Southwestern Sends a Trio of Stars to New Heights
The 24-25 Southwestern softball season didn't quite live up to its lofty expectations, but that didn't stop 3 of the stars of the team from moving on to 4-year universities to complete their academic and athletic journeys.
Yasmine Clark transferred to Hiram College in Hiram Ohio. Hiram College is a DIII university that plays in the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC). Yazi was one of the lead pitchers for the Jags last season, appearing in 25 games and winning 7 of the teams 14 total wins. In 121 innings, Yazi struck out 39, only walking 31 and ending the season with a stellar 3.97 ERA. Yazi also played 1st base when she did not pitch and only made 5 errors in over aa5 total chances. Tazi batted 5th primarily for the Jags and batted .277 with 13 runs scored, 2 doubles and a triple. Head Coach Giselle Bahena writes, "Yas has been a pleasure to work with. She is a competitor and leader on the field. We are fortunate to have an experienced veteran like her as we start our journey in a new conference. I'm proud to be her coach and to see how much she grows in the next 2 years. Assistant Coach Gianna Araki also stated that" Yas has an infectious smile and is such a joy to coach. She gives ger all on the field. Her drive to become a great athlete is supported by her reliability of bring an even better teammate. She has already shown her experience by her leadership skills. I can't wait to see what more she will bring".
Aryanah (Ary) Padilla has transferred to Elmhurst University in Elmhurst, Illinois. Elmhurst University is also a DIII which competes in the College Conference of Illinois& Wisconsin (CCIW). Elmhurst struggled last season and Coach Tracie Adix-Zins was looking to bring in experience and grit to improve on last years roster. Ary fits that description. Ary played in 27 games last season and was the starting shortstop or 2nd baseman for the Jags infield. Coach Adix-Zins described Ary as "Ary brings energy and work ethic to our program. She competes hard and has fit seamlessly into the middle of the field" Ary projects to be a starting Middle infielder with the Blue Jays this year and will bring the leadership skills she demonstrated at SWC to EU.
Savannah Salon (Sav) joins Ary at Elmhurst University this season and will play both 2nd base and catch for the Blue Jays. Savanah battled injuries last season but still played in 32 games appearing at both 2nd and behind the plate. Savannah batted throughout the lineup and had a nearly .300 on base percentage. Despite the challenges of playing multiple positions, Sav had a perfect fielding percentage of 1.000. "Sav has been a spark plug for our team from Day 1" Writes Coach Adix-Zins. "Sav shows up ready to work and brings a great personality to the field and continually pushes those around her to be better" Coach Adix-Zins also said about the duo, "Getting to know Sav and Ary this fall has been amazing. That have amazing energy and a drive to do what they can to make us better. I'm excited to see how the season unfolds for them". After watching these three exemplary young ladies, none of these words surprise us. We are so proud of Yazi, Sav and Ary and congratulate them on their success both on the field and in the classroom.
