Softball Capsules: Taking a Quick Look at Area Softball Teams
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
City High
Coach: Jeff Koenig (8th season)
Assistant coaches: Peyton Koenig, Taylor Kurtz
Last season: 34-8, 26-4 MVC (5A State Tournament)
Returning starters: Lianna Hull, Fr., INF; Avy Lindsey, Fr., INF; Georgia Kimm, Sr., OF; Elyse Rios, Sr., OF; Sydney McCleary, C/INF
Other returning letterwinners: Kylie Cronk, Sr., P; Lexi Ellermeirer, Jr., P
Newcomers to watch: Molly Carlson, 8th, UTIL; Addison McKillip, Fr., P/INF; Makenzie Brown, Fr., INF; Goose Gruke-Mangrich, Fr., P; Abbie Fredericks, Jr., UTIL; Olivia Knoche, Jr., INF; Kaitlyn Brown, Soph., INF
Top returning hitters: Lianna Hull .504 BA, 50 Runs, 31 RBI; Georgia Kimm .250 BA, 22 Runs, 12 RBI
Top returning pitchers: Kylie Cronk 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 K, 9 IP
Headliner: Freshman Lianna Hull returns after an impressive debut season in which she led City High in batting average at .504 as an eighth grader.
Hull did more than just hit for average, she scored 50 runs and drove in 31 more, stole 25 bases and collected 11 walks while posting an on-base percentage of .547 and struck out just nine times in 137 plate appearances.
Keep an eye on: Seniors Elyse Rios and Georgia Kimm have been part of the City High past success and are both capable of putting together big final seasons as they step into large roles.
Kimm hit .250 with two home runs and 12 RBI last season while Rios hit .222 with five extra-base hits and seven RBI.
Both should be in for the best seasons of their careers in 2022.
Breakdown: It is easy to focus on who is gone from last year’s team that went 34-8 and advanced to the state tournament for the third time in four seasons.
All-staters Ella Cook, Ayana Lindsey and Carey Koenig are all gone after turning the City High program into one of the best in the state.
Even with the losses to graduation the cupboard is far from bare for veteran coach Jeff Koenig.
Hull gives the Little Hawks a dynamic threat at the top of the order along with fellow freshman Avy Lindsey who hit .228 and scored 24 as a freshman starter last season.
Rios and Kimm are veterans in the outfield who are poised for breakthrough seasons and classmate Sydney McCleary is another candidate for a strong senior season.
The big question for the Little Hawks is in the circle where senior Kylie Cronk has big shoes to fill replacing all-state hurlers Ayana Lindsey and Ella Cook.
Cronk is a veteran and as she earns experience should help City High continue its string of recent success.
Clear Creek Amana
Coach: Jodie Scheetz (3rd season)
Assistant coaches: Bryn Hanrahan, Blake Wilson, Eden Campbell, Sasha Frauholz, Ella Cook
Last season: 30-10, 18-6 WAMAC (Class 4A State Tournament)
Returning starters: Bailey Olerich, Sr., CF; Emma Mathis, Sr., LF; Ashley Webb, Jr., P; Avery Allan, Jr., RF; Olivia Miller, Jr., 2B; Reese Stockman, Soph., 3B
Other returning letterwinners: Bliss Beck, Soph., P; Hailey Frost, Sr., 3B; Jenna Zilyette, Fr., P; Kenadi Wood, Soph., P;
Top returning hitters: Bailey Olerich .467 BA, 37 Runs, 17 RBI; Avery Allan .376 BA, 3 HR, 33 RBI
Top returning pitchers: Ashley Webb 19-7, 1.54 ERA, 199 K, 181 2/3 IP; Bliss Beck 6-2, 6-2, 2.91 ERA, 59 K, 45 2/3 IP
Headliner: Junior pitcher Ashley Webb is coming off a breakthrough season in which she emerged as one of the top hurlers in Class 4A.
The left-handed throwing Webb earned all-state status last season as a sophomore after posting a 19-7 record, 1.54 ERA and .80 WHIP while striking out 199 in 181 2/3 innings.
