With so many obstacles that can prevent players from returning to California Community Colleges after their freshmen seasons, Pasadena City College softball coach Monica Tantlinger feels lucky to have a set of five lettermen from her 26-win playoff team of last season that figure to be big factors on the 2019 Lancers.
The '18 returners include All-South Coast Conference Second Team selection and leading hitter Nathalia Velasquez (.425, 13 doubles, 2 HR, 31 RBI), who tied the school record for hits in a season with 62 as a freshman, starting pitcher Britney Lopez (eight wins, 120 plus innings), shortstop and anointed team captain Kaylee Medrano (.282, 18 RBI), first baseman Amanda "Walk-Off" Flores (.307, 27 runs batted in), who four times ended PCC wins with the game-winning RBI and also knocked in the GW RBI in the team's playoff win over Santiago Canyon, and outfielder Leilani Montanez (21 stolen bases).
Throw-in outfielder Alise Allen, who was a regular and hit .287 for the 2017 PCC team that also reached the SoCal Playoffs, and it has the coach excited about the team's experienced nucleus.
"We have an extremely determined and talented returning group," said Tantlinger, who is in her sixth year at PCC. "This is the fruition of having an established recruiting class. My first few years, we were rebuilding the program and sometimes we lost players after one year and and had to fill in with sophomore transfers. Now with our recent success, the players are coming back for that second season.
"This group knew how close we came in that first-round series (lost close 2-out-of-3 games v. No. 5 seed Santiago Canyon) last year. We have a goal to go farther in the postseason."
The PCC freshmen class is led by lefty pitcher Vivian Little, who was a 2-time, All-CIF Los Angeles City selection at Sun Valley's Polytechnic High.
"Little is our hardest thrower as she's got a riseball to go with a screwball. She has a competitiveness to go after hitters. That she throws from the left side makes her very tough."
With Lopez, who threw a no-hitter last year, and Little as a 1-2 punch, the Lancers can also turn to junkball, offspeed relief thrower Austyn Helmuth, a freshman from San Dimas High.
Velasquez is a surprise choice to be a starting catcher after playing exclusively outfield last season. She will work in a tandem with freshman Jennie Chacon (Crescenta Valley HS).
Another key freshman is Valley Febles, who will be the team's leadoff hitter as a lefty slapper and the starting leftfielder. Febles was a teammate of Velasquez when both played together at Encino's Birmingham Charter High. Another lefty hitter is All-LA City Division III Second Team award winner Gabi Perez, who comes to PCC from Esteban Torres High. Perez will be the team's regular centerfielder. Sophomores Montanez and Allen are expected to compete for the right field job as the season progresses.
The infield is made up of Flores at first base, first-year Lancers Shynia Torrez (Arroyo High) and hard-hitting Danielle Ruiz (South El Monte) competing for time at second base, the steady fielding Medrano returning at shortstop, and a talented Lexy Rios (Arroyo) playing third base.
PCC's roster is filled out by freshmen in third baseman Mikayla Talavera (Schurr HS), utility player Samantha Diaz (Monrovia), and outfielder Olivia Nanez, another product of Arroyo.
"I think what makes this team stand out is their work ethic," Tantlinger said. "These kids all want to put in the extra work. Our depth is as good as its ever been. It's a hungry team that wants to win."
Tantlinger returns her entire coaching staff including pitching coach Stephanie Marshall, base coach Nolan Peralta, Allison Lacey and John Zabala.
Pasadena begins a 39-game regular season schedule on Friday, Jan. 25 against state finalist Palomar College at 1 p.m. The Lancers also will play an extended, South Coast Conference slate of 22 games as all crossovers between their North Division and the South Division will count toward conference standings after only division games counting the previous two years. The conference schedule starts on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at Long Beach City College.
PCC's first home game is Thursday, Feb. 7 against Compton College. All home games begin at 2:30 p.m. and are played at off-campus Robinson Park at 1081 N. Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena.