By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
The Southeast of Saline Trojan softball team has picked up the pace down the home stretch of their 2021 season, entering their final doubleheader tonight on a six game winning streak all by mercy rule.
SES has been a force to be reckoned with this season, outscoring their opponents 191-79 and winning ten games in run-rule fashion.
The production on the field has been a direct result of a team that has been ready to put in the work since day one after losing the 2020 season to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I love that I have to kick this team off the field every single day after practice,” SES head coach Pesha Ptacek said. “They will stay and hit and take extra grounders until the sun goes down every day if we let them.”
While this Trojan team plays like one of the more experienced in the state, Southeast is actually incredibly young this season, led by a number of freshmen and sophomores like Carly Commerford, Maddie Harris, Brielle Ptacek, Chase Gilpin and Lexi Jacobson.
With such a young squad, it took the Trojans some time to realize just how much talent they had on the field this season as the wins began to pour in.
“We had no idea what we had coming into this season,” Ptacek said. “It’s amazing how having a year off changes your entire perspective on things. Last year we would have been very senior heavy and this year we have just one girl who came in with significant varsity time.”
In the circle, Southeast has found a dominant pitching rotation in Commerford, Jacobson and freshman Bryna Baird, who have shut down opposing lineups this year, allowing four or fewer runs in 13 of the teams 18 games this season.
While this Trojan success with such a young squad has come as a surprise to many, it hasn’t shocked Coach Ptacek and her staff, who have enjoyed watching it all unfold this season.
“We are very young and I wouldn’t say that I have been surprised by the production we’ve gotten but it has been exciting to see what these girls are capable of,” she said.
SES will wrap up their regular season with a doubleheader against Russell on Friday before advancing to the state regional looking to punch their ticket to state.
“I can’t wait to see how this group responds in the postseason environment,” Ptacek said. “They are incredibly capable and I think that it would be very fair to say that anything short of a state berth would be disappointing both to us and to the girls.”
Stay tuned to the Salina Post for continuing coverage of the SES Trojan softball team throughout the 2021 postseason.