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This is not what Carmen Paez expected.

Not at all.

In mid-May, an almost giddy Paez drove to Lowell, Mass., home of the New England Riptide of the six-team National Pro Fastpitch League, after coach Brad Horstman offered a roster spot sight-unseen. It likely was an easy call for Horstman as Paez's senior numbers for Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season champion Florida Gulf Coast University surely jumped from the stat sheets.

But so far this season, Paez's numbers mostly are limping in place as the former Eagles left fielder has seen inconsistent action almost soley as a designated hitter: 9-for-42 (.214), one home run and a double with four RBIs, 11 strikeouts and five walks.

The A-Sun player of the Year after last season, Paez belted a Divsion II record 28 home runs as a junior before mashing 22 home runs -- third-best in the country -- during FGCU's initial D-I season despite drawing 84 walks. She led the nation with 76 runs scored and her 142 total bases were best in the conference. She hit at a .425 clip and drove in 68 runs.

But six weeks into her Riptide run, Paez doesn't exactly view pro softball as a hit. With New England at 8-11, Horstman was fired June 28, and Paez's playing time went with him. Horstman was relieved by veteran backup catcher Germaine Fairchild and Paez did not play in Fairchild's first game with her at the helm, a loss that dropped the Riptide to 8-12 with 28 games remaining, beginning at home against the Chinese Taipei Olympic team Saturday.

Paez blamed the shakeup on co-owner and general manager Joe Adlman.

"To be honest, he basically told (Horstman) to play people, and he refused to do that, and they fired him," Paez said. "That's the honest truth, and I will tell anyone about that. The team's not happy with the owner's decision because (Horstman) was a good coach.

"We'll see what happens. It is a little strange."

So, it seems, is the lack of playing time for Paez, who turns 24 next month. Only one Riptider is batting above .300 and Paez's average bests those of four teammates. Before being benched the last game, Paez hit safely in four straight.

"I don't understand how you can do good and not play," she said. "Coming to this level, there are people that miss games and stuff, miss practice for two weeks, they get to play. Then me, I practice every day.

"It's not what I expected coming up here, but I'm just trying to keep playing and do what I have to do to get better, and hopefully it will show. I'm just trying to figure out what the coach wants, what I'm doing wrong, what the deal is. For the past two weeks, I'd get at least one hit a game and scored a couple runs for them. It's weird to me, but since the coach has been fired, I haven't played. It's not what I expected.

"Right now, I'm not happy, but I'm happy with my performance."

Although Paez, who has a criminology degree, is miffed at her arrested development and has been surprised at the lack of crowds, she has enjoyed the lifestyle. She said she is close to all her teammates. She shares a paid-for, fully furnished apartment with a one and is only out of pocket for incidentals.

"That aspect of it is fine," Paez said. "I'm happy with that. I think we're treated the best out of every team in the league."

NPF players get one day off per week. Riptide practices last "about three hours," although, Paez said, they aren't extremely structured, so she puts in extra time to prepare for pro pitchers that have more zip than what she was used to, but are not "amazing."

This likely will be Paez's one and only swing at the pros.

"College is more exciting than professional softball," said Paez, noting she has been trying to "keep smiling" through the lack of playing time and homesickness. "I don't think the girls get as happy to play as they did in college because there's not that much support for us.

"Not like I expected."