MONROE — The PCM softball team has found many different ways to win 20 games this season.
The Class 3A No. 8 Mustangs have registered 11 shutouts, allowed one run five times and surrendered three or less runs in every victory this summer.
And all of that is possible because the squad’s team earned run average is 1.07.
“It’s nice to know we have the pitching this year that can cover up the mistakes we make,” PCM head softball coach Shaun Hudnut said.
The Mustangs didn’t make too many mistakes on Thursday but were limited to only three hits in a 2-0 non-conference win over BCLUW.
PCM won the game because eighth-graders Libby Winters and Camden Webb combined for a no-hitter against the Comets.
Webb tossed the final four frames after Winters started and pitched the first three.
Webb leads the entire state with 10 saves but this time got the win after striking out six and walking just one in four innings.
“I don’t prefer either or. I like them both as long as I get in there,” Webb said when asked if she prefers to start or come in as a reliever. “Being able to come into pitch is less nerve-wracking though because we usually have runs on the board.
“It felt good. I was throwing well. The defense made some good plays, too.”
There were not runs on the board when Webb entered the game against BCLUW. PCM was limited to one hit until scoring both runs in the sixth.
Lark Drake walked with one out in the frame, and then moved to third on Tori Lindsay’s two-out single. The ball got past the BCLUW right fielder and rolled all the way to the fence.
That allowed both Drake and Lindsay to move up a base. Drake may have scored but stumbled around second base before strolling into third.
She wasn’t on third base long though as Winters delivered the game-winning two-run, two-out RBI single.
“I was just trying to make contact with the ball to be honest,” Winters said.
The only other hit of the game came from Drake as she singled in the Mustangs’ very first at-bat of the game. They were retired in order in the second, third and fifth.
Winters reached on a fielding error by the Comets’ right fielder in the fourth but was stranded on second base.
“We didn’t quite hit the way we wanted to tonight,” Hudnut said. “We have a few girls who are working through some confidence stuff, others have some technique issues and a lot of it is finding good pitches to hit. We are hitting pitcher’s pitches and not our pitches right now.”
Winters struck out two batters in the first and worked through the first two hitters reaching in the second. She walked another batter with one out in the third.
“It wasn’t the best. I wasn’t hitting my spots,” Winters said. “The defense really helped me out.”
Winters allowed two walks and hit one batter in three innings. Webb improved to 5-1 and lowered her earned run average to .94, which ranks fifth in 3A. She has 68 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings.
“Libby was frustrated with the zone and had trouble with that at times, so we got her through three and thought it was time to make a change,” Hudnut said.
Drake led the offense with one hit, one walk and one run, while Winters added one hit and two RBIs and Lindsay posted one hit and one run. Webb drew a walk in the fifth.
Lindsay leads PCM (20-3) with 26 runs and 43 total bases, while Winters improved her team-best RBI total to 27.
The Mustangs are averaging 6.5 runs per game but also have two 2-0 wins, a 1-0 victory and a 3-0 triumph this summer.
Hudnut felt like one of the issues was the team maybe having a bit too much confidence against a 1A team with a sub-.500 record.
“Some of it, too, is when you get into that top 10 ranking and you see a .500 team on the other side, I think we mentally thought it was just going to happen,” Hudnut said. “That’s a good lesson for us heading into regionals that we have to take every team serious.”
Klayre Gallentine tossed all six innings for the Comets (13-14) and allowed one earned run on three hits and two walks and she fanned two.
PCM 6, Nevada 0
The Mustangs only out-hit Nevada by one but held an 8-1 advantage in walks and hit by pitches during a 6-0 win on Wednesday.
PCM scored two in the first and two in the fourth and took advantage of one Nevada error in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference victory.
The Mustangs finished their conference season with a 13-1 record. They won their first conference championship since 2014 after West Marshall dropped to 12-2 following its 3-2 loss to Saydel.
“We have to thank Saydel for knocking off West Marshall for us,” Hudnut said. “We knew after we lost to West Marshall the second time we’d have to match them the rest of the way. We just wanted to take care of our side and hopefully get some help.”
They got help from the Eagles and Rylee Parsons and Webb continued to dominate the league in the circle.
Parsons improved to 13-1 after earning the win and Webb picked up her state-leading 10th save. PCM pitchers have 183 strikeouts in 150 innings.
Parsons surrendered no runs, four hits and one walk and struck out eight in four innings, while Webb allowed three hits and struck out four in three frames.
The 13 wins for Parsons ranks tied for sixth in 3A and she has 93 strikeouts in 73 1/3 innings. Her .86 ERA ranks fourth in 3A.
Lillian Humpal had two of the team’s six hits. She doubled and had one RBI, while Lindsay chipped in one hit and one run and she was hit by two pitches. She’s now been plunked a team-most eight times this summer.
Webb, Hadley Millang and Addi Hudnut had the other hits, Webb doubled and tallied one RBI and Millang and Hudnut each walked once.
Drake walked once, was hit by one pitch and scored one run, Holly Wood walked once, scored two runs and stole one base and Winters walked once, scored one run and stole one base.
Addi Hudnut scored one run and Addison Steenhoek contributed one RBI.
It was PCM’s eighth straight win over Nevada (9-19, 3-11 in the conference) and the Mustangs outscored them 17-3 in their two meetings this season.
Meagan McGaffin led the Cubs with three hits, while Kylie Taylor chipped in two hits.
PCM 3, South Hamilton 1
The Mustangs held South Hamilton to three hits, but the game was tied after four during their HOIAC contest on Monday.
PCM scored twice in the fifth and won 3-1 to score the season sweep on Senior Night. It outscored the Hawks 12-1 in the two meetings.
Winters had two of the Mustangs’ seven hits. She tripled, scored one run, had one RBI and stole one base.
Lindsay and Webb both doubled and had one RBI, Steenhoek, Humpal and Addi Hudnut had the other hits, Drake was hit by a pitch and Lindsay scored one run. Millang walked once and Peyton Lathrum stole one base and scored one run. Drake is the team’s only senior.
Parsons earned the pitching win after allowing one earned run on four hits and one walk in five innings. She struck out seven.
Webb earned the save after surrendering no hits and no runs and striking out one in two frames.
Ashlyn Erickson doubled, walked once and stole one base to lead South Hamilton. The Hawks (13-6, 5-9) lost their eighth straight game to PCM.
Notes : Last week’s non-conference games against Knoxville and Des Moines Christian were canceled. … The Mustangs earned the top seed in 3A Region 2 and open the postseason against Greene County at 7 p.m. on July 11 in Monroe.
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