Last year, the Pasadena City College softball team reached the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons. After a 25-win campaign, the Lancers hope to make a return trip to the postseason in 2018 under the leadership of head coach Monica Tantlnger. The coach has produced three straight 20-victory seasons and turned PCC back into one of Southern California's stronger programs.
Returning from '17 is All-South Coast Conference North Division Second Team catcher Jeneve Medrano, one of seven lettermen. Medrano batted .273 with a home run and 10 RBI, but was more important to the team's pitchers with steady defense and a strong arm (eight runners caught stealing). Another key returner is leadoff hitter and new shortstop Alex Howard, who played second base last year and led the Lancers in RBI with 34.
"Alex has become an even better baserunner than a year ago, and it's impressive to watch her speed on the basepaths," said Tantlinger, now in her fifth season directing the program. "I expect her to be our top base stealer and put her in motion as often as possible as our leadoff hitter."
Amber Ingram, a reserve last season who hit .400 in 15 at bats, will start the season in the regular lineup as a rightfielder.
Most of the Lancers starting nine and key reserves are made up of both incoming freshmen and sophomore transfers. One of the top newcomers is freshman centerfielder Nathalia Velasquez, a 2-time, All-LA City Division I selection from Van Nuys' Birmingham Charter High. Velasquez led LA City schools in home runs with nine, batting .477 with 38 RBI as a senior.
"Nat can supply aggressive at bats and brings in a tough mental game on offense," Tantlinger said. "We will depend on her for some needed RBI production. She is a captain of a brand new outfield and does a tremendous job of reading the ball off the bat."
Briana Hernandez, a transfer from Arizona Western College after playing at El Rancho High, is slated to play left field, but also is part of the team's pitching staff. Lefty-hitting Leilani Montanez, from Monrovia High, will start the year at designated player and also plays outfield.
In the infield, freshman Kaylee Medrano (Jeneve's younger sister from La Mirada High) will step into the third base spot to replace the graduated Brittany Ching. Another rookie is first baseman Amanda Flores, who played on three straight Pacific League champion teams at Burbank Burroughs High. Audrey Sebastian (Eagle Rock High) also joins a young infield at second base with Howard the only sophomore in the quartet. Sebastian was an all-league Second Team selection on a LA City D-1 Northern League champion team as a senior.
Tantlinger said: "Kaylee has great hands and is a true competitor. She wants to beat you how ever she can. Amanda is a fundamentally sound first baseman who can make great pick-ups around the bag. She swings a solid bat."
Slated to join the team soon is sophomore transfer infielder Angelica Lopez, who played at Odessa College in Texas as a freshman after a fine career at La Serna High. Lopez hit .321 as a senior in helping La Serna win the 2015 CIF Southern Section Division 3 title. She was a member of the Whittier Daily News All-Area First Team. "Angelica could be a big part of our offense. She has a super hard, line drive swing."
The Lancers have the deepest pitching staff in Tantlinger's tenure with a top ace in letterman Angel Wintercorn, who was 7-6 with a team-best 2.79 ERA in 110.1 innings last year. She struck out 80, a total only accomplished one other time in the past eight years. Hernandez won eight games and posted a 2.53 ERA her senior year as the ace at El Rancho HS. Britney Lopez was an ace at Monrovia High, striking out 83 in 97 innings and recording six victories. Sophomore transfer Jordan Lousararian pitched at Glendale College last season after a brilliant prep career as an All-Glendale News Press First Team and multiple All-Pacific League selection throwing for Glendale High. As a senior, she was 16-3 with a 1.99 ERA. Kacee Howser also is a pitcher and utility player from Verdugo Hills High.
"We really do have a staff this season after being short on arms in other years," Tantlinger said. "Wintercorn has that important college experience and will likely be our ace. Hernandez brings speed and power to the circle while Lopez and Lousararian each have movement and deception on their pitches. In a long season, we have options now."
On the overall season, the coach said, "We'd like to think we can return to the playoffs, but we also know how hard it can be with the competitive balance of so many good teams in Southern California. We need to field for our pitchers and the hitters have to give us enough offense. We finished in second place last year in the South Coast North, so we have a challenge to try to beat Mt. San Antonio for that top spot. We're excited though and anxious to get things going."
PCC's assistant coaching staff returns pitching coach Stephanie Marshall, Nolan Peralta, Allison Lacey and adds newcomer John Zabala, who coached previously at East Los Angeles College.
PCC begins the 2018 season this Friday, Jan. 26 in a 1 p.m. home game against Antelope Valley College. All Lancers home games are played off-campus at Robinson Park, located at 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena.