Yuma, Arizona – May 16, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that three members of the AWC Men’s Basketball team have signed their official letters of intent to attend four-year universities this fall, and play basketball this winter. Matadors’ forward/center Tanner Clayton has signed with Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas; fellow big man Carlos Perez is headed to Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado; and shooting/point guard Marvin Whitt is bound for St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. The announcements come two months after the three led the Matadors to the team’s third straight appearance in the Region I Finals, and one day before the three are expected to participate in commencement festivities on the AWC campus.

If you’d asked Tanner Clayton two years ago if his collegiate and career path included basketball, you would’ve likely received a drastically different answer than what he’d say now. A two-sport star at Rancho Bernardo High School in his native San Diego, it was volleyball that the University of Southern California coaches signed Clayton out of high school for. However, after spending his freshman year in a USC Volleyball uniform, Clayton’s love for basketball returned, and brought him to the AWC campus last summer. The ‘middle blocker mentality’ that Clayton used on the volleyball court served him just as well on the hardwood, placing him 3rd in the ACCAC in blocked shots 2.2 per game after leading that category much of the year. That same leaping ability and timing shot him over and past opposing players to grab rebounds to the tune of 10.5 per game, placing him among the top 20 in the nation in that category. Finally, Clayton’s deceivingly quick feet helped him get open for his baseline jumper, helping him score 9.8 points per game (4th-best on the team), and shoot well from everywhere (a team-beat 51.2% field goal percentage, team-leading 42.9% 3-point FG% & a 73.8% free throw percentage (3rd on the team), earning 2nd Team All-ACCAC & All-Region I honors in the process. Clayton now helps christen a new era at SFASU, being part of the first signing class of new head coach Brad Underwood, and joins a program that comes off an appearance this past spring at the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

‘Continued maturation’ is a very accurate term to describe what Carlos Perez has accomplished in his two years in the paint for the Matadors. Perez went from a backup big man who worked his way up the ladder to be one of the first off the bench as a freshman; to a starting center role to begin his sophomore campaign; to playing the best basketball of his career during this year’s playoff stretch run. Because of the work that the Chula Vista, California, native put in last summer on his footwork and hook shot, Perez became the Matadors’ mainstay in the middle, starting every one of the their 32 games in 2012-13. And just about the time that opposing coaches thought they had Perez’s game figured out, he unveiled his own baseline jumper midway through last season that gave the Matadors an extra weapon. Perez wound up 2nd on the team in both rebounding (6.3 RPG) & field goal percentage (48.9%), and 5th in both scoring (8.9 PPG) & free throw percentage (72.2%), earning All-ACCAC Honorable Mention accolades. Awaiting Perez is an NCAA Division II program that finished an 18-win season with an appearance in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Semifinals.

Finally, Marvin Whitt got the chance to perfect just about everything a guard can do during his two years as a Matador, since his role changed several times before his two-year career was completed. Whether it was running the point, heading up the transition game, being the main perimeter shooter, or locking down on the opponents’ quickest player, Whitt used them all to become the team leader as a sophomore. The Birmingham, Alabama, native came into the program as a point guard, shifted to the two-guard spot as a freshman, moved back to the point to start his sophomore season, then really came into his own down the stretch last season when asked to move back to the shooting guard position, becoming one of the top guards in the conference and the nation in the process. Whitt led the team in scoring in 13 of their 32 games, finishing with a team-leading 15.5 points-per-game average. Whitt also led the team in assists (3.2 APG), and his quick hands led to a team-leading 1.5 steals-per-game average. ‘The Birmingham Flash’ also used all of his 5’10” frame to grab 5.4 rebounds per game (3rd-best on the team); and was 2nd on the team in free throw shooting (74.8%). After earning 1st Team All-ACCAC & 1st Team All-Region I honors at the conclusion of the regular season, Whitt became an NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American selection last month. Whitt won’t have to change his championship mindset as he heads to St. Mary’s, since the Rattlers just completed a 23-win season by making it to the Sweet 16 round of the South Central Region in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
 

Yuma, Arizona – May 15, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that Matador Soccer Camp 2013 will be held Monday through Friday, June 3rd through the 7th at the AWC Soccer Field on the AWC Campus. AWC Head Men’s & Women’s Soccer Coach Kenny Dale, Assistant Coach Alfonso Perez and several current and former AWC Matadors' soccer players will provide expert instruction to young soccer players of all skill levels. The five-day camp is for boys and girls ages 6-14, and will run from 8:30AM to 1PM each day. Dale and his camp coaches have designed an environment in which players can develop their skills and improve their soccer games while enjoying the game itself. The camp will emphasize learning of the basic rules, techniques and skills essential to improving each soccer player's game. The cost of the camp is $100, and each camper will also receive a camp soccer ball, T-shirt, certificate and other prizes for participating in the camp.

