PCM softball primed to go one step further

The Prairie City-Monroe softball team was one game away from advancing to the state softball tournament last year.

But if the Mustangs can live up to the expectations bestowed upon them by several fans in the community, they’ll go one step closer in 2014.

PCM graduated four quality seniors but returns both starting pitchers and a good chunk of its starters from last season as the Mustangs try to build off a 22-8 campaign that ended with a loss in the regional final.

“Expectations of the team, from my standpoint, is to play each pitch, at-bat, inning and game as they come or one by one,” PCM coach Whitney Plein said. “Do these girls have the potential to do amazing things this season? Absolutely. They are talented, driven and motivated. The expectations people outside the program have for us are high but that doesn’t mean we have to focus on this. We welcome these high standards but as a challenge or goal to reach as we slowly work up to it each and every day.”

Plein knows she has a special group. And she’s excited to get the season going. But games aren’t won paper. And the Mustangs won’t be given anything.

They’ll have the luxury of being able to use two starting pitchers who had great success a season ago.

Senior Rachel Freland went 13-2 in 16 starts in 2014. Her 1.18 earned run average was third in Class 3A and she struck out 77 in 107 innings. Opponents also hit just .116 against her.

And if Plein needs to give the opposition another look, she can use sophomore Kayla Jennings, who went 7-5 in 13 starts as a freshman last year. Her ERA was 2.42, she fanned 61 and opponents hit .197 against her in 78 innings.

“We lost four good softball players in our last senior class, but we are returning quite a few from our varsity team,” Plein said. “This year’s seniors have set a great example but everyone, 9-12, has brought something to the team. I don’t want to count on just one person.”

The Mustangs graduated Abi Gilson and Jennifer Uitermarkt from last year’s team. Gilson led the team in hitting with a .396 average and also had team-highs of five home runs and 38 RBIs. Uitermarkt hit .364.

But returning to the lineup this year are seniors Freland, Molly Vignovich and Makenna Van Veen as well as sophomores Jayci Vos, Katie VandeWall and Abby Waddell.

Vignovich returns from an injury that cost her all but five games last year. In those five games, Vignovich, who will play at Dordt next year, hit .647 with five doubles.

Van Veen hit .289 and Freland batted .244 for PCM.

The best returning hitter is Vos, who hit .374 with a team-high 34 runs and 21 steals as well as 16 RBIs.

Jennings also hit better than .300 and scored 28 runs.

VandeWall had an average of .284 with a team-high 32 runs. She also blasted three home runs and drove in 18 runs.

Besides the returners, Plein said newcomers like Jaiden Rodgers and Chelbie Gillespie should make big impacts this season.

“Both players have developed this past offseason and look very good this preseason,” Plein said. “These two are going to help bring even more to a very talented team.”

The Mustangs won the Heart of Iowa Conference title after hitting .311 as a team last year.

The team ERA was 1.70 and the squad had just 61 errors in 30 games.

“We are trying to sharpen up all areas of our game,” Plein said.

“The practices have been productive and the girls have been responding very well to everything.”

Plein begins her second year as head coach. She guided the Mustangs to a 16-2 conference mark last year, which was one game better than Greene County.

“I am excited to get started with the new season and see what these girls can accomplish this year,” Plein said. “We are just trying to get better every day. Defensively, we want to be more consistent and better communicators. Offensively, we are looking to be aggressive and more consistent with our approach.”

The Mustangs open the season at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Greene County. They host South Hamilton in the home opener at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and then travel to Roland-Story on April 29.