By Anders Jorstad -- STAFF WRITER
For Jessica Peslak, the 2016 softball season has been a long time coming.
The junior pitcher didn’t see a whole lot of action in the 2015 season, appearing in just six games to the tune of a 6.18 earned run average.
Seniors Morgan Lashley and Taylor Pirone were the main forces on the mound that season.
But with the two of them graduating at the end of last year, someone had to step up to take their place.
Peslak is now the go-to pitcher for the Pride.
She’s appeared in 21 games already, all of them starts, and has thrown 110.2 innings with a 4.62 ERA.
“[Last season] I focused on learning from Morgan and Taylor,” said Peslak.
“Every single game I watched them and asked them questions. On and off the field. They really helped me.
“I took every opportunity I could and used that year as a real learning experience. To learn from their mistakes and learn from their triumphs.”
Both pitchers helped Peslak out in different ways.
Lashley – known more as a strikeout pitcher with terrific stuff – helped Peslak out with the physical part of the game such as mechanics and delivery. Pirone, the groundball specialist and innings eater, helped Peslak learn the mental aspects of the game.
To go from throwing just 5 2/3 innings in a whole season to being the most relied-upon pitcher surely isn’t an easy task.
Peslak has been preparing for this role for a long time and her hard work is paying off.
“I haven’t thrown this much since high school,” Peslak said. “But I feel prepared for it. We worked a lot in the offseason.
“Our coaching staff really helped prepare me. It was a tough transition, I’m not going to lie. But I was able to do it with the help of my coaching staff.”
Coming into the season, it appeared that Peslak and incoming freshman Madison Grimm were going to be competing for time on the mound.
Despite the competition between the two pitchers, Peslak says that the two are teammates more than they are rivals.
“We help each other out and try to make each other better,” Peslak said of Grimm.
“When I’m not doing well in a workout she’ll tell me.
“I see her more as a friend who is trying to make me better and I’m doing the same for her.”
The Pride pitching staff, headlined by Peslak and Grimm, has posted a 4.63 ERA so far this season.
The two pitchers have led the Pride to an 18-15 overall record and are both young enough to continue improving their game.
Peslak’s specialty this season has been helping her team win. She’s posted a 12-6 record on the season so far.
The Pride is just 5-7 in games not started by Peslak.
“Softball is a game of failure and you’re going to fail more often than you succeed,” Peslak said. “The coaching staff has helped me deal with adversity and challenges.
“They’ve helped me learn how to bounce back and help my team win. We’re looking to accomplish the same thing we did last year.
“We’re looking for a CAA championship and we want to get better every day. We want to make the regional championship and make it to the College World Series.”