Available spots in the camp are on a first-come, first-served basis, and a camp flyer and registration form can be obtained by clicking on the link below:
Matador Soccer Camp 2013 Flyer
or by contacting Coach Dale either by phone at (928) 317-7600 or by e-mailing him at Kenny.dale@azwestern.edu. Campers should come dressed in proper soccer camp attire (shorts, T-shirt, indoor/tennis shoes (bring cleats as well) and shin guards), and are advised to also bring sunscreen, water and water bottle and healthy snack foods and beverages. All proceeds raised by the camp will benefit the Matador Athletic Association. Those wanting more information should call Dale at (928) 317-7600 or e-mail him at Kenny.dale@azwestern.edu.
 

Yuma, Arizona – May 14, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that the AWC Spirit Team will conduct tryouts for the AWC Dance Team for the 2013-14 season next week at ‘The House’-AWC’s home gymnasium on AWC’s main campus. The tryouts will be held on Monday and Wednesday, May 20th & 22nd, beginning at 7PM each night. There is no cost to try out, and the tryouts are open to anyone-male or female-that plans to attend AWC full-time for the 2013 Fall Semester, and is either a current high school senior, current AWC student, or other prospective full-time student that will be at AWC in the fall.

Previous dancing experience is preferred. Those coming to the clinics and tryouts need to bring comfortable workout clothes and proper gym shoes each night, and should have a letter of recommendation from a previous coach, dance teacher or personal reference. The top performers from next week’s tryouts will be put on the AWC Dance Team, and will be with the squad for the 2013-14 AWC Athletics Season (which begins August 24th). Squad members will also participate in other college-sponsored activities during the fall & spring semesters.

Those wanting to be part of the tryouts are urged to contact AWC Dance Coach Katie Wendt either by phone ((928) 919-0125) or e-mail (Katie.w@live.com) as soon as possible to make a reservation.

Yuma, Arizona – May 13, 2013 – Arizona Western College is proud to announce that Yuma-area baseball player Irving Lopez has signed an official letter of intent to attend AWC for the 2013-14 school year and play baseball for the Matadors next spring. The announcement comes less than two weeks before Lopez is scheduled to participate in graduation ceremonies at Gila Ridge High School.

While there have been numerous Yuma-area baseball stars that were on the Matador Baseball roster in 2011 & 2012, the signing of Lopez signals the first time during Drew Keehn’s two years at the helm of the AWC Baseball program that a Gila Ridge Hawk has made his way down 24th Street to don a Matador Baseball uniform. Having to jump right in and try to grab a starting job immediately isn’t a foreign idea to Lopez, especially since he’s been a member of the Hawks’ varsity baseball team all four years of his high school career. Lopez was strictly a middle infielder as a freshman, starting at shortstop, then Hawks’ Head Baseball Coach Greg Osowski began using Lopez both in the middle infield (he shifted to second base) and on the mound starting with his sophomore campaign. By Lopez’s junior year, he was a bonafide star in the infield, and one of the team’s stalwart hurlers on the hill in helping lead the Hawks to the second round of the Arizona State 5A-II State Playoffs. As a junior, Lopez was the Hawks’ best hitter with a blistering .431 batting average with 12 runs batted in. He also led the team with 5 doubles and 20 runs scored, and also contributed a pair of triples and two stolen bases. On the mound, he only made three appearances, but made the most of them, picking up wins against Lake Havasu and Mohave in mid-March, going no less than 5 innings in each start. For the season, Lopez was 2-0 with a 2.69 earned run average, striking out 11 batters in his 13 innings of work.

