The IHSA softball season is starting a week early this year around Illinois.

Jessica Strauch is hoping it also runs longer.

The new Princeton coach is taking over a Tigresses squad featuring 10 returning contributors from a 15-12 campaign and a second-place 8-2 finish in the Three Rivers East. She has high hopes for an extended season.

“We want to stay in season until June 6,” Strauch said, with a nod to the IHSA State Finals. “That’s our goal. Every game we can learn something different. Every game is going to be a challenge.

“We kind of have it like a stepladder. Every game we’re one step closer to our goal.”

Two returning mainstays, junior infielder/pitcher Ava Oertel and senior infielder/outfielder Keely Lawson, said the Tigresses are off to a good start with their new coach.

“I love the energy and chemistry we already have together, and I hope we can continue that. If anything, it just goes to show we are a great team and we can go places if we really want to,” Oertel said.

“I’m really excited. We’ve got some newcomers that will be a great addition to our team. Got great chemistry right now. We’re just trying to roll off what we had last year and keeping it going,” Lawson said. “I’m really hoping we can make it past sectionals this year. We’re strong. We just need to compete the way I know we can and we’ll be all right.”

Strauch, who was an assistant coach at La Salle-Peru, her alma mater, for eight years, is not changing much from how former PHS coach Jhavon Hayes, now hitting instructor at Illinois State University, ran the program.

“We’re always going to change things, but for the better. And they’ve been adapting super well to the changes I’ve made. Things are a little bit different, but a good different,” Strauch said. “They’re like a bunch of sponges. They’re absorbing a lot of stuff.”

“She’s been really helpful. Not trying to change everything. We’re just building off our strengths already, and I think that’s a positive,” Lawson said.

The season is scheduled to start Friday, March 13 at Ottawa.

Oertel is the reigning BCR Player of the Year, the first BCR Triple Crown winner since 2002, leading the area in average (.474) and RBIs (43) along with the 12 homers. She now has 18 homers with two years left to chase the school career record of 25.

The Tigresses also look for big contributions from seniors Izzy Gibson (.447, 7 HR, 16 RBI), slap-hitter leadoff Caroline Keutzer (.391, 14 SB, 28 runs), Lawson (.395, 4, 15), Makayla Hecht (.241) and Sylvie Rutledge (.283) along with junior catcher Kiyrra Morris (.324, 13 RBI) and sophomore Addi Parry (.304).

Oertel and Lawson are two-time, first-team All-BCR selections, with Hecht named in 2024.

Strauch said the Tigresses will have a lot of consistency up and down their lineup with speed and power.

“They’re a very athletic group, lots of talent,” she said. “All of the seniors are doing a great job of teaching the younger girls. They definitely don’t take it easy on them. They hold them accountable.”

The pitching squad remains the same with a trio of arms – Oertel (4-4, 3.35) joined by senior Reese Reviglio (4-7, 4.24) and sophomore Piper Hansen (7-1, 4.23). Strauch said it’s just the right number of arms to have.

“In my previous coaching at L-P, we either had too many pitchers or not enough. And it’s really great to have three returning varsity pitchers,” Strauch said. “They all have their own little niche, their own greatnesses. We also started them early. We got them started in the offseason with a pitching routine working on reps, so by the time we start next week with all these rainout games getting made up they’ll be ready to go.”

Strauch, an insurance agent for State Farm in Peru, is the 10th varsity coach in program history dating back to its inception in 1992.