All year long, junior left fielder Ashley Herrera has been asked
to fill a specialized role for the UCLA softball team.
Herrera, exclusively a right-handed hitter for the team last
season, has hit from the left side for most of this season.
As a left-handed hitter at the bottom of the lineup,
Herrera’s job is to slap at the ball, move runners, and get
on base by any means necessary.
But when presented with the opportunity to drive in some runs
from the right side of the plate on Sunday, Herrera seized it in a
big way.
She hit a grand slam to deep left center field in the top of the
sixth inning to put UCLA up 7-0 against San Diego State, breaking
the game wide open.
“I was just trying to stay calm,” said Herrera, who
got a bunt single from the left side of the plate earlier in the
game. “I have a tendency to get overexcited, especially
(after) going left-handed for so long and then coming up with a big
opportunity to drive in some runs,” Herrera said.
“I just relaxed and waited for a pitch to come to my zone;
… it came and I just took a nice easy swing and it happened to go
out,” she said.
Despite the fact that many of her at-bats have been from the
left side of the plate, Herrera’s fourth home run of the year
matched her career high. It was the first home run she’s hit
since the Bruins played Stanford on March 31.
“To see Ashley come through, she’s great to
watch,” coach Sue Enquist said. “She can play both the
short game and hit for pop.”
Herrera’s transition to a left-handed hitter has not been
without its struggles this season. Coming into the game against San
Diego State, she was hitting just .180.
Her first scheduled plate appearance on Sunday came with a
runner on second base in the second inning, but sophomore Danielle
Peterson pinch hit for her and struck out.
However, Herrera ““ who went 3-6 with a walk in the three
weekend games ““ has been more productive as of late.
She showed how versatile she could be in the Bruins’ win
on Sunday. Herrera bunted a well-placed ball in between the pitcher
and the catcher and beat out an infield single in the fifth. And
then came the big blow in the next inning.
“Hitting left-handed has been opening a new door of
opportunities,” Herrera said. “Whatever I can do to get
on base, whether it’s hitting left-handed or trying to drive
the ball right-handed; I just do whatever I can.”