As a senior, Lopez was asked to top those numbers while becoming the team leader, and Lopez accomplished both of those goals very well. Once again, he was one of only two Hawks with batting averages over .400 (Lopez batted .436), led the team in stolen bases (6) and home runs (hit the only Hawks’ round-tripper in 2013), and he was again among the team leaders in runs scored (20, T-1st), hits (34), RBI (18), and doubles (5). On the hill, he was also one of their top hurlers with a 5-2 record and a stellar 1.79 ERA. He had a pair of complete games in his seven starts, and fanned 36 hitters in his 47 innings of work in leading the Hawks to their first 20-win season in school history and another state tournament appearance.

With Matador sophomore middle infielders Casey Scott and Hector Valenzuela graduating later this week, Lopez will have an opportunity to compete for a starting infield job next season. The Matadors just completed their second straight 30-win season, posting a 31-24 overall record this past season.
 

Yuma, Arizona – May 1, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that AWC baseball player Travis Garcia-Perreira (gahr-SEE-uh peh-REH-ruh) has been named to the postseason All-Region I and All-ACCAC teams. Garcia-Perreira earned 1st Team honors on both squads, earning a spot as the utility player on the All-ACCAC squad (the All-Region I team doesn’t specify positions). It’s the second time in as many years that a member of the Matador Baseball pitching staff has earned 1st Team honors on the two squads after Kahana Neal earned the same accolades in 2012. The announcements were made following the postseason coaches’ meetings in Chandler.

For many Matador fans, hearing that Garcia-Perreira made the team as anything other than a pitcher would likely be considered a surprise. After all, it was what the native of Alea, Hawaii, did on the hill during his freshman campaign that made fans across the state take notice much of the season. From the moment he first stepped on the mound to pitch six innings of one-hit ball in his first start against 2012 Region XVIII semifinalist Southern Idaho at the Coyote Border Battle in late January, Garcia-Perreira has been in command of just about every hitter he faced, and at the forefront of the nine-freshman contingent that made up the 2013 Matador pitching staff. From there, Garcia-Perreira never pitched less than four innings in any start, and on the other side of the coin, if there was extra innings to be pitched in a game that was tied after seven innings, he never shied away from the challenge. The CSI performance during the opening weekend was one of four shutout performances that Garcia-Perreira would throw for the Matadors (with two other appearances in which he didn’t allow an earned run), and he went the distance a whopping six times in his 14 starts in 2013. That complete-game stat also included going extra innings on April 9th in Prescott against Yavapai, when he allowed 2 runs to the Roughriders in the second inning, then shut them out for the seven remaining innings until the Matadors got a run in the top of the 9th inning to win the game. That stat doesn’t include Garcia-Perreira’s longest (and finest) performance of the season, though, since in a classic pitching duel of the two top pitchers in the conference at that time, Garcia-Perreira & Cochise’s Zach Rodgers (who both came into the game with identical 9-0 records) went toe-to-toe at Kammann Field, with Rodgers lasting eight innings, and Garcia-Perreira going a stunning ten innings of 5-hit shutout ball, but neither getting a decision in a marathon 14-inning game that didn’t see a run scored until the final frame. Garcia-Perreira won his first nine decisions of the 2013 campaign, just missing out on the ten-win plateau when he suffered his only loss of the season in his final performance against Pima last Tuesday. For the season, Garcia-Perreira’s 9-1 record was 3rd-best in the conference, and his 1.49 earned run average ranked 6th in the ACCAC. Travis went 90 1/3 innings, allowing just 20 runs (15 of them earned) on 85 hits, and his strikeouts-to-walks ratio was stellar at 3˝-to-1 (53 strikeouts (tops on the team), 15 walks).

Lost in the glare of those marks was the fact that even though he only played in 36 of the Matadors’ 55 games this year, Garcia-Perreira wound up as one of the team’s best hitters, and finished the year usually starting either in the outfield or at first base when he wasn’t pitching. Garcia-Perreira made the most of his 47 at-bats as well, with a team-high .298 batting average (14 hits in 47 at-bats), with 6 runs batted in, 3 doubles, nine runs scored and even a stolen base. His versatility wound up being a strong asset as the Matadors made a late-season push for the playoffs, and it certainly opened his head coach’s eyes to the possibilities for Garcia-Perreira next year as a sophomore. “Travis’s stats speak for themselves, and they also show the hard work that Travis puts forth on the field,” said AWC Head Baseball Coach Drew Keehn. “It’s great to see Travis get some well-deserved honors for the dedication that he has to the game.” The Matadors finished the regular season with an overall record of 31 wins and 24 losses.
 

