Back-to-back Champs! Lady Matadors return to World Series, rewrite program history
For the second year in a row, the Matadors are national tournament bound! Arizona Western claims the Region I championship with a 7-1 victory over Eastern Arizona behind Jessica Smith's complete game and a relentless offense.
HENDERSON, Nev. - The Arizona Western Matadors Softball team delivered a dominant 7-1 win over Eastern Arizona College on Friday afternoon, clinching the Region I championship and securing back-to-back national tournament appearances for the first time since 1986-87.
Jessica Smith led the way in the circle, tossing a complete game and limiting the Gila Monsters to just one run on eight hits with six strikeouts to capture her ninth consecutive win of the season. Smith was also named Region I Tournament MVP.
Arizona Western struck first in the opening inning when Rauni Gallegos scored on a shortstop error. The Matadors broke the game open in the second, with Gabby Weisser driving in Angelina Fortunato, and Léa Fréchette delivering a two-run double to left to make it 4-0.
The Matadors added to their lead in the fourth with three consecutive run-scoring hits. Corinna Talbot singled home Weisser, Fréchette tripled in Talbot, and Analy Trejo capped the inning with an RBI single to center. Eastern Arizona managed its lone run in the fifth, but Smith slammed the door with two scoreless frames.
Fréchette finished 2-for-3 with a double, triple and three RBIs to pace the Matador offense. Weisser added a 2-for-3 effort with a triple and RBI, while Gallegos sparked the lineup with two hits and two runs scored. Talbot contributed two runs and an RBI from the nine spot, and Fortunato and Trejo each chipped in with timely production. Arizona Western's defense was flawless, committing zero errors and turning in another disciplined performance at the plate with just two strikeouts and no walks.
With the win, Arizona Western becomes just the second team in program history to earn back-to-back national tournament berths, a feat last achieved in 1986 and 1987 under Coach Charlie Dine, when the Matadors won the national championship in 1987 and finished as runner-up in 1986. Head coach Joel Prickett is now the first Arizona Western skipper to reach the national tournament in each of his first two years leading the program.
Up Next
The Lady Matadors advance to the 2026 NJCAA DI Softball World Series Championships on May 25-30 in Oxford, Alabama. The World Series bracket will be revealed on the NJCAA Network on Tuesday, May 17th, at 3:30 p.m. Arizona Time.
