(NOTE: This is the first article in a three-part series previewing the Lady Wildcats' 2019 season.)
POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The Pearl River softball team heads into the 2019 season with a strong blend of familiar faces and new names that has head coach Leigh White cautiously optimistic.
That's particularly true in the pitcher's circle. Not only do the Lady Wildcats have the luxury of returning two starters from a year ago — and a third with extensive pitching experience —but they add to their group three freshmen arms who could play big roles in '19.
"As a whole, we're looking good as a staff. We're a lot deeper than a year ago," White said. "We went from three pitchers last year to six who can throw."
VETERAN LEADERSHIP
Although workhorse Olivia Holley (Biloxi) is now at William Carey, the Lady Wildcats return two experienced starters in recent Belhaven signee Dallas Blaker (Bay St. Louis; Our Lady Academy) and Rylee Swilley (Kiln; Hancock). PRCC has a third experienced arm in Krista Robles (Destrahan, La.), who pitched in 2017, but sat out last year due to injury.
Blaker and Swilley combined to pitch 169 1/3 innings in 2018 with a 8-5 record. Swilley boasted a 3.83 ERA, while Dallas had a 4.63 mark in the circle.
"Dallas and Rylee have a lot of experience. They know what it's going to take to get to that tournament at the end of the year, which is where we want to be," White said. "With their experience, they're going to lead these other ones. Those two are going to step up.
"I feel sure they're going to be our leaders in the circle this year. I'm looking forward to seeing them get back out there and grinding it out. The other ones are going to follow suit."
Blaker's calling card in the circle is her devastating changeup.
"Dallas spins the ball well. She has a changeup that will throw the batters off," White said. "You have to have a good changeup in this league to keep the batters off balance and that's what she does well. She has every pitch, but that changeup for her is really effective. She can spot it up."
Without tipping her pitches, Blaker said she spent the offseason working on ways to complement her out pitch.
"I've just been perfecting the little things I can fix," she said. "Last year my best pitch was my changeup so people are going to be looking for that. I have to perfect complementary pitches."
White sees a complete pitcher in Swilley; one who's not afraid to work both sides of the plate.
"Rylee has a lot of velocity. She commands the circle well and will sneak one on you inside and a lot of batters catch the handle," White said. "She will throw a changeup in there and it's really, really nasty after her speed pitches."
Like Blaker, Swilley has focused on rounding out her game — both in the circle and dugout.
"I have been trying to work on my spots, getting that spin right, and pinpointing it," she said. "I'm also trying to be a better leader. As a sophomore I know I have to step up.
"In the circle I have the ball in my hand to start every play, so I'm trying to step up and be a leader, whether it's vocally or through my actions.
In some ways Robles is an x-factor for the Lady Wildcats after being sidelined in 2018.
"She's coming along. Krista is more of a change-of-pace to throw you off type of pitcher," White said of Robles, who was 2-1 in 2017 with a 4.55 ERA in 40 innings. "She has a lot more movement and tries to make the batter swing at pitches. She wants to make you chase."
NEWCOMERS
White's blessed with three freshmen who she believes can fill any role, whether it's starter or reliever — roles, she said, which are still up for grabs.
"Every team we face can hit. What's great about us is we have six pitchers. What's great about that is teams are not going to know who we're going to throw," White said. "Any given game any of those girls can start. We're just trying to see what combination is going to work best for us."
Gracie Barnett (Vancleave) could be a power pitcher for PRCC.
"She can really throw it," White said. "She has a little heat coming behind it. She can really dominate in early innings."
Like Robles, Brianna Hargrove (Oakdale, La.) is a Louisiana product who should have an impact on the PRCC staff in '19.
"Bri has really had a good week of scrimmages," White said Monday. "She really got up there and stepped it up. That was good for us to see that she got out there and really owned the circle."
The third freshman who will see time in the circle is Grace Stringer (Moselle; South Jones). White said Stringer already has good command and her velocity is progressing.
"She got out there and kept some of our batters off balance," White said. "She can really rattle the glove pretty good. She's picked up a lot of speed. With Grace she can spot it up well."
LET'S GET STARTED
PRCC opens the season Saturday at Pensacola State College's tournament. The Lady Wildcats play Roane State at 3 p.m. and will turn right around and play the host immediately after.
PRCC will make its home debut the following weekend with the annual Wildcat Invitational.
The Lady Wildcats play Marion Military Institute and LSU-Eunice at 2 and 6 p.m., respectively, on Feb. 8 and then play Baton Rouge in a doubleheader on Feb. 9.
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