Tough schedule takes its toll on AWC softball

 If there was a welcome mat waiting for the nine freshman players and one freshman coach on the 2008 Arizona Western College softball team, the Arizona Community College Athletics Conference kept it somewhere other than the front porch.

With half of its schedule featuring teams in the Division I and II top 20 polls, including No. 1 and No. 2-ranked squad, the Matadors were put to the test early and often.

"I like it that way," AWC head coach Angel Shamblin said of the tough schedule. "It's challenging of course, but that's why we do what we do. It's great to have to challenge yourself every day."

And while the Matadors answered the challenge with a 29-win season and two victories against top-ranked Phoenix College to prove that AWC is in good hands under Shamblin, a six-game losing streak to end the season also suggested some room for growth.

"For me, and probably the freshman too, we learned a lot coming in blindly and not being a part of this conference," Shamblin said. "I think a lot of it was a matter of seeing what this is all about, and what and when we needed to be successful to win. You learn you need to conserve some energy for the latter part of the season."

AWC (29-22-1, 17-15 ACCAC) finished in sixth place in the ACCAC and out of the Region I playoffs, though the Matadors looked like a postseason team until a pair of one-loss runs to No. 2 Eastern Arizona on April 15. In all, the Matadors were 5-9 in games decided by one run, including six of their last seven contests.

"I think the main trend was we didn't have the depth that we needed," Shamblin said of the close losses. "We had a lot of injuries, and because of that we got in situations where we were without pinch runners or pinch hitters, and down the wire those things didn't help us."

Among those who were on the bench at the end of the year were Kaylee Renick (concussion), pitcher Alexa Rodriguez (arm) and Stephanie Valencia (stitches in hand).  Mixing up the bottom of the lineup left the bulk of the team's offense up to the top of the order and showcased the value of Samantha Takeshita, Brittany Astle, Priscilla FaGaines and Paige Piontkowsky, three of whom will be sophomores next year.

"I wanted to establish enthusiasm for the game, and we showed that," Shamblin said of her hopes as a new coach. "Playing a lot of games and being able to come back and fight hard to the last pitch, you have to have some enthusiasm and love for what you do to make it through a long season."

The Matadors will have to find some more arms to support Rodriguez next year with the departures of Lindsay Hrycuik and Emily Dean. Takeshita was the only Matador to crack the list of ACCAC stat leaders. She was third in stolen bases with 55 - second all-time in AWC history - and her .449 batting average was in the top 20.

"I was pleased with the effort the girls put forth, and anybody that came out and watched us saw that," Shamblin said. "I came in a little late for this season so it's been crazy and I haven't had time to take a breath, but I'm really happy with what's happened."