Successful Florida trip gets Plum baseball warmed up for section schedule

By: John Phillips
Sunday, March 23, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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After laboring through a long, cold winter, like many up north, visions of a beautiful Florida sun come March will always help with getting into a better mood.

For the Plum baseball team, that formula was a winning one last week, as the team ventured to St. Petersburg to participate in a baseball extravaganza held this time of year at the Baseball City complex.

For Mustangs coach Carl Vollmer, it was a good decision to go south before the season begins and participate in an event like this.

“It’s a variety of teams from all over the country that come to this facility and play,” Vollmer said from Florida. “Whoever is down here on this trip, they will play good teams. Locally, South Fayette and Montour were down here while we were. It’s good competition.”

Competing against teams from all over the United States, Plum won two scrimmages and all three regular games it competed in. Plum beat two teams from New York and one from Florida.

Vollmer is in his 21st year as Plum’s coach. Over that time, he has seen a lot in the game change. Its evolution is not lost on him.

“There is so much that’s different now,” he said. “That is an entire article in and of itself. The game and training have evolved. Players have evolved. They are bigger, faster and stronger. Resources also have changed.

“The game is the same, but training, the AAU programs, there is so much that has changed. The fundamentals of baseball don’t change. Hitting, fielding, running the bases has not.”

Vollmer had a full roster of players make its way south, with 10 pitchers who got to see time on the mound, including returning starter junior Braden Kemmerer.

“Real games are good to see where kids are,” said Vollmer. “Braden started the first game and pitched well for us. We like what we saw.”

Others who toed the rubber in St. Pete include senior Michael Tedrick, who had 10 Ks in his start. Junior Gregg Huff threw the ball well and effectively for Plum, while senior Jake Domkowski showed some grit in relief, according to Vollmer.

“We had a lot of guys step up and deliver,” he said. “We have a large number of inexperienced players after losing 10 seniors to graduation, but the pitching was strong overall.”

With Florida in the rearview mirror, attention now turns to the rugged Section 1-5A season about to begin. Vollmer said the team will be prepared.

“We’re cautiously optimistic about what is ahead,” Vollmer said. “A lot has yet to be determined. Maybe we are as overlooked as any team out there due to the fact we have a lot of kids who are unproven. It’s my job to pull it all together and get a team on the field to win baseball games.”

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