Yuma, Arizona – May 1, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that two members of the AWC Softball team have been named to the All-ACCAC & All-Region I postseason teams. Freshman catcher/3rd baseman April Marquez (mahr-KEHZ) was named to the 1st Team on both the All-Region I and All-ACCAC postseason squads; while sophomore outfielder Courtnie Ploesch (KORT-nee PLOSH (long ‘o’ in last name… rhymes with ‘gauche’) earned 2nd Team All-ACCAC honors. The announcements come at the conclusion of the postseason coaches’ meetings in Coolidge.

AWC Head Softball Coach Nikki Bethurum set the tone for the season immediately when the freshmen and sophomores that made up the 2013 roster showed up on campus last August: all starting spots would be up for grabs. No one took that to heart on the team more than April Marquez, who saw that as a challenge to secure starting spots at both of her natural positions: third base and catcher. Indeed, when the Lady Mats took the field for their first two games of the season at the CSN Kickoff Classic in Las Vegas, Marquez started at 3rd base for their first game of the day, then put on the catcher’s gear for Game 2, and maintained that schedule throughout the rest of the season. Her work at the ‘hot corner’ truly shored up the infield defense, while her play behind the plate at catcher kept opposing hitters off-balance and opposing base stealers at bay (throwing out 29% of baserunners who tried to steal against her). It was her work at the plate, though, that struck fear in opposing pitchers and defenders. Marquez was at or near the top of every Matador offensive statistical category all season long, and didn’t finish any worse than 2nd in any of them. She wound up as the only Lady Matador to hit over .400 (finishing with a .417 batting average), and was one of only two Matadors to finish in double figures in home runs (finishing with 10, which was tied for 10th-best in the ACCAC). She was also 2nd on the team in hits (75), runs scored (56, 8th ACCAC), runs batted in (55, 7th ACCAC), and stolen bases (20).

The Lady Matadors finished the 2013 campaign with an overall record of 39 wins and 23 losses (their best overall record since 2009), and wound up with a 30-18 record in conference play.
 

Yuma, Arizona – May 1, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that two members of the AWC Softball team have been named to the All-ACCAC & All-Region I postseason teams. Sophomore outfielder Courtnie Ploesch (KORT-nee PLOSH (long ‘o’ in last name… rhymes with ‘gauche’) earned 2nd Team All-ACCAC honors for the second straight year, while freshman catcher/3rd baseman April Marquez (mahr-KEHZ) was named to the 1st Team on both the All-Region I and All-ACCAC postseason squads. The announcements come at the conclusion of the postseason coaches’ meetings in Coolidge.

AWC Head Softball Coach Nikki Bethurum set the tone for the season immediately when the freshmen and sophomores that made up the 2013 roster showed up on campus last August: all starting spots would be up for grabs. Even though Ploesch was the team’s best player a year ago, she was unfazed by Bethurum’s preseason edict, and used it to make herself even more entrenched in center field, where she started all 62 games this season. Ploesch’s consistently stellar work in the outfield over the past two years hasn’t always garnered headlines, but has remained the source of respect from opposing coaches. She also was the leadoff hitter in the batting order all year, and continued to set the table for the Matadors’ barrage of power hitters to help the team score more runs. Ploesch nearly doubled her stolen base total from a year ago, and her team-leading 26 stolen bases were tied for 8th-best in the conference. However, the native of Palo Verde, California, also increased plenty of other elements to her game as a sophomore, including showing more power (8 homers, 3rd-best on the team), mixing power with speed (5 triples, tied for the most of the ACCAC); and generating more hits (80, 9th ACCAC) and scoring more runs (61, T-4th ACCAC) than in 2012. Ploesch was also 3rd on the team in runs batted in with 40.

The Lady Matadors finished the 2013 campaign with an overall record of 39 wins and 23 losses (their best overall record since 2009), and wound up with a 30-18 record in conference play.

Yuma, Arizona – April 27, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that former AWC defensive tackle Jesse Williams was selected late this morning in the third and final day of the 2013 National Football League Draft. Williams was the fourth pick of the 5th round by the Seattle Seahawks, and the 137th pick overall. Williams becomes the second Matador alum to be drafted by an NFL team in as many years, and both he and last year’s draftee, former Matador linebacker Korey Toomer, were selected by the Seahawks in the identical round.

