The Plum softball team is a perennial playoff qualifier in Class 3A.
That consistency is what drives each class that puts on a Mustangs uniform.
But recent games in the playoffs have proved to be frustrating.
Plum has reached the WPIAL playoffs six times since 2019, but first-round exits each time, some agonizing in their result, have the Mustangs searching to end the streak.
Coach Phil DiLonardo and his players hope the seven-game playoff losing streak comes to an end this season.
With seven starters back, the optimism is there.
“The goal for this team is to not only get to the playoffs but also advance in the playoffs and see what we can do,” DiLonardo said. “These girls have put in the work and have the motivation to get it done.”
But DiLonardo knows there is much work to be done before a playoff berth is achieved.
Plum started 3-0 with a 4-2 nonsection win over Knoch, a 10-0 Section 1-5A mercy rule win over rival Franklin Regional and a 15-1 rout of Mars in nonsection play.
The Mustangs then ran into two section buzzsaws against Fox Chapel and Shaler.
The Foxes scored a 5-0 win March 25 behind a one-hitter from Lexi Stabile.
Shaler got the better of Plum two days later as Titans ace and Indiana commit Bria Bosiljevac walked two but didn’t allow a hit in a 4-0 win.
“We’ve had trouble with (Bosiljevac) for the past three years,” DiLonardo said. “She is one of the best in the WPIAL.
“The Fox Chapel pitcher was a little bit of a surprise.”
The Mustangs had no trouble dispatching Penn Hills on April 1. They scored twice in the second, four times in the fourth and put the game on ice with eight more in the fourth.
Penn Hills managed just one hit, a solo home run off senior starter Riley Stephans to lead off the top of the fourth. But Stephans came back to strike out three in a row, and she fanned a total of 13.
Junior Brooke Bernosky led a 14-hit attack with three hits, including a double, and two runs scored. Stephans, senior Mackenzie Marotta and sophomore Lily DeLuca each homered for the Mustangs.
Plum was slated to face New Castle (6-1, 3-1) on Monday followed by a rematch with Mars on Wednesday.
The Mustangs get another crack at Fox Chapel on Friday.
“The girls were confident coming out of those games (with Fox Chapel and Shaler) that they could get it turned around,” DiLonardo said. “They understand that the only way is forward. They approached practices with a good attitude knowing that they had a chance to get back on track.
“Last year, the section was so competitive, and it still is. It is probably one of the most competitive sections in Class 5A. We just have to go out and compete and see how everything falls into place.”
Senior catcher Liana Yusko anchors the defense and is strong in the hitting lineup. She earned first-team all-section honors last year in the infield.
“Liana has been a catcher for most of her life,” DiLonardo said. “The way it worked out the past few years was that she helped us out wherever we needed her. She was willing to do whatever she could to help the team win. Dani was solid behind the plate, and Liana was, too. Liana is just so versatile.”
DiLonardo said seniors Marotta and Stephans give the team comfort in the pitching circle. Marotta (infield) and Stephans (pitcher) each earned all-section second-team laurels a year ago.
“A lot of teams only have one varsity pitcher,” DiLonardo said. “It is a good feeling to know we have two, and both can go in the circle and get the job done. They both are more than capable of winning you a game, and they’ve shown that already this season.”
Experience also comes from Bernosky, Deluca, senior Gia Tavella, junior Sydney Pici and senior Jaiden Gentile.
“We have a lot of experience, which is good,” DiLonardo said. “We have a lot of talented kids who know how to win.”
Sophomore Abbey Leff joined the team in the offseason as a transfer from Gateway.
“She’s a nice player for us,” DiLonardo said. “She has a strong arm. She brings another left-handed bat into the lineup. That is sometimes difficult for high school pitchers to deal with.”