Danielle Gibson overcomes knee issue to become freshman star for ASU softball

Danielle Gibson should have been rushing home from softball practice, bounding up the stairs of her two-story family home and plastering her bedroom with pitchforks and Sparky.

Instead, as a 15-year-old three years ago, she was confined to her living room for more than three months and told by a surgeon that she should quit softball and switch to a water sport that wouldn't put as much pressure on her left knee. The leg with almost no cartilage between her femur and tibia, putting her at risk of a fracture or worse.

"I can't, I just committed to ASU," Gibson replied. "He was like, you're insane."

So far, the payoff has been substantial. The 6-foot first baseman is All Pac-12 first team as a…