Williams has been a star member of the defense of the University of Alabama ever since he graduated from AWC back in the spring of 2011, and has been one of the main cogs in the defense that brought Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide back-to-back national titles in 2011 & 2012. He first drew international attention when he became one of the few Australian natives to be offered a football scholarship in the United States, signing with the Matadors in the summer of 2009. The native of Brisbane took the WSFL by storm as a freshman, starting all 11 Matador games in 2009, recording 3 sacks and forcing 3 fumbles. His 46 overall tackles and 34 assisted tackles were tops among Matador D-lineman, and he earned 1st Team All-Region I and 2nd Team All-WSFL honors that year. Williams became one of the top junior college prospects as soon as he walked off the field for AWC at the 2009 Mississippi Bowl. However, much of his sophomore season at AWC was derailed by a nagging knee injury that he endured from preseason drills through the season. He only played in 7 games for the Matadors in 2010, but gutted it out to still rack up 30 overall tackles (8 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, a fumble recovery, and nearly returned his lone interception of the season for a touchdown. Despite playing just over half the season, he was given the ultimate respect by the WSFL’s coaches, who still named him a 2nd Team All-WSFL postseason selection after his sophomore campaign.

With all of that said, the Tide remained extremely interested, and Williams was bound for ‘Bama as soon as he took his visit over Labor Day Weekend of 2011 to Tuscaloosa. As a junior, Williams started all 13 games for the Tide as a defensive end, rolling up 24 tackles-four of them for loss. For his senior season this past fall, to not only fortify their defensive line but also improve Williams’ versatility going forward, Saban shifted Williams back to the position that Matador fans became accustomed to seeing Williams play: nose tackle. Once again, Williams was a force in the middle for 13 Alabama games, making 37 total tackles, with a pair of sacks and 2 ˝ tackles for loss overall. The Aussie native also showed something to Tide fans this past season that Matador fans weren’t shocked about at all, since the man who actually earned WSFL Special Teams Player of the Week during his sophomore season at AWC blocked a kick on special teams in 2012.

Now that Williams is on the precipice of becoming the Matadors’ best chance to have a longtime NFL player in decades, his former coach shows no surprise. “I’m surprised he fell as low as the 5th round-considering many thought he’d go late in the 1st round or early in the 2nd round,” said AWC Head Football Coach Tom Minnick. “It’s great for Jesse to get this chance, and going up there to play for (Seahawks’ Head Coach) Pete Carroll, I think he has a good chance to play. We wish him the best of luck.”
 

Yuma, Arizona – April 25, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that the AWC Softball games against Eastern Arizona College this Saturday, April 27th, will be broadcast by the Matador Sports Network. It will be the fifth straight year that MATSN will broadcast a Lady Matador Softball game, and both games of the ACCAC doubleheader will be broadcast live on the radio and internet legs of MATSN beginning a half-hour prior to the start of the first game, which is scheduled for noon. This will be the final MATSN broadcast of the seven Matador Athletics teams for the 2012-13 season.

The broadcast continues to signal the dedication by the Matador Sports Network, Matador Athletics, AWC TV Services and Arizona Western College to respond to the inquiries by the public to expand broadcast coverage of Matador Athletics. MATSN has broadcast extensive coverage of Matador Football and Matador Men’s and Women’s Basketball for more than a decade. For the past eight years during the fall, MATSN has broadcast AWC Football’s full schedule on radio and internet audio (including the El Toro Bowl each of the past two seasons), and their entire home schedule on television; along with a selected Matador Soccer and Volleyball match. MATSN just completed their eighth season of full coverage of Matador Men’s & Women’s Basketball, bringing fans all 22 men’s-women’s basketball conference doubleheaders on radio and internet audio (plus the Region I Playoffs), and much of their 11-date home doubleheader schedule on TV. This is also the third year that MATSN has provided Matador fans with AWC TV’s signal on the internet via the UStream app on IPhone, IPad, IPod, Android and Windows phone, as well as on the Matador Sports Network page on the AWC Athletics website for several Matador sports.

