ASU softball team gets champion’s greeting

Cheers and chants of “A-S-U” built to a crescendo as the Arizona State softball team’s bus pulled into Farrington Stadium on Wednesday.

SLIDESHOW: National champions return to Tempe

VIDEO: ASU celebrates after winning Women's College World Series

ASU softball wins national championship

First down the stairs was catcher Kristen Miller, the only one of five seniors to return to Tempe following Tuesday night’s 11-0 victory over Texas A&M to clinch the Women’s College World Series and give ASU its first NCAA softball championship in school history.

Nearly 200 fans were waiting for the Sun Devils. Some walked to the stadium. One group came from Casa Grande. Another family drove three hours from an Indian reservation.

Football coach Dennis Erickson and some of his players were there. Men’s basketball coach Herb Sendek brought his staff and a few players as well.

Both ASU president Michael Crow and athletic director Lisa Love were traveling and unable to attend, but letters written by them were read to the crowd, as was a letter from Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Then coach Clint Myers and All-American Kaitlin Cochran spoke. The junior center fielder was asked if the Sun Devils could repeat.

“Sure,” she said. “With Coach Myers and a core coming back and coming in, why not?”

The Sun Devils didn’t lose in the final three weeks of the season, outscoring the opposition 56-3 in postseason play (21-2 in the World Series). But with the team’s ace and half of its starting lineup gone for good, an encore will be difficult.

Katie Burkhart — “the best pitcher in the country” according to Myers — stayed in Oklahoma City for Olympic softball team tryouts and will play professionally in Philadelphia this summer. Fellow seniors Miller, second baseman Mindy Cowles, shortstop Rhiannon Baca and outfielder Jackie Vasquez will scatter.

The World Series triumph also meant another big payday for Myers, who earned a third consecutive salary bump by reaching the Series. This one was bigger (10 percent) because he won the title. Performance incentives alone have increased his salary by $20,000 on the contract he signed in 2006.

After spending weeks talking about the impact this senior class had on his program, money wasn’t on Myers’ mind.

As the crowds eventually thinned and the underclassmen slowly scattered for the summer, Myers turned reflective.

He had a collection of possible lineups for next year still on his bus seat, plus recruiting and freshmen coming in soon, but he spent a few minutes reliving this year’s accomplishments.

He spoke of Cochran’s patience and attitude while setting an NCAA record for intentional walks in a season (30), and of players being delayed to the bus by hotel lobby autograph seekers.

The signing sessions continued Wednesday, as adults and kids alike sought signatures from their new heroes.

“It’s kind of melancholy around here with (fans) leaving, which means this team is leaving,” he said as he penned his name. “It was spectacular.”