Keep an eye on: Senior centerfielder Bailey Olerich took a big step forward last season in her first full-time season in the lineup and should be in for an even better year in 2022.
Olerich hit a team-high .467 a year ago and led the Clippers in hits (54), stolen bases (35) and on-base percentage (.504).
Breakdown: Clear Creek Amana returned to the state tournament for the first time since 2014 last season falling to ADM 1-0 in the 4A quarterfinals.
The Clippers have the returning talent to make another state tournament run this summer.
Webb and Olerich headline a strong group of six returning starters from last year’s team that won 30 games.
Senior outfielder Emma Mathis hit .354 with 28 RBI and led the Clippers with 38 runs scored last season while junior outfielder Avery Allan returns after hitting .376 with three home runs among 14 extra-base hits and 33 RBI.
Junior Olivia Miller (.314 BA, 21 RBI) and sophomore Reese Stockman (.310, 10 doubles, 24 RBI) return in the infielder for the Clippers.
Webb headlines a strong returning pitching staff that also features sophomore Bliss Beck (6-2, 2.91 ERA, 45 2/3 IP) and freshman Jenna Zillyette (4-1, 2.37 ERA, 23 2/3 IP).
Solon
Coach: Brad Holub (1st season)
Assistant coaches: Cory Keeney, Monika Bevans, Skyler Stookey
Last season: 26-13, 16-8 WAMAC
Returning starters: Hilary Wilson, Jr., SS; Camryn Keith, Sr., 1B; Ava Stebral, Sr., 2B; Tiffany Primmer, Sr., 3B; Kendall Jensen, Soph., P; Carly Ellison, Sr., P/UTIL; Meghan O’Neill, Sr., OF
Other returning letterwinners: Izzy Frees, Fr., P/UTIL; Claire LaDage, Jr., UTIL; Mia Stahle, Soph., OF
Newcomers to watch: Sarah Holtz, Jr., C/1B; McKenna Rogers, 8th, UTIL
Top returning hitters: Hilary Wilson .548, 7 HR, 47 RBI; Camryn Keith .515, 8 HR, 55 RBI
Top returning pitchers: Kendall Jensen 15-8, 2.04 ERA, 70 K, 113 1/3 IP; Izzy Frees 6-2, 2.36 ERA, 28 K, 59 1/3 IP
Headliner: A starter since her eighth-grader season junior shortstop Hilary Wilson has established herself as one of the best hitters and all-around top players in Class 3A.
Wilson hit .548 with 28 extra-base hits last season, pounding seven home runs and driving in 47 runs.
Keep an eye on: Senior first baseman Camryn Keith teams with Wilson to give the Spartans one of the most productive hitting tandems in the state.
Keith had her own stellar season a year ago hitting .515 with a career-high eight home runs and 55 RBI.
Breakdown: Brad Holub takes over at Solon after posting a 76-18 record in three seasons at Anamosa.
Holub takes over a Solon squad that returns much of the firepower from a squad that averaged nearly eight runs per game while going 26-13 a year ago.
Wilson and Keith lead a list of returning starters in what should be a potent Spartan lineup.
Senior infielder Tiffany Primmer returns after hitting .437 with 17 runs and 14 RBI last season while senior second baseman Ava Stebral is back after hitting .351 with 19 runs and 30 RBI.
Senior Meghan O’Neill is back in the outfield after hitting .360 with 26 runs scored and 12 RBI a year ago and senior Carly Ellison is back after hitting .416 with two home runs and 23 RBI.
The Solon pitching staff returns intact from a year ago with sophomore Kendall Jensen (15-8, 2.04 ERA) and freshman Izzy Frees (6-2, 2.36) the top options along with Ellison (5-2, 4.12).
