Jack Footer is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Shadow Mountain for AZPreps365.com

Whether or not Shadow Mountain is on the winning end of a blowout, the team always puts it in the rearview mirror and prepares for the next game by focusing on improvement.

The Madators are currently 7-10-1 through 18 games and have had an up-and-down season. They have lost to teams such as La Junta 21-5 and beat Barry Goldwater 18-8.

Head coach Troy Farnsworth says the team focuses on playing correctly every game, and one way to do this is with good pitching.

“Getting better at throwing more strikes, more first-pitch strikes, just trying to eliminate giving up free bases by a walk or hit by pitch,” Farnsworth said. 

Throwing a first-pitch strike can set the team on the right foot.

“Well, you get ahead of the hitter, and you can love this; the statistics are all over the place about the success that you have, about getting a first-pitch strike against a batter,” Farnsworth said. “That's one of the biggest things, but it's easier said than done. This is the game of baseball, and it's not always easy to do, and everything you need to do.”

Farnsworth said even though throwing more first-pitch strikes is something the team needs to work on, you can't solely focus on improving the pitching.

“You have to focus on all of the different aspects,” Farnsworth said. “And so, there's some days where you got to score a bunch of runs, and there's other days where your pitchers are going to have it, and you don't need to score as many runs, but you just need to help out defensively. You're always trying to put yourself in a position to win a ball game. That's what we're always trying to do.”

Even with needing some pitching work, the team is still putting up high numbers offensively, such as sophomore utility player Eli O'Connor leading in on-base percentage at 0.606 and sophomore infielder and pitcher Andy Chaplick with a 0.492 batting average.

Chaplick said the team needs to ensure everyone is ready to go each day and keeps their head in the game. 

“No matter what, even if it's a blowout on either side, stay engaged, loud, watching the game, and focused, because that's an important part of winning, staying as a team, and supporting your teammates,” Chaplick said.

Another way the team ensures positivity flows throughout is by “friendly chirping” when their teammates are at bat during games.

Chaplick and senior pitcher and outfielder Alex Forkum added that while players talk to their teammates in the dugout, their minds can wander a bit from the game. So when a player goes up to bat and hears the “friendly chirping,” it helps them hone in and simply focus on the task at hand, the at-bat.

At this time last year, the team had only won five games. Farnsworth said he doesn't compare the current season with the previous. He simply takes each season game by game. He believes it makes identifying what the team needs to improve on easier.

The Matadors are heading into the ladder half of the season, with more conference games on the schedule. They will return to the diamond on April 15 at Moon Valley. Their next home game is April 17, also against Moon Valley.