Panthers lean on McPhaden, experienced players
By: Justin Feil
Without a senior on the roster, it would be easy for the Princeton Day School softball team to have lower expectations for this season.
The exact opposite is true. Talk has revolved around who is on this year’s team and how they’ve raised hopes for this season with a faster start than in recent seasons.
"I think we’re really surprised with the outcome," said PDS captain Cait McPhaden, whose team was 4-4 going into a scheduled game with Hun on Thursday. "We didn’t have a JV team until this past year. I know I didn’t expect that. We got a lot of freshmen, which is nice. We finally have a JV so they can have some experience and then move up to varsity. It’s really going to help."
McPhaden didn’t need that luxury as a freshman. She stepped right into the starting lineup at shortstop where she’s firmly planted for a third season. She also carries some pressure at the plate, where she’s batting in the clean-up spot for a second straight season.
"Now I have to step it up and be there to back up the younger players," said the junior, who honed her skills playing travel softball in the communities surrounding her Yardley, Pa. home. "If they’re upset, I have to talk them out of it. The team is improving. It’s nice to see it coming along."
"I think we’re right on track," added PDS head coach Trese Lang. "We’re still learning. We’re really doing some nice positive things, especially on offense. Our hitting is improving on a daily basis. It’s nice to see different girls making big hits and contributing. We still need to tighten our defense a little more. We’re right where we want to be right now going into the latter part of the season. The kids are playing really well."
With such a young team, their improvement should continue through the season as they gain experience. McPhaden, who also plays basketball at PDS, can look at how her own experiences over the past three seasons has helped groom her into a solid player, one who’s hoping to take her game beyond next spring to college in two years.
"Coming into freshman season, I came as a second baseman from my travel team and I had a lot of adjusting," she said. "The throws had to be stronger, quicker and more accurate. Now I don’t have many overthrows. And I’ve been working on throwing on the run. If there’s a slow rolling ball, if I just try to throw it, it’s better to keep running."
McPhaden and the Panthers had put together the plays to win four of five before a loss to Peddie on Monday. Instead of being down about having no seniors, McPhaden has opted to look at the bright side of having so many freshmen interested in contributing to the program.
"I’m very positive about that," McPhaden said. "Next year, we’ll have a lot of experience. We’ll have the same pitcher for three years and the same catcher for three years. We’re not losing anybody. We’ll have the same infield and the same outfield.
"We’re going to work with it now," she added. "We want to do our best. It’s only going to make us stronger in the future."
McPhaden has already seen the Panthers take steps in the right direction through the first eight games of the season. There are less instances of them looking like a young team and more signs they are playing well together.
"We have been gelling as a team," McPhaden said. "We used to have some innings, and it was like a snowball effect. If we had one error, it snowballed. We’re starting to tighten that up. And we’re starting to have some nice hits."
PDS has looked to its veteran players to lead it through the early portion of its schedule. The Panthers aren’t exactly junior-laden with just four three-year players on the team.
"What we’ve tried to do is lean on the players that have the travel team experience," Lang said. "Cait McPhaden is one of those players. Everyone respects Cait’s ability. She’s working on improving her footwork and possibly playing at the next level. There are things in her game that she’s working on smoothing out so she’ll be successful at the next level. When younger players look at Cait and see her working on things, it’s contagious. The work ethic is there. If she’s doing it, and she’s a captain, they figure I better do it."
The lead has helped PDS surprise some teams early and given the Panthers a .500 record after eight games. It’s a quick start for a team that most would expect to be looking to next season.
"I don’t think they realize we have so many more people and so much more to work with," McPhaden said. "Our pitcher, Nicole (Auerbach), is starting to get her pitches down. She’s working well with our catcher since they’ve been there for two years."
The .500 start has helped everyone work better together. They’ve rode momentum to some big wins. They beat Timothy Christian, 13-3.
"Once one hits goes, everybody clicks and we all hit," McPhaden said. "Then we start playing well. I guess we’re just gelling."
PDS is getting into the toughest portion of its season with plenty of Prep A teams on the schedule. Peddie and Hun are this week. They’ll also play Lawrenceville and Blair.
"It’s a great barometer for us," Lang said. "It’s a litmus test. I know Hun is sound defensively and that will be a great battle. I think playing the big schools is always challenging for us. But I also think it’s exciting because we have that opportunity. I think the kids are looking forward to it. It’s a great measuring stick to see where we are and where we need to go and what we need to get there."
The Panthers may be a year away from challenging such schools, but a recent stretch of four wins in five games has given the Panthers a new outlook for the season from what they and everyone expected coming into a senior-less year. The goals have grown from their original size.
"Midway through the season, I hope we continue to do as well as we are doing," McPhaden said. "I hope we play error-less ball and get some hits and string together some more wins. That would be nice. And win the Patriot Conference. We’re definitely trying to do what we’ve shown we can. Now I know we’re capable of it."