By Blake Colston
Sports Editor
If Piedmont is going to win back-to-back state championships, its pitching staff will be a big reason why.
That makes pitchers Payten Schibbelhute and Hannah Nieuwenhuis two of the most important players on the team. Their unselfishness accentuates their talent and has helped make PHS, currently ranked sixth in the nation, one of the best teams in America.
The key, head coach Keith Coleman said, is that he can pick and choose the matchups that favor each pitcher because they’re willing to split time.
“They understand that the team needs both of them, no doubt about it,” Coleman said. “They’re both team-first kids and we feel confident with both of them.”
The one-two punch has worked to perfection so far this season. Nieuwenhuis has an ERA below 1.00 and Schibbelhute’s is hovering just above 1.00. As a pitching staff, the Lady Wildcats have held 16 of 18 opponents to three runs or less.
“I have to be in the mindset that I’m going to do my best no matter where I’m going to be and just go with the flow,” Nieuwenhuis said.
Nieuwenhuis and Schibbelhute were highly productive last season. They easily could’ve decided to stick with the status quo and had success again this season. Instead, they each spent the offseason adding to their repertoires.
Schibbelhute took the time to perfect her drop ball and Nieuwenhuis added a rise ball. The results have been a nightmare for opposing batters.
In both cases, it took time and patience to fine tune the new pitches. Nieuwenhuis and Schibbelhute spent their spring and summer travel seasons – about 85 to 90 games – getting comfortable throwing them to good hitters.
“Those two things have changed what they can do,” Coleman said. “They’ve always been good, but they’re at a different level now because of those pitches.”
In 2021, Nieuwenhuis primarily moved the ball side to side. Now, paired with her rise ball, batters have no idea where to expect Nieuwenhuis’ pitches to move.
“She can strike out people in bunches with (her rise ball),” Coleman said. “It’s been a game-changer for her.”
Schibbelhute, meanwhile, transformed her drop ball from a pitch that was rarely in the strike zone, to one she can count on.
“At first when (Coleman) wanted me to throw it as a strike, I thought he was crazy,” Schibbelhute said. “Because I thought they were going to hit it everywhere, but it’s going better than I thought it would.”
Initially, hitters did have some success, but after about two months, Schibbelhute started to see results.
“It has definitely helped with getting ground balls and helped us get outs faster,” she said.
“Now we’re throwing a bunch of drop balls because she throws it hard and she gets a lot of swings and misses,” Coleman added.
Nieunwenhuis built her confidence in her rise ball in about six months, she said.
“I knew if I worked at it, it would become my best pitch,” Nieuwenhuis said. “It’s really helped me.”
Coleman said their improvement has put Schibbelhute and Nieuwenhuis in a class of their own.
“Nothing I’ve ever had compares to this in the circle,” he said.
