Schuld leading Sun Devils’ star rotation
Former Pinnacle ace, UA transfer having solid year
Arizona State pitcher Marissa Schuld may not say a lot, but her performances this season certainly have.
In her first season competing for ASU softball since transferring from Arizona, the senior has had a solid season. Her most recent accomplishment, however, is one that will already land her in the ASU record books.
With a sweep over Arizona looming in Tucson on March 27, Schuld got the nod to start in the finale against her former team. Schuld did not allow any hits during a relief appearance in Friday’s win, which made her the right choice in the “gut game” against the then-No. 14 Wildcats.
“I wanted to see what her emotions were like and I thought she did a great job of going out there and being businesslike and holding her composure and executing pitches. That led me to be like, alright, she’s in a good spot,” ASU head coach Trisha Ford said.
Schuld did the unthinkable and tossed a perfect game against her former team turned in-state rival for the eighth perfect game in program history.
Her performance that day and 0.00 ERA made her the easy choice for Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week.
“You could go one of two ways, you could get emotional about it and go up and down, or you can be very professional about it and she did a great job,” Ford said.
Schuld said that during the game, she wasn’t aware of what she was about to accomplish until the final two batters. Her teammates also weren’t all aware, but eased the burden from her with an 8-0 victory in five innings.
Schuld isn’t a stranger to having eyes on her in the state of Arizona, having a hold on the high school softball scene as a two-time Arizona Gatorade High
School Softball Player of the Year.
The Scottsdale native had highs and lows documented while at Pinnacle. Schuld was electric during her junior season, going 22-0 and nearly completing a perfect season with a title before falling to Hamilton in the 6A conference state championship game in 2017.
Schuld got her revenge the next season, leading her team in a title rematch to ultimately add another accomplishment in her extensive resume.
Known for her proven two-way ability, Schuld went 11-1 with a 0.74 ERA while hitting .574 with 57 RBI and 16 home runs in her senior season before heading to Arizona for the 2019 season.
While at Arizona, Schuld would often talk with her former club teammate and ASU shortstop Alynah Torres and would often hear about how much Torres was enjoying ASU. Even though it wasn’t the main driving force in bringing Schuld back home, it certainly helped. Her path was shifted around in her two years at Arizona before she ultimately transferred to ASU after the 2020 season was cut short.
“(Torres has) been a big impact in my career and we both feed off each other. If we’re struggling, we both know what to say to each other. Just having that person to surround me with and obviously playing against these girls in club ball makes a comfortable atmosphere for me,” Schuld said.
Seeing Schuld take the field was delayed due to rules that made in-conference transfers sit out the season after.
But even in her down times, Schuld has remained determined and returned with a silent vengeance. Her composed demeanor would never show it. However, Schuld lets her efforts on the mound speak for her. The past is behind her and she won’t waste time going back. If her performance against Arizona says one thing, it’s that she’s at where she belongs: the top.
“I wasn't a part of the team last year coming in, and just hearing her story and getting to know her as a person, and developing really good relationship with her, she has a different kind of drive and fight in her that you don't see often in pitchers,” graduate transfer catcher Jessica
Puk said. “Just how she executes each pitch and the heart that she brings to the field is something really special. And I think we all feed off that and know how much she's going to give us, so we want to give it right back to her and support her.”
Schuld is the veteran in a young, stacked rotation. The rotation of Schuld, Lindsay Lopez, and Mac Morgan rank in the top ten in the conference with Schuld leading with a 1.13 ERA. Lopez has held down her spot in the rotation with a 1.38 ERA and 46 strikeouts through 13 appearances. Morgan, a true freshman, has lived up to her billing and has set a standard with a team-leading 11 wins to go with her 1.54 ERA.
“We all feed off of each other really well and we can take criticism from each other. I’d say we bond really well and we all have fun together, so I think that is what creates such a special pitching staff,” Schuld said.
Coming off from a bye weekend, ASU has steadily climbed in the rankings throughout the season, currently sitting at No. 17. The Sun Devils (25-5, 6-0) have used an 11-game winning streak to prove legitimacy. ASU roared into conference play with sweeps over then-ranked Oregon State and Arizona in the first two weekends in conference play.
The fearsome rolodex on the mound curated by Ford has come into fruition this season with an instant chemistry with Puk. The Ole Miss transfer succeeded the role held down by Maddi Hackbarth for four years and is a seamless fit with the pitching staff.
“I feel like I've known them my whole college career for more years past college, which is cool, but we do hang out a lot. I'm in the bullpen with them every day. They come to me and we go to them to talk about just things about life,” Puk said.
Although Puk has over four years of college softball under her belt, she hit a career-first with Schuld’s perfect game. Schuld’s season is still unfolding, but she has already taken everyone on a ride they will never forget.