I promised last week I’d have some preliminary softball statistics and outlook for the News-Telegraph area.
And that I have for this edition of Brian’s Bunch.
And it could be a big summer for Atlantic, if some prognosticators’ predictions are spot on.
In what was considered a “down” year in the aftermath of seven seniors graduating in 2021, the Trojans still went 14-6 and placed third in the rugged Hawkeye Ten Conference, and reached the regional finals.
The Trojans will miss Jada Jensen, thanks to a soccer injury that will cause her to miss the year. She brought in 42 runs on 12 doubles, four triples and five home runs, so that’ll be a big void to fill.
But there are some good runners coming, starting with Zoey Kirchhoff and her nine extra base hits, big factors in driving in 23 runs. Ava Rush, a senior, had a .322 average and scored 49 runs while stealing 42 bases. Madison Huddleson and Claire Pellett were each perfect in base-stealing, with 19 and 16, respectively.
Kirchhoff is a two-way standout, and is among the top returning Hawkeye Ten pitchers with a 2.94 ERA and 174 strikeouts. Riley Wood adds to the bullpen, with her 4.32 ERA and 70 strikeouts.
Some excellent ingredients to work with. I hope to have more on the Trojans in a season preview article early next week ... once state track winds down.
Of the other area teams, Griswold will be looking to make its first serious state tournament bid, and a trip to Fort Dodge would be the school’s first since 1985. They’ve got the talent to do it, and junior Karly Millikan is one reason why. A two-way standout for Griswold, Millikan had nine doubles and a home run off her .421 average. Makenna Askeland had seven doubles and a home run off her .342 average at the plate. Four returning players have at least 10 stolen bases, led by junior Whitney Pennock’s 12.
Pitching is a strong suit, with Millikan going 12-3 with a 1.52 ERA and striking out 114. The key will be developing a No. 2 pitcher.
Exira-EHK could be strong again, but the top pitcher for the Spartans (Macy Emgarten) has graduated. The ace duties could fall on junior Hannah Nelson, who had a 4.20 ERA and eight strikeouts in 10 innings of primarily relief work last year. The offense will have to help support her, and two – Quinn Grubbs (.433, nine RBIs) and Shay Burmeister (.385, 30 hits and 17 RBIs) – will be looked to to lead the way.
CAM, also in the Rolling Valley Conference along with Exira-EHK, returns its best offensive weapons in Emma Follmann (.313, nine extra-base hits, 13 RBIs) and Breeanna Bower (.298, 17 hits). Follmann went 7-4 in the circle while compiling a 3.19 ERA and striking out 48.
Over in the Western Iowa Conference, area teams won 19 conference games, with AHSTW taking third, Audubon sixth and Riverside ninth.
Audubon has a consistent batting lineup, but nobody is above .300, as Jordan Porsch (.298, 20 RBI) and Mattie Nielsen (.294, five extra base hits) will probably lead the lineup. Both pitchers are back and experienced, with Kali Irlmeier (8-4, 1.74 ERA, 104 strikeouts) and Alexis Obermeier (4-10, 3.03 ERA, 92 K’s) able to keep opposing teams off the board.
AHSTW’s Rylie Knop has the strongest returning bat, with a .409 average and 18 RBIs. Graceyn Partlow, also a junior, has nine extra base hits among her 33 total hits, all helping bring home 21 runs. Partlow also swiped 25 bases last year. With the graduation of Ally Meyers as pitcher, Sienna Christensen (3-3, 9.45 ERA), Loralei Wahling (1-3, 6.36 ERA) and Halle Goodman (0-1, 5.50 ERA) are the big options,
Riverside won just twice in the league and have a new coach in Lacie Petersen, but there are some promising players that are expected to return. Sophomore Elly Henderson hit a .419 and had 31 base hits a year ago, and she stole 29 bases, but she was more of a lead-off hitter as she scored just four RBIs, so she’ll maybe be looked to for more run production. Pitching – the bullpen averaged 8.38 last year – and defense, with 79 miscues last year will need to improve if Riverside hopes to improve.
ACGC’s Reagan Carney had a .379 average at the plate and drove home 19 runs. Sophie Dorsey is also back and sports a .357 average with six extra base hits.
So when one sport winds down, another begins.
Should be an exciting summer on the softball diamond.
