On March 7, the Pasadena City College softball team stood 11-9 overall and a game out of second place in the South Coast Conference race. The Lancers were poised to make an annual push to reach the Southern California Regional Playoffs. But instead of getting ready this week for postseason play, PCC can't even physically meet as a team as its 2020 season was cut short due to the worldwide health crisis.
The Lancers appeared to be making a strong run after posting a 5-game win streak from February 25-March 3. PCC was 6-4 in SCC play, including a pair of wins over Long Beach City. In all, the Lancers had 20 games cancelled, including 14 in conference. That means exactly half the regular season was erased because of the shutdown due to the health concerns in trying to stop the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus.
PCC head coach Monica Tantlinger talked about her team's performance up to the shutdown.
"We set team goals at the beginning of every season and it was a bit ironic that the season ended literally at the halfway point," she said. "We were able to see where we were and the team was on target to reach a number of these goals. We had a team goal of scoring 250 runs and at the midway point we were 11 off the mark. We wanted to steal 120 bases and had 59! We wanted to reach 200 total RBI and at the halfway mark we were right at 100! Our team was really starting to click in our play and performance. I expected a strong second half."
Sophomore shortstop Danielle Ruiz had a banner season end with her leading the SCC in stolen bases (18, third in the state) and walks (17) while being second in the conference in on-base percentage (.592) and runs scored (23). She also led the Lancers in eight different hitting categories, including a .436 batting average, while playing sound defense. Ruiz was on her way to her second straight All-SCC First Team selection, but no awards for anyone in all Spring Sports in this unprecedented time in college athletics.
Pasadena was loaded with talented returning sophomores in All-SCC First Team infielder/outfielder Samantha Diaz along with a Second Team battery in pitcher Austyn Helmuth and catcher Jennie Chacon. Diaz hit .270 overall with a home run, five doubles, 10 RBI and 12 stolen bases, and was hitting .364 in her last seven games. After a slow start to the season, Chacon was heating up as well with a .407 mark in the team's last 12 games (.297 overall). Behind the dish, Chacon threw out six runners trying to steal.
Helmuth had become a workhorse with a SCC-leading 77.1 innings pitched, a state-leading four saves, and five victories. As a hitter, Helmuth had a .321 mark and nine RBI. Another letterman playing well was centerfielder Olivia Nanez, who was hitting .350 with five doubles and 14 RBI.
Tantlinger commented that a short season and the academic/athletic progression of her players will affect what occurs with her future 2021 roster. Although the CCCAA has granted an extra year of eligibility for all Spring Sports student-athletes that doesn't necessarily guarantee the letterman players of returning for a "third" year at PCC.
"Right now the only sophomore I know we are losing is infielder/outfielder Valley Febles," Tantlinger said. "I know a couple others are on the fence but mainly because they don't know when we will be able to see each other again. Losing Valley is such a bummer. I am of course pleased and happy for her that she is academically ready to transfer but it disappoints me that she was not able to participate in our annual Sophomore Day or help us to reach playoffs for the fourth year in a row. I won't get to see her walk the graduation stage with her 'Student Athlete' sash.
"I am upset I was not able to show my gratitude for these players choosing PCC, and helping us to become a competitive program again. But I believe they all love being a Lancer and the ones who do return will have a different take on the sport they love and the fact that it really can be taken away in an instance."
Valley Febles in action.
The freshmen group also were big contributors to the Lancers success. First baseman Katelyn Wooton was batting .327 and "Bear" led the team with two home runs and 22 RBI. Second baseman Ahylie Rosales had a .347 average with four doubles, a triple and 13 RBI. Pitcher Elena Bahnimtewa's season resulted in a perfect 6-0 record in 44.2 innings and a staff-best 3.92 ERA. Leftfielder Miranda Padilla (.283, eight RBI, six steals) and reserve catcher Melony Hernandez (.286, six SBs) were also making progress in their first collegiate season.
Coach "T" discussed how she has attempted to keep her team engaged as best as possible during the shutdown and the isolation team members have felt in the past eight weeks.
"Since the shutdown we have met on a weekly basis for workouts or check-ins. Our meeting on Wednesday was to chat and see how all of their classes are going and what they have been doing to fill their time. It is a trying time because they have questions about the future of our team and I don't have the answers. I just want to make sure they know that they are still a part of a collegiate program and they still matter to our future."
Katelyn Wooton was having a fine freshman season at the stoppage.
(photos by Michael Watkins)