At first for Ashley Osegueda, softball was just for fun.
Then as she grew older, playing with Española Valley, she realized that teammates were looking up to her, and she had to become a leader. But in her senior year, she realized that she was focusing too much on her leadership, and needed to find balance and take time for herself as well.
“I wouldn’t really play the game, I would just try to be a role model,” Osegueda said. “Try to do this for other people instead of play the game for me. And I learned a lot from that. Even if you’re a role model for someone, just keep playing the game for you.
“I would just to always hit a home run, or always catch every ball,” Osegueda said. “And no one’s really that good at a sport. I would just get tired, like I wouldn’t give myself a break.”
Osegueda, a five-year softball player for the Sundevils, will continue her softball career with Garden City Community College in Kansas. Described as a “goofball” by her mother and older sister, Ashley was a key player and longtime starter for the team.
“She went from being an eighth grader, a little shy, to helping out the team and being a strong leader,” said Española coach Robbie Garcia. “Just a powerhouse overall.”
Osegueda said she chose to attend Garden City after meeting players from around the world on the team, and she liked the environment on the team.
“Their practices are a lot different,” she said. “They don’t keep it hardcore, or whatever. They try to make it fun while doing work at the same time.”
She also plans to study criminal justice (as a fan of police television shows), and liked that program at Garden City.
Osegueda started playing softball at TK years old, and her dream was to play in college. She would watch the Women’s College World Series and root for the Washington Huskies, NCAA champions in 2009 and runners-up in 2018.
“And now that I am (playing college softball), it just makes me so happy,” Osegueda said. “I’m going to keep pushing and pushing to see if I could go longer.”
Softball was always a fun escape for Osegueda from whatever else was happening in her life.
“I would always take out my anger, I would always take out my frustrations,” she said.
According to her MaxPreps profile, Osegueda finished her career with a .599 batting average and 112 RBIs, as well as 14 home runs, 58 doubles and a .984 slugging percentage. She was named as a first-team all-state infielder after the 2021 season.
Osegueda had her share of difficulties as a softball player. In eighth grade, as a starter on the varsity team, the Sundevils made the state tournament as the final No. 16 seed, and lost 13-0 in Artesia to the eventual state champion. That would be Osegueda’s only postseason appearance. The following year, Española played just three games before the season was suspended and ultimately canceled due to COVID-19.
As a junior, Española had a strong 12-8 season. In a normal year, that would likely have been enough to make the state tournament, but the shortened season had just eight teams make the tournament, and Española was left out. And in Osegueda’s junior and senior seasons, Española finished shy of making the tournament.
Kyana Osegueda, Ashley’s older sister and a 2020 Española graduate, said that softball always motivated Ashley to keep strong grades. She said she and Ashley are “attached to the hip.”
“She’s such an outgoing person,” Kyana said. “So outgoing and caring, and just a little goofball. She loves to joke around, so energetic.”
Jennifer Osegueda, Kyana’s mother, said that she is a first-generation college student.
“Sometimes college isn’t for everybody,” Jennifer said. “For her to go on and want to advance herself that way, it’s really exciting. We’re very proud of her.”
Her future team, the Broncbusters, finished 23-33 in 2023. In their regional postseason tournament, they lost in the first round as the No. 5 seed out of eight teams, they won one elimination game then lost later in the day.
“It’s a really big accomplishment for her, that she’s always dreamt of,” Kyana said of Ashley’s scholarship. “I’ve never seen her any happier.”
Garcia said that Osegueda’s college commitment motivates future players for Española, showing them that if they work hard and develop their skills, they have a chance of playing in college.
And going to college, Osegueda is taking with her the lessons she learned her senior year.
“I learned that it’s okay to mess up a couple of times,” she said. “Everyone’s human. Everyone makes mistakes. And just try your best to hit the next ball or catch the next ball.”