The 2020 summer sports season is set to get underway on Monday. With only two weeks of preseason preparation for games, many teams may find themselves in a bit of a scramble to piece lineups together and determine where players will best fit. For Pleasantville Softball, their leader in the pitching circle has no debate. Junior Faith Vanderhart is set to be the team’s starting pitcher, picking up where Abby DeJoode left off last season. In 68 ⅔ innings pitched last year, she gave up 95 hits and 31 walks, while striking out 51 batters. After those spot starts last year, she takes the lead this season on what is expected to be another talented Trojan team. Head Coach Jan Haugen says that Vanderhart will undoubtedly be ready to go, and he should have some serviceable reserves as well.

“Faith will be ready. She’s very confident and very good for this early in the season. So we’re counting on her quite a bit to lead the way for us. One of the things that helps a little bit schedule-wise is that you can probably pitch that same girl every night if you want to, because it’s not like baseball where you have to wait two or three days. I think I’ve got two or three other pitchers who might be ready, and we’re working on it. If we can throw strikes, I think we can win some games.”

The Trojans enter the season as the #14 ranked team in Class 2A. Pleasantville begins the season Monday at Van Meter.