Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Softball season has officially arrived.

Monday is opening day for softball teams across the state with every team hoping to end the season at the state tournament schedule for July 18-22 at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.

Before games get underway Your Prep Sports offers a list of some of the top area talent to keep an eye on this season.

Here are players to watch this summer in the Your Prep Sports area.

Ashley Webb,

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

In the first extended action of her career last season Webb emerged as one of the top pitchers in Class 4A earning second-team all-state honors after helping Clear Creek Amana return to the state tournament for the first time since 2014.

Webb posted a 19-7 record and 1.54 ERA last season allowing 123 hits and striking out 199 in 181 2/3 innings.

The left-hander walked just 23 and allowed opponents to hit just .179 last season while posting a .80 WHIP.

Hilary Wilson

Junior, Solon

A stalwart in the Solon lineup since her eighth-grade year Wilson is one of the top run producers and best overall hitters in the state.

Wilson is coming off her best season as a prep when she hit a team-high .548 with 28 extra-base hits, 47 RBI and 65 runs scored last season.

A first-team Class 3A all-state pick Wilson posted a 1.425 OPS last season with 18 doubles and seven home runs.

Emma Nibaur

Senior, Regina

In her second season leading the Regina pitching staff Nibaur emerged as one of the best in 2A posting a 2.02 ERA and .96 WHIP on her way to earning third-team all-state honors.

Nibaur went 17-7 last season and ranked third in Class 2A in opponent batting averaging holding foes to a .141 average while striking out 142 in 159 1/3 innings.

At the plate Nibaur hit .320 with two home runs, 15 RBI and a team-high 30 runs scored.

Lianna Hull

Freshman, City High

Hull burst onto the varsity scene last season leading City High in hits, batting average and on-base percentage as an eighth grader.

In her first varsity season Hull hit .504 with a .547 on-base percentage, drove in 31 runs and scored 50 runs.

Hull also stole 25 bases while striking out just nine times in 142 total plate appearances.

Iva Senio

Junior, West Branch

Senio is coming off the best season of her career when she hit .440 with seven doubles as a sophomore.

The speedy centerfielder scored 16 runs and drove in 12 last season in the first extended action of her career.

Bailey Olerich

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

A three-year starter, Olerich is coming off a breakthrough junior season in which she led the Clippers in hits, batting average, on-base percentage and stolen bases.

Olerich hit a career-high .467 last season, led the Clippers with 35 stolen bases and ranked second on the team with 37 runs scored.

The senior center fielder also had five extra-base hits and drove in 17 runs from the leadoff spot.

Courtney Kessler

Junior, Regina

Kessler established herself as one of the top hitters in Class 2A last season as a sophomore earning second-team all-state honors while helping the Regals return to the state tournament.

The junior catcher hit a state-leading .641 last season while leading Regina with 41 hits, three home runs and 27 RBI.

Kessler posted a 1.655 OPS last season leading the Regals in both slugging percentage (.984) and on-base percentage (.671) and had 13 extra-base hits in 64 at bats.

Camryn Keith

Senior, Solon

Keith teams with Wilson to give Solon one of the most potent hitting duos in Class 3A after a breakthrough junior season in which she led the Spartans in home runs and ranked second on the team in RBI.

The senior first baseman hit .515 with 13 doubles, eight home runs and 55 RBI last season to go with 40 runs scored.

Keith had an OPS of 1.337 a year ago and earned second-team Class 3A all-state honors.

Kennedy Daugherty

Junior, Liberty High

Versatile junior is coming off a breakthrough season in which she hit a career-high .395 while leading the Lightning in hits, runs, doubles, extra-base hits and RBI.

Daugherty had 18 doubles among her team-leading 51 hits a year ago, tied for the team lead with 30 runs score and drove in a team-high 36 runs.

In the circle Daugherty posted a 5-3 record with a 4.29 ERA in 45 2/3 innings.

Ella Nelson

Junior, West High

After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2020 Nelson made a huge jump last season emerging as an effective run producer atop the West High lineup.

Nelson led the Trojans in hits (45), runs (34) and stolen bases (20) last season while hitting a career-best .372 with four doubles and nine RBI.

Kinsley Robertson

Senior, Liberty High

Robertson will look to pick up where she left off last season in her first year as the ace of the Liberty High staff.

The senior came on strong at the end of last summer posting a 10-9 record and 2.92 ERA with 114 strikeouts in 117 1/3 innings.

Robertson also hit .345 with five doubles and 27 RBI last season.

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