Palmerton head coach Robert Hock wasn't worried too much about his pitchers before the start of the 2015 softball season.

With the likes of last year's ace Kendra Pekurny back and juniors Reese Dugan and Shelby Gower up and coming hurlers, Hock had the luxury of being able to switch things up if he chose.When Pekurny was injured during the third game of the season against Salisbury, Hock's plan was to switch things up depending on who the team was facing. That never really happened.Dugan's competitiveness down the stretch both on the mound and at the plate earned her the 2015 Times News Softball Player of the Year Award.Dugan and Gower rotated starts until Dugan earned the honor and pitched the final 11 games of the season. She finished with an 11-7 record, hurling the Lady Bombers to the District 11 Class AA championship and into the state playoffs."The two alternated early on and were willing to take on the role when Kendra got hurt," Hock said. "Reese stepped it up and just kind of took control of the situation, and she did what she had to on her end and the offense did what they had to on their end to win a lot of games (16)."It was a big boost for the team, especially when Dugan took control."I was definitely nervous when I had to relieve Kendra in the Salisbury game," Dugan said when talking about the early season challenges. "After that, my nerves calmed down and I did a lot better."After the Salisbury game, which was Palmerton's first loss of the season, the Lady Bombers won seven games in a row, with Dugan getting the victory in four of them. She went on to win seven more games through the course of the season.In her first start, she threw a one-hitter and struck out nine to hand Palisades a 10-0 loss. Reese followed that up with a 10-2 win over Northwestern and a 3-0 shutout of Wilson.Dugan won her rematch with Salisbury, 4-2, and then came an easier win over Catasauqua by a 5-0 score and a 5-1 win over Northern Lehigh.In the District 11 Class AA playoffs, the Lady Bombers and Dugan put together a 7-0 win over Catasauqua. It was the third time in four outings that Dugan shut out the Roughies this year. She only allowed two hits (both bunt singles), fanned five and didn't walk a batter.Next up was Pen Argyl, a team that Dugan and the Bombers lost to earlier by a 6-0 score.Dugan worked out of a jam in this one, and the Bombers won 5-3 to reach the district championship.She admitted afterward that she was pitching with a sore wrist but threw 121 pitches and held on to beat Notre Dame of Green Pond, 3-1, to grab the gold medal.A real big game for Dugan came against Bangor, when the Lady Bombers defeated the Slaters 2-1 after losing to Southern Lehigh the day before.Her teammates gave her an early lead and she did her part not allowing a baserunner until the fifth inning."That game came after a tough loss to Southern Lehigh," Hock said. "We were battling for the top spot in the division at that point and we were kind of down a little bit. Reese just pitched a tremendous game and did enough to win it."That kind of just ignited the confidence again that made us feel we were able to beat all of the teams in the league and no one should take us for granted. That was a big boost for us that night."Dugan said all four games against Catasauqua were really intense, but the first won when she got a 1-0 win was probably one she won't forget."Even though one of their girls had a real good hit and Steph (Brinker) caught it, it was a really good game," said Dugan. "At the plate, I just got up there and tried to hit singles, because that's what you need."Dugan was quick to give credit to the fielders behind her who helped keep the game close, always giving them a chance to get a win. She gave special kudos to senior catcher Lauren Campbell."Lauren always came out, and even if it wasn't me, she'd come out and talk to all of us, including the infielders, and calm us down," said Dugan.Dugan really likes to use the curve as her best pitch, hoping to dial in the corner of the plate."I do like to use the fastball a lot, especially if I fall behind," she said. "I do like to switch it up though because it makes it harder for the batter to hit."Making a trip back to the playoffs is definitely on Dugan's list, and she knows it's going to be hard with all of the seniors that have graduated."As long as we stay together as a family like we did last year, I'm sure we can go as far and maybe even farther," Dugan said.With three pitchers returning, Hicks looks at it as a big plus, because you never know when the weather will dictate who you play and how many games might get scheduled in a row."Just knowing how these spring seasons are, the weather may throw that at us once again," Hock said. "So it will be interesting how things fare out for the team and players as well."