Stanford hit of the game in the form of a grand slam. It wasn’t enough, though, as Oregon, the No. 2-ranked team in the country, bested Stanford, 12-8, on Sunday in Pac-12 Conference play.

Ashby played first base, second base and pitcher in the game, throwing 3 2/3 innings with four runs allowed (two earned) on five hits and two walks. She also struck out two batters – the only Stanford pitcher to record a strikeout.

Offensively, Ashby had a walk, two runs, five runs batted in and one big hit when she cranked a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the score to 10-8.

“Erin provided great senior leadership today with her pitching and the grand slam,” Stanford Coach Rachel Hanson told the school’s website.

Ashby, who was injured at the beginning of the season, has pitched in seven straight games.

Injured and reeling, Stanford (16-29, 1-14 in conference) has lost 10 straight heading into a three-game road set at Arizona starting Friday. However, all three losses to Oregon from Saturday through Monday were close, coming via 5-4, 12-8 and 6-3 scores.

Ashby, in 34 games, is hitting .313 (31 for 99) with 16 runs batted in, 15 runs, 10 extra-base hits (four home runs) and 16 walks.

As for her pitching, in her seven appearances she’s 0-2 with a 4.05 earned-run average (which is second on the team and tops among position players called on to pitch) with six strikeouts in 19 innings.

Adam Ochart (Hoover High, 2009) Menlo baseball senior: Ochart continues to put up excellent numbers at Menlo College.

A transfer from Glendale Community College who was previously a standout at Hoover, he’s hitting .347 (41 for 118) with 29 runs batted in, 29 runs scored, five home runs, 10 stolen bases and a .407 on-base percentage.

Menlo’s bats were chiming in a big way Sunday in a double-header sweep of Oregon Tech by scores of 20-7 and 12-2. Ochart scored a pair of runs on two walks in the second game, while going two for five with five runs batted in on two home runs in the 20-7 opener.

Menlo is 31-18 and 12-12 in the NAIA West Group with a four-game series beginning Friday in the first of two doubleheaders concluding the season.

Angel Rodriguez (Glendale Community College, 2014) Cal State Northridge baseball junior: Rodriguez held down San Diego State on Tuesday, throwing 1 2/3 innings of relief, allowing one run, but maintaining the lead in the Matadors’ 6-2 nonconference win.

Rodriguez allowed four hits.

The appearance actually ended a stretch of four consecutive appearances, which encompassed 9 2/3 innings, in which Rodriguez hadn’t allowed an earned run.

Rodriguez has put up some excellent numbers in his first season with CSUN, compiling a 2.21 earned-run average through 36 2/3 innings with a 1-0 record and a pair of saves.

The Matadors are 24-15, but are just 3-9 in the Big West Conference with a three-game conference series beginning Friday at home against UC Riverside.

Shannon Hovanesian (Crescenta Valley High, 2014) Cal State Northridge water polo freshman: Hovanesian and CSUN are off to Hawaii with a chance at bringing home a Big West Conference Tournament title.

CSUN (14-2, 3-2 in conference) is the No. 2 seed by way of a tiebreaker against Hawaii and advanced via bye into Saturday night’s semifinal against Hawaii or Long Beach State.

Hovanesian has played in every match thus far for a Matadors team riding a two-match losing streak into the tournament. One of only four CSUN players to have played in every match, she’s scored 10 goals on just 29 attempts to go along with seven assists and 13 steals.

Elissa Arnold (Crescenta Valley High, 2014) Michigan water polo freshman: Arnold and the Wolverines are headed to the College Water Polo Assn. Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

Michigan will play No. 7 Bucknell or No. 10 Connecticut College on the first day. The tournament continues through Sunday with the winner earning an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Arnold has seen playing time in 22 of her team’s 29 matches with seven goals and three steals. The 2014 All-Area Girls’ Water Polo Player of the Year scored her first collegiate goal Feb. 22 against No. 19 Pacific in a 7-6 loss at the UC Irvine Invitational. Later that day in an 11-6 loss to No. 18 UC San Diego, Arnold scored her second collegiate goal.

Michigan (18-11, 8-1 in CWPA) is ranked 16th in the country.