Regina
Coach: Angela Kessler (2nd season)
Assistant coaches: Lyndi Van Tiger, Isabelle True, Craig Stratton
Last season: 20-13, 12-5 RVC (Class 2A State Tournament)
Returning starters: Emma Nibaur, Sr., P/OF; Courtney Kessler, Jr., C/UTIL; Gabby Sueppel, Soph., INF; Avery Kies, Soph., OF; Ali Clark, Soph., UTIL
Other returning letterwinners: Jillian Panther, Jr., P/1B
Newcomers to watch: Dani Laughlin, Jr., CF; Laci Chambliss, Fr., C/3B; Kennedy Connor, Fr., C/3B
Top returning hitters: Courtney Kessler .641, 3 HR, 27 RBI; Emma Nibaur .320, 30 Runs, 15 RBI.
Top returning pitchers: Emma Nibaur 17-7, 2.02 ERA, 142 K, 159 1/3 IP; Jillian Panther 1-4, 7.09 ERA, 11 K, 25 2/3 IP
Headliner: Junior catcher Courtney Kessler returns to bolster the middle of the Regina lineup after proving to be one of the most efficient and productive hitters in the state last season.
Kessler led the state in batting average last season at .641 and had 13 extra-base hits, including three home runs, while leading the Regals with 27 RBI.
Kessler scored 23 runs and didn’t strike out in 71 plate appearances last season.
Keep an eye on: Senior pitcher Emma Nibaur emerged as one of the better two-way players in 2A last season earning all-state honors after hitting .320 while leading the Regals in the circle.
Nibaur is at her best in the circle where she posted a 17-7 record and 2.02 ERA with 142 strikeouts in 159 1/3 innings last season.
Breakdown: Regina returned to the state tournament last season for the first time since 2018 last season falling to North Linn 5-2 in the 2A quarterfinals.
The Regals return a team capable of making another trip to Fort Dodge in 2022.
Nibaur and Kessler headline the list of returning starters and are among the best in Class 2A at their positions.
Sophomores Gabby Sueppel, Avery Kies and Ali Clark all return with varsity experience.
Sueppel hit .207 last season while Clark and Kies each got their feet wet at the varsity level.
Head coach Angela Kessler expects junior Jillian Panther to make major strides this summer after a strong offseason and likes the list of newcomers for the Regals.
West Branch
Coach: Eric Stenberg (1st season)
Assistant coaches: Emily Frauenholz, Anna Stenberg, Nicki Henson, Maddy Hatfield, Mady Madsen
Last season: 16-17, 11-8 RVC
Returning starters: Kya Montgomery, Soph., OF/INF; Iva Senio, Jr., CF
Other returning letterwinners: Addie Wehde, Sr., INF/P; Jordan Waters, Fr., OF; Lexi Klinkkammer, Sr., P/C/INF; Ava Finley, Jr., SS; Lanie Meyer, Fr., 1B; Hannah Sciele, Jr., P/1B
Newcomers to watch: Juliana Laing, Fr., OF/C; Anna Waterman, Jr., 2B
Top returning hitters: Iva Senio .440 BA, 7 2B; Lexi Klinkkammer .333 BA, 23 RBI.
Top returning pitchers: Hanna Schiele 12-12, 5.15 ERA, 79 K, 136 IP; Lexi Klinkkammer 3-3, 7.12 ERA, 25 K, 58 IP
Headliner: Senior Lexi Klinkkammer will play all over the diamond for the Bears this season and will be valuable in every aspect.
Klinkkammer hit .333 with eight doubles and a home run last season and ranked second on the team with 23 RBI and also posted a 3-3 record and recorded a save in the circle while working 58 inningslast season.
Keep an eye on: Junior centerfield Iva Senio flashed her potential last season when she hit a team-leading .440 with seven doubles and 12 RBI.
Senio will look to improve on the numbers from her first full season in the lineup in an expanded role this season.
Breakdown: Former Benton Community coach Eric Stenberg takes over the reins of the West Branch program after an impressive nine-year run at Benton in which he won 234 games.
Stenberg inherits a West Branch roster that returns a trio of starters in sophomore Kya Montgomery, Senio and Klinkkammer.
Junior Ava Finley also returns with varsity experience along with junior pitcher Hannah Schiele and freshman Lanie Meyer.
Schiele (12-12, 5.15 ERA) and Klinkkammer shared the pitching duties last season and will look to take a step forward this summer.
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