Moraine Valley softball team peaks at right time; Thielmann is Pitcher of the Year

In a season of peaks and valleys, the Cyclones came together to fight in the playoffs at the end, yielding several individual awards including Pitcher of the Year.

The Cyclones fought hard throughout a season that was littered with cancellations due to weather. There were games they should have won, but didn’t because of errors, yet that’s when they grew most as a team. They wrapped up their season in the NJCAA Region IV quarterfinals with a win and two losses to Triton College. In that series, the Cyclones produced runs in nearly every inning and committed zero fielding errors.

“At the end we were able to learn from our mistakes in fielding and batting and put up an amazing fight in playoffs. That is what the season is all about. Learning from your mistakes and making sure you don't make the same mistake twice as well as coming out your strongest at the end of the season,” said head Coach Natalie Wigginton, who led the team for the first time after serving as an assistant for several years. “Overall this season was a good one. I had a good group of girls that never gave up.”

Overall, Moraine Valley went 16-18 with a 10-4 Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference record that placed them third. The Achilles’ heel of the team was leaving too many players on base in scoring position. Those same games seemed to coincide with ones where fielding or throwing errors put the Cyclones behind on the scoreboard. Otherwise the team was able to reach the goals they set out before almost every game, which helped the players continue to work on being aggressive and smart at the plate and produce runs.

Aside from battling in the playoffs, several players had a definitive season. Sophomore Hannah Thielmann (Andrew) shined on the pitcher’s mound, especially in her matchup with College of Lake County on April 19 when she struck out 13 batters. In conference alone she pitched 12 games with eight wins, a 2.12 ERA, 63 strikeouts, and 16 walks. That effort earned her Skyway Pitcher of the Year. Her batting wasn’t too bad either. In conference she averaged a .490 and .528 on-base percentage with 14 RBIs and 24 hits, good enough to get her on the All-Conference team and All-Region first team. “Hannah did an amazing job pitching. She will be a big loss next season. She was an amazing captain and leader on and off the field,” Wigginton said.

But Thielmann wasn’t alone in her achievements. Sophomore Molly Pohrebny (Richards) was named to the All-Conference team along with freshman Sam Owens (Stagg) who also had nods to the All-Region second team. At the plate in conference, Pohrebny averaged .525 with 11 RBIs, three doubles, two triples, and 23 hits while the leftie Owens averaged .565 with a .611 on-base percentage, 21 RBIs, 11 doubles, one triple, and 26 hits. “Sam played a great first base and will be starting there next year as well as being the captain of the team,” Wigginton said. “Molly will be missed at third base next year. She had amazing plays that I didn't think could have been made.”

Nicole Roney (De La Salle) was the starting left fielder and was effective at tracking the ball, being aggressive, always diving to make the play, and keeping the ball in front of her. She was a standout in the outfield as well as the lead-off hitter. The Cyclones other pitcher, Maddie Poole (Sandburg), proved herself on the mound and will be a force to be reckoned with next year. She had good movement and her spot location progressed as the season went on. Catcher Emily Janozik (Queen of Peace) was solid behind the plate and is expected to return there next season.

“All around I had hard working girls, and it was a pleasure to coach them. Just as it was for the girls, it was a learning experience for me as well. I had a great assistant coach, Ari [Bulthius], by my side. We are a great team, and I couldn't have done it without her,” Wigginton said. “The team is in its rebuilding years, and the recruiting process is going well. The team will always have the talent to put up a good fight.”