The end of one chapter leads to the beginning of another

Hey Hillcat Fans!

   I have had the opportunity to blog for the softball team for the last two years. It was hard to keep everyone updated at times, but it has been an amazing experience getting to relay all the softball news to the great fans that we have.
   This year has been a huge roller coaster. Starting at such a high point when we went 30-0, to have a low point where we were really struggling to find that team we were at the start of the season. But, we managed to pull it all together in the end and make it to the national tournament. We got even more blessed as to have it at our home filed here in Claremore. It was an amazing experience to have all the support from our family, friends, and the community there. Although we couldn't quite pull out the wins in the end to make it to Georgia, I could not be more proud of my team. We came along ways this season and we finished with everything we had. I'm so thankful to have gotten to finish my career here at RSU with this great group of girls.
   My seasons of playing the game I love are over, but there is a whole new chapter in my life ready to begin. I will be finishing my student teaching this fall and will hopefully be in my own classroom teaching by this time next year. I do not know where to begin on the thank yous. Thank you to my family, friends, all my coaches, and all those who have supported me through my career. Without you guys I would not have even been close to making it this far. Thank you to all my readers that have made this experience so fun.  Thank you to the great group in the athletic department here at RSU, you guys are amazing! And thank you to all of our fans, without you guys there would be no Hillcat softball. You guys are the ones that kept us pushing when times got rough.
  
Sincerely,
Ashlie Fauchier #3 :)

 2013 Hillcat softball

 

Athletic Banquet





 Games against Bryon College in TN

 Lunch in TN by the river

 Beach day! Orange Beach, AL

 Thank you for all your support!

Can't believe it's almost over

Hey Hillcat Fans!

   I apologize for not blogging that much this season. It's so crazy how fast season has come and now it's almost over. With it being my senior year, I have been trying to just soak it all in. This year couldn't have started any better. We went on a 31-0 start and peeked our ranking at 3rd in the nation. But, we eventually got our first loss in Alabama against the University of Mobile. It was a tough loss, but it definitely made us stronger and pushed us to keep moving forward. We finally got into conference play and got the sweeps against USAO and Mid-America University. Lubbock was next, and we knew we had to show up with our best games. We couldn't pull the wins out but it wasn't stopping us. We have had a couple of down falls since then but I know my team and were not done. We have come along ways from being on top to having to work our way back from the bottom. Every team has their trials and were trying to work through ours now. We are currently ranked 19th in the nation and have a record of 38-11.
   I couldn't have asked for a better team to finish out my senior year with. This group of girls have made my senior year the best. I"m sad to see it go so fast. But, there are a lot of games left and that means more wins to pick up. With a little over 3 weeks left of season I would like to thank my team for making my senior year an amazing year to go out on. From the start my motto was "going out with a bang!" and that's exactly what were doing. We have accomplished so much this year, and were not done. These next couple of weeks have a lot in store for us. Senior night against Oklahoma City, then to their place for two more games, and then conference tournament. After that we are hoping to get a bid to go to regionals, which is the next step closer to nationals.
   Thank you for all the cheers and support. Without our friends, family, and our biggest fans we wouldn't be where we are today.

Ashlie #3 :)

                                             Here is a few pictures of the Hillcats in action.

Week 1 in the Books

Hey Hillcat Fans!

This past week could not have been any better for your Hillcat softball team. Last Wednesday we started our season at Bacone College for a double headed at 1 & 3. We were so excited to finally see what all of our hard work was going to look like. We got there early enough to eat us a good breakfast at Denny's and then it was game time. It seemed as if this day was never going to come. But I knew we were ready. We got out there and had a great warm up and came out on fire! Yolanda Rios came out throwing the heat and our bats were right behind her. We won the first game 14-0, with Shona Guerrero's two run home run and a combined 12 hits from your Hillcats. Laura Fleck finished the game as Rios took the win.
As the second game started there was nothing stopping us. We shut the Lady Warriors out for a second time with a final of 9-0. Rios started on the mound again and her offense was right there with her, this time with 13 hits and two home runs by Cailin Simpson and Katie Ellington. Starting the season off with two big shutout wins was great!
The week was not over though. We faced William Woods University Sunday afternoon for a double headed. The first game was a nail biter and a bit of a pitching dual until the bottom of the 5th when Desiree Ayarzagoitia busted out a solo shot home run. It was just what we needed! Rios went out and shut Williams Woods down, but we weren't done. Candace Monigold wanted in on the action and hit a two run homer to seal the deal for your Hillcats. Rios took the 3-0 win!
Rios started on the mound for the second game as well. William Woods came out with a little fight and scored 3 in the 2nd inning and tacked on another in the 3rd. It was a bit of a wake up for us that they weren't just going to lay down for us. We had to step it up, and that's exactly what we did in the bottom of the 4th as we came back with a 6 spot on the board. A couple of base hits and a home run by Monigold and Taran Threet later and we got back on top with a score of 6-4. We scored again in the bottom of the 5th and 6th to make a final winning score of 11-4. Fleck came out with the relief win.
The week could not have ended any better. 4-0 is a great way to start the season. I can not wait to see how far we go this year. We have more talent than I have ever had the opportunity to play with and if we do our job it will take us exactly where we want to be, nationals!

