SWC softball navigates a post covid pandemic season with positives
The 2022 season came with much happiness and joy for the Jaguars as they resumed collegiate softball on the campus since it was halted in March 10, 2020. With the program not operating for a season and a half there were many changes to the 2020 roster as a few transferred to a 4 year, and many decided not to continue playing softball at all. For the resuming of the 2022 season, the Jaguars 13-person squad were all deemed freshman despite 2 returners from the 2020 squad and several returners from the 2021 cancelled season. With a small squad and minimal veteran experience, the Jaguars still seemed to defy the odds. In what is usually a 6-team conference, foes Grossmont and San Diego City college were not able to field teams leaving the Jaguars the only collegiate softball team to represent the south and eastern San Diego area.
With having a 7-30 record, the worst record in Coach Mossadeghi's 13-year career at Southwestern, the Jaguars knocked off #2 Palomar and #6 Cerritos with pitching efforts lead by Grossmont High Schools Katalina Contreras. Not recruited to pitch and starting pitching efforts late in the fall season to help, Kati proved to be the key to give this team hope and opportunity. Contreras not only held down efforts in the circle but was also the leading offensive hitter with a .396 batting average, 6 homeruns, and a slugging percentage of .681. Those efforts garnered her a 3C2A player of the week honor. Several others shined offensively with Otay Ranch's Natalia Ojeda with a .333 batting average and Clairemont's Elyssa Garcia with a .300 BA. All-PCAC 1st team conference award went to Santana's Natalie Sims for hitting .425, and 2nd team efforts to Granite Hills Erica Simon, and Elyssa Garcia.