For Moyneur, being named to both teams is a step up from last season. Moyneur-who was born in San Diego and raised just north of there in Escondido, California-burst on the Matador Baseball scene midway through last season when he went from part-time player to key everyday offensive and defensive cog. Moyneur played just 36 games during his freshman season, but was a mainstay in the lineup by the end of the year in right field and behind the plate, and threw out an astounding 52% of opponents’ base stealers while hitting .346 and grabbing 2nd Team All-ACCAC honors. Moyneur was also drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 2006 MLB Draft, but decided to stay in college. Moyneur returned for his sophomore season knowing that he would be heavily relied on for leadership on a younger squad, and struggled a bit early offensively under the extra pressure. But his defense never wavered-even when he began playing first base midway through the season. Moyneur started 49 of the 50 games he played in 2007, and while behind the plate threw out 15 of the 37 men (41%) who tried to steal against him. At the plate, Moyneur’s bat heated up during the last 6 weeks of the season, and he wound up 5th on the team with a .313 batting average, with team highs in home runs (3), triples (3), doubles (14), slugging percentage (.488) and total bases (81).
Meanwhile, Matsuo receives 2nd Team All-ACCAC honors for the second straight season. Like Moyneur, Matsuo was strong in the field and at the plate as a freshman, and was 2nd-best on the team in hitting in 2006 with a .382 average. And like Moyneur, Matsuo struggled at the plate during the first month of this season, but when his bat heated up, he was nearly unstoppable. Matsuo raised his batting average nearly 300 points after March 1st, and averaged nearly two hits per game over the last four weeks of the season. The native of Saitama, Japan, took over the team lead in hitting during the final 10 days, and wound up the team batting champion with a .367 average. He also led the squad in games played (53) and runs scored (44), and was second in hits (58) and stolen bases (10). Meanwhile, it was Jimenez who led the team in hitting until the final week of the season, and wound up 2nd with a .358 average. P.J. was never under the .350 mark at any time during the season. Jimenez-who hails from Yucaipa, California-was also 2nd on the team in total bases (69) while leading the team in hits (59). Last but not least is the team’s pitching ace, Tyler Shaddy, who after being the #3 starter for AWC in 2006-going 5-3 with a 3.75 earned run average as a freshman-took the younger 2007 pitching staff and put them on his shoulders for the first 6 weeks of the season. Shaddy quickly became the staff ace, winning his first six decisions in 2007, and becoming a mainstay in the ACCAC leaders in wins, ERA and strikeouts. The Yuma native and Kofa High School alum struggled midway through the season, then came alive in his last two starts when the Mats were striving to make the playoffs. On the season, the southpaw finished with a 7-3 record, and finished among the league leaders in ERA (2.36) and strikeouts (75) while throwing 76 1/3 innings. Shaddy started 11 of the 15 games he pitched in, and no Matadors’ pitcher held opponents at bay quite as well as Shaddy, considering opposing hitters hit just .142 against Shaddy.
Moyneur, Matsuo and Shaddy completed their Matador Baseball careers Saturday afternoon when the Matadors split their season finale against Eastern Arizona College in Thatcher. AWC finished the season with a 29-26 record.