2021 Cougar Softball Season Preview

The South Mountain Community College softball team returns to the diamond for the 2021 season and is eager to compete. The Cougars have been off since last March, and they have spent that time fueling their desire to return to the field.

Second-year head coach Brittney Matta has compiled a roster of talented student-athletes excited to test themselves against the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference competition.

"Excited is an understatement," said Matta, who won two NCAA Women's College World Series at Arizona State as a player and coach. "I am hungry for wins. I do not settle as a coach, and my team, in return, will not settle. We are excited about this opportunity and would like to thank our Athletic Director, Todd Eastin, as well as the other ADs and athletic trainers who worked endlessly to come up with a safe solution to get back to playing games."

The team's schedule features an even mix of road and home games. In 2021, all dates are doubleheaders and, due to the pandemic, fans will not be allowed at any games in the Maricopa County Community College District. 

The Cougars will play a non-conference doubleheader at Arizona Western on Feb. 20 to start the year. They host Yavapai College on Mar. 9 in their home opener and play four-straight ACCAC doubleheaders at home later in the month.

April has a nice mixture of home and away dates, and the season wraps up in May with a home doubleheader against Phoenix College on May 8.

"Offensively, I expect well-executed baserunning. Baserunning wins and loses games, and it is something we pride ourselves on," Matta said. "Doing the little things well sets you up for great success. I expect to see aggressive, smart baserunning. We have a core group of players that show speed and power, and when you combine the two, our offense could be deadly."

The Cougars feature four returning student-athletes from the abridged 2020 season: Destiny Apodaca (Morenci, Ariz.), Alexa Key (Casa Grande, Ariz.), Christian Smith (Mesa, Ariz.) and Marissa Grijalva (Gilbert, Ariz.).

Apodaca is the lone sophomore on the roster, having also played for SMCC in the 2019 season. Last year, she tied for the team lead and fourth in the ACCAC with 14 stolen bases. Apodaca added four doubles, 10 runs, eight RBIs, and has played in more than 50 contests in her career.

Key played in 22 games last year, batting .222 with six runs and five stolen bases. She also earned Second Team NJCAA All-Academic Student-Athlete honors following the season. Key prepped at Casa Grande High School and earned two all-conference and all-region honors during her prep career.

Smith is a two-way threat for the Cougars, who will see time in the circle and in the infield. In 2020, Smith finished 2-4 with a 4.67 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 51 innings in the circle. At the plate, she hit a three-run home run against Paradise Valley CC. After the season, Smith earned First Team NJCAA All-Academic Student-Athlete honors.

Grijalva appeared in six games in 2020, collecting three hits and four RBIs. Following the season, she earned First Team NJCAA All-Academic Student-Athlete honors. Grijalva prepped at Campo Verde High School and received Team MVP honors as a senior.

The team features a host of transfers ready to make an impact in a Cougar uniform.

Jackie Traughber (Phoenix, Ariz.) spent 2020 at ACCAC rival Yavapai College and had a robust two-way campaign. At the plate, she appeared in 20 games and batted .350 with five runs, two doubles, a triple and nine RBIs. Traughber finished 11-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 68.1 innings of work in the circle. 

Tara Lorona (Kearny, Ariz.) spent 2020 at Gateway Community College, batting .340 with two home runs, 15 RBIs, three triples and four stolen bases. She attended Ray High School, earning three first-team all-conference honors and all-region Offensive Player of the Year honors. 

Tatumn Ellis (Queen Creek, Ariz.) played for Chandler-Gilbert CC in 2020, appearing in nine games. She totaled six runs, five stolen bases and an RBI while batting .391. She had a season-high three hits and two runs scored during the season.

Mia Stankiewicz (Gilbert, Ariz.) played at ACCAC rival Phoenix College in 2020. She appeared in 11 games and batted .231 with two runs scored and an RBI. Stankiewicz prepped at Gilbert High School and earned second-team all-region honors. Her sister, Marisa, is a volunteer assistant coach with SMCC.

Taylor Mount (Apple Valley, Calif.) is a 5-2 second baseman who attended Boulder Creek High School. She was a member of the 2017 CIF Champions, helped lead her team to a league title and received her team's Defensive Player of the Year award.

Jaudrey Ah Quin (Chandler, Ariz.) is a 5-8 catcher who attended Chandler High School, where she earned second-team all-region honors as a junior.

Jianna Martinez (Tempe, Ariz.) is a 5-5 infielder who comes to SMCC from McClintock High School, where she earned three all-region awards, including first-team honors as a junior.

Claire Burford (Elkhorn, Neb.) is a 5-7 utility player who attended Elkhorn High School. She initially came to South Mountain CC to play volleyball. However, when the Maricopa County Community College District canceled their 2021 spring season due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, she joined the Cougars.

Tori Van Arsdale (Chandler, Ariz.) comes to South Mountain CC from Seton Catholic High School. She earned multiple all-region honors and was named her region's Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.

Natalie Torres (Phoenix, Ariz.) is a 5-2 utility player who attended North High School. She earned second-team all-region honors as a freshman and junior and was named her team's Offensive MVP as a junior.

Myriah Alvarado (Phoenix, Ariz.) attended Betty Fairfax High School. She is a 5-6 utility player who will add depth and versatility to the line-up and defense.

"Pitching will be a constant competition," Matta explained. "I expect Traughber to come in and dominate in the circle. Smith has amazing movement, and I expect her to pick up where she left off in 2020. We also added Van Arsdale, who I expect to pick up innings and get a couple of key starts throughout the year. Overall, our pitching has improved from 2020."

As Matta noted, excitement doesn't fully encapsulate the energy circulating throughout the SMCC softball program. She and the Cougars have been preparing for this moment for nearly a year, and a return to the diamond and competition is something they cherish and don't take lightly.

"The first few weeks of practice have been wonderful," Matta concluded. "It has been wonderful to be back around the team, and it's awesome to see what they can pick up on in just a few weeks together. They have adjusted nicely to COVID protocol and understand that to keep playing, we all need to buy in and do our part to stay safe."