By Sara Biela (@sarabielaa ):
Players take the field, but instead of heading to first base like she has for the past three years, junior Madison Aurin now steps on the rubber.
In the 2018 softball season, Aurin debuted as a starting pitcher and first baseman for the first time in her collegiate career.
“This is the first season I’m playing both positions,” said Aurin. “It’s more difficult compared to if I was needed in the outfield. Pitching is such an important key part in the game.”
The Bakersfield native started playing the game at 10 years old and was initially positioned behind the plate and in the circle.
Everything changed in her last two years at Centennial High School.
“There wasn’t a need for me to catch and I was needed in other positions,” she said. “When I was being recruited, SJSU only saw me playing first base and sometimes as a middle infielder. They wanted me more as a hitter.”
Once Aurin became a Spartan, it appeared her days of pitching and catching were in the past.
In her first two seasons, the slugger made 87 starts at first base. As a freshman, Aurin earned Second Team All-Mountain West, followed by First Team All-Mountain West honors her sophomore year.
Desperation arose when the team lost its two best pitchers in Colette Riggs and Katelyn Linford at the end of their postseason run in 2017.
Knowing the uncertainty in the circle, Aurin reclaimed the position and erased any doubts that pitching would be a problem for the Spartans this season.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself personally because I know that position is struggling with our team right now,” Aurin said. “I really want to be that player that can help in any position.”
The drive to be a better player comes from the unconditional support Aurin receives from her family, especially her older brother Brendon.
He was born with Cerebral Palsy, a condition that affects muscle tone and the movement of the body.
Brendon had dreams of playing football his whole life but simply couldn’t. Now 24, that dream of sports rests within his younger sister.
“I think he lives the college-athlete experience through me,” she said. “Brendon and I are really close. My family really makes me appreciate the game because of everything they’ve done for me.”
All of the motivation from her family fuels the power hitter’s passion to be successful.
Entering the 2018 season, the dual-threat junior had to step up and lead by example. In sophomore first baseman Georgia Blair’s eyes, that’s what makes Aurin the perfect teammate.
“Madison’s the type of teammate that’s honest with you,” Blair said. “She keeps you accountable, and she’s the player you want in your lineup. She has been helpful to my game.”
Aurin finished last season with 33 RBIs and has already surpassed those numbers through 31 games this year. Additionally, she leads SJSU with nine home runs and a .637 slugging percentage.
Because Aurin attacks the lower half of the strike zone with aggression, head coach Peter Turner expects his dual threat to induce more groundouts than strikeouts.
Six games into conference play, Turner has noticed the contribution from the down-ball pitcher.
“She’s the kind of versatile player that can do a multitude of things, like play first base, hit and pitch when we need it,” Turner said. “She has stepped up big this year and has been an intrical part of our pitching staff.”
SJSU’s 4-0 record against Fairleigh Dickinson and San Diego State in the third week of March helped Aurin earn USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week honors.
She posted a 1.00 ERA in 14 innings in the circle, while going 4-for-12 with nine RBIs and a trio of three-run homers at the plate.
Overall, Aurin has tossed six complete games and three shutouts in 14 starts. She posts a 8-7 record with a 3.10 ERA.
Her role as a leader and aspiration to win drives the team to fulfill a common goal – winning back-to-back conference championships.
For a player who was recruited as a hitter, she has contributed in more ways than one for the Spartans and their success.
“There’s a common sense of passion among every member of the team, no matter what their role is,” Aurin said. “Everybody wants to fill any role that needs to be filled and contribute to winning. We’re shooting for another ring.”