The Lady Matadors certainly heightened the importance of the broadcast with their doubleheader sweep of 1st-place Central Arizona this past Tuesday, since it keeps their playoff hopes alive, and sets up a ‘do or die’ showdown with the Lady Gila Monsters this Saturday. Another sweep by the Lady Matadors Saturday (who already swept Eastern Arizona in Thatcher earlier this season) puts AWC in the Region I Division I Playoffs next weekend, while the Gila Monsters need one win to clinch a playoff spot. Saturday’s broadcast will be broadcast live on radio by Yuma’s news/talk powerhouse SportsRadio 560 KBLU, who is in its 14th year broadcasting AWC Athletics. Meanwhile, KBLU’s internet site, www.kbluam.com will join the AWC Athletics website (www.azwestern.edu/athletics) to simulcast the softball doubleheader broadcast as they have with all of the Matadors’ game broadcasts for the 2012-13 athletic season. The radio/internet broadcast will begin Saturday morning at 11:30AM with the Lady Matador Softball Pre-Game Show, with play-by-play man Jim Howell-the ‘Voice of the Matadors’-hosting the broadcast and covering every pitch of the event. First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for noon. Under ACCAC rules, both games of the doubleheader are scheduled for seven innings.
 

Yuma, Arizona – April 15, 2013 -- Arizona Western College is proud to announce that for the second time this season, AWC Softball player Courtnie Ploesch (KORT-nee PLOSH (long ‘o’ in last name… rhymes with ‘gauche’) has been named the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Division I Softball Player of the Week for the week ending April 13th. It’s the third time that a Lady Matador softball player has earned the ACCAC Player of the Week honor, since April Marquez earned the accolade in mid-March, and the fourth overall ACCAC POW honor that a Lady Matador has taken home this season after Hayley Miller joined April Marquez in the same week by winning the ACCAC DI Pitcher of the Week Award.

Ploesch has been the most consistent force the Lady Matadors have had in their arsenal the past two years, and as the Lady Matadors strive to clinch their fourth Region I Division I Playoff berth in the last five years, the native of Blythe, California continues to come through at key times. Ploesch began the week leading the Lady Mats to their first perfect six-game homestand since 2005 as they hosted South Mountain Tuesday at the AWC Softball Field. Ploesch set the tone immediately by singling in her first at-bat from the top of the Matadors’ batting order and getting as far as 3rd base. She went one step further in the next inning, giving the Lady Mats the lead for good by cracking a pitch off the left field wall to plate Summer Ehrig with the first run of the game. She topped that in the 5th inning, knocking in a pair of insurance runs with a one-out single to ensure a 7-3 Matador victory. In Tuesday’s nightcap, she helped break open a scoreless game in the fifth inning by doubling in Lauren Miranda to give the Lady Mats a 2-0 lead; then stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 6th inning to cap off the game’s scoring with an RBI single, giving the Mats that much-needed sweep with a 6-2 win. For the day, Ploesch was 5-for-8 with a pair of doubles and a team-high five runs batted in. Saturday afternoon, the Lady Matadors ran into trouble against the defending NJCAA Division II Champions from Phoenix College, but Ploesch continued to stay consistent. She was one of two different Lady Matadors to get a pair of hits in Game 1, and scored the second run of a three-run seventh inning that nearly brought the Mats a comeback victory. In Game 2, Ploesch gave the Lady Mats their only lead of the day in the game’s first at-bat, cracking her 7th home run of the season in the top of the 1st inning to give the Mats a 1-0 lead. She would add a double & a single before the game’s conclusion, scoring twice. For the day, Ploesch again had five hits in eight at-bats, with a homer, double, 3 runs scored and an RBI. For the week, Ploesch was 10-for-16 (a .625 batting average) with a homer, 3 doubles, 3 runs scored & a half-dozen runs batted in. Ploesch raised her season batting average nearly 30 points on the week, and she’s now 2nd on the team with a .390 batting average. She’s once again the team leader in hits (67), and continues to pace the team in runs scored (67) and stolen bases (22). Ploesch is also 3rd on the team in home runs & RBI (38).

Ploesch and the Lady Mats now head into the final two weeks of the regular season needing a push to get back into a playoff spot. They’ll continue their current eight-game road trip tomorrow in the Phoenix area as they battle the Paradise Valley Lady Pumas in a 1PM doubleheader. They’ll finally return home a week from tomorrow, Tuesday, April 23rd, to begin their final four-game homestand of the season against the first-place team in the conference, the Central Arizona Vaqueras. First pitch for the ACCAC doubleheader is scheduled for high noon next Tuesday at the AWC Softball Field on the main campus (2020 South Avenue 8E in Yuma), and admission is free.