A BIG shout out to Candace Monigold a receiving SAC player of the week. Hitting .643 for the week with 2 home runs and a slugging % of 1.429 and drove in 11 runs. Thata girl!!

Mark Your Calendars!
Saturday Feb. 23 against Grand View @ 2 & 4, Hillcat Complex
Sunday Feb. 24 against Grand View @ noon & 2, Hillcat Complex

Ashlie #3 :)

T-minus 30 days!

Hey Hillcat Fans!

I hope everyone had a blessed and safe New Years! I could not be any happier to see this new year come. 2012 was pretty good to your Hillcat softball team but, 2013 has so much more to offer. I hope you all are just as excited about this coming season as we are. No worries though, the wait is almost over!

Ashlie #3

Blessed!

Hey Hillcat Fans!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Being home for the holidays really gets me thinking of how blessed I truly am. Not only to have such an amazing and supportive family at home, but to also have an amazing ball family as well. The past couple of months my team has become so strong. Not just physically from all of Coach Amy's workouts, but mentally and emotionally. We have been working out 4 days a week which includes hitting, throwing, swimming, lifting and, of course some conditioning. As much as all that sucks sometimes we know it's what we have to do to make it to that national tournament. That is where the emotional and mental strength comes to play. Fighting yourself to keep pushing till the finish. Hard and strong! Not only for yourself but for the other 20 girls right beside you working to be there for you. That's the hard part! This team has everything it takes to become the team. The team that is going to put Rogers State softball on the map. Everyday we get stronger in every aspect, and that is what it is going to take to get where we want to be.

I hope all our Hillcat fans have a safe and wonderful holiday season!
Happy Holidays from your Hillcat softball team!


Ashlie #3

Back In Action!

Hey Hillcat Fans!

Summer is over and your Hillcats are back in action! Although it was nice to have a couple months off, I could not wait to get back. Could not wait to get back to the field and start working on that road towards that national championship.

I can not believe I am already in my senior year. But, I could not be more excited! We have 12 returners from last year and 11 new girls, and these 11 new girls have some talent! This fall season we came out very strong with 10 wins against some strong Junior College schools and a loss to Oklahoma State. Those 11 games only made my prediction for season even more accurate. With these group of girls there is no doubt in my mind we can't win that national championship we have been due for.

There are some BIG additions to your Hillcat softball team. We have some Junior College transfers that are ready to make their mark here at RSU. Yolanda Rios is one of our new pitchers from Fullerton, CA, who has already showed this fall that she has exactly what it takes to help us make it to national championship. Some other names to be looking out for this up coming season would be Candace Monigold (CF) from Broken Arrow, OK,  Desiree Ayarzagoitia (C) from Kingsville, TX, and Cailin Simpson (2B) from Riverside, CA. These three girls are going to add great value to our Hillcat family.

 Needless to say, I can't wait for season to get here! Witnessing the fall games and how strong we already are, and we still have 4 months till our first game, it can not get any better than that.


Ashlie #3

Staying Strong!

Hey Hillcat Fans!

Conference keeps getting tougher, but were hanging in there! This week we had St. Gregs at home. The first game we came out slow but Kaitlin McCool opened it up with a bomb over left field fence. St. Gregs came back and got 2, which put them on top. As a team we haven't been hitting like we usually do. Which makes it hard to come back. We took the first loss 2-1. Both these games are huge for us, so we knew we had to come back with a win in the second game. But, with no hits and mental errors we fail to get that much needed win.

Yesterday was a huge day for the team and our standings. With so much rain lately we were a little nervous we wouldn't get to play, but somehow coach always gets the field ready. We hosted Lubbock Christian, ranked 6th in the nation, at 4 & 6. The first game we couldn't get the hits when they were needed and lost 5-0. Fleck took the loss but pitched rather well. Our offence really needs to step up for her. Which is exactly what we did the second game. With Fleck throwing another great game we came out with some great defencive plays early. LCU hit a 2 run bomb in third. But, with a little grit in our britches we came back and scored 3. McCool started the inning off with a base hit up the middle, I hit and got on by and Error. Shona Guerrero kept it going with a base hit. Taran Threet came up with a huge 2 strike bunt which put me and Shona in scoring position, and let Linsey Curtis hit a 2 run double into right center. All we had to do now was hold them. Fleck really kept it up in the circle throwing lights out. She finished the game Holding LCU to only 7 hits. Hillcats with the win...3-2! This was a HUGE win for the team and showing people were here and not going anywhere.

Mark Your Calendars!

Monday April 16 - @USAO 2 & 4 (make-up game)
Tuesday April 17 - Southern Naz. 4-6 HOME
Thursday April 19 - Oklahoma Baptist 5-7 HOME

Ashlie #3 :)