Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Softball season came to a close in Iowa last month with state champions crowned at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.

Now it is time to honor some of the top players in the state.

The annual Your Prep Sports area team recognizes some of the top area players for their performance on the diamond this season.

The ninth edition of the Your Prep Sports area softball team features all-conference, all-district and all-state players, college recruits and school record holders.

This season’s 24-member team has 11 repeat selections from last season highlighted by City High senior shortstop Lianna Hull who is the third player to be named to the Your Prep Sports all-area team five times.

Solon seniors Addie Miller and Izzy Frees, Liberty High junior Kelsey Kaut, City High junior Molly Carlson and Clear Creek Amana juniors Kyla Schulte and Elizabeth Timmerman all landed on the Your Prep Sports area team for the third time.

Carlson is the captain of the 2025 team following a breakthrough season in which she led City High in batting average (.449), doubles (15), extra-base hits (25), RBI (46), slugging percentage (.803) and OPS (1.303).

2025 Your Prep Sports Area Baseball Team

P – McKenna Kelley, Sr., Clear Creek Amana: A standout season from Kelley played a key role in Clear Creek Amana posting its highest win total in four seasons as the senior right-hander earned second team all-WAMAC West Division honors after going 16-4 with a 2.37 ERA and 54 strikeouts in a team-high 118 innings pitched. Kelley also hit .358 with two home runs and 28 RBI.

P – Kaelyn Rickels, Sr., Liberty High: Rickels thrived in an expanded role in the Liberty High rotation this summer earning Class 5A third team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association after posting a 7-7 record with a 2.66 ERA in a career-high 118 1/3 innings pitched. The senior right-hander struck out 80 and walked just 15 while helping Liberty High return to a 5A regional title game.

P – Ellie Tague, Fr., Liberty High: The other half of a talented Liberty High pitching duo, Tague followed up a stellar debut season with an equally impressive freshman campaign. Tague went 5-7 with a 3.04 ERA while striking out 91 and walking 21 in 115 innings pitched.

C – Molly Carlson, Jr., City High: One of the best backstops in the state, Carlson continued her career climb with a monster junior season in which she batted a career-best .449 with 25 extra-base hits, 10 home runs and 46 RBI on her way to earning first team Class 5A all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. Carlson posted a .803 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.303.

C – Turner Patrick, 8^th, Clear Creek Amana: One of the top young hitters in the state Patrick announced her presence with a stellar varsity debut season in which she hit .450 with eight extra-base hits and 28 RBI on her way to earned second team all-WAMAC West Division honors. Patrick drew 14 walks and led Clear Creek Amana with a .551 on-base percentage and ranked second on the team in slugging percentage (.562) and OPS (1.114).

C – Delores Hubbard, Soph, West High: Hubbard took a big step forward in her second season as a full-time starter earning Mississippi Valley Conference all-division honorable mention honors. Hubbard hit .256 with four extra-base hits, 10 RBI and a team-leading 21 runs and also led West High with 11 walks and a .362 on-base percentage.

INF – Lianna Hull, Sr., City High: A North Texas recruit, Hull led City High in batting for the fifth consecutive season hitting .449 with nine extra-base hits and 11 RBI on her way to earning second team Class 5A all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. A career .490 hitter, Hull led City High in walks (19), runs (43) and on-base percentage (.529).

INF – Kyla Schulte, Jr., Clear Creek Amana: One of the top players in Class 4A and among the best hitters in the state Schulte earned first team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association following a monster season in which she led the Clippers in a multitude of offensive categories. Schulte led Clear Creek Amana in batting average (.459), hits (56), runs (39), doubles (15), home runs (10), extra-base hits (26), RBI (52), slugging percentage (.844) and OPS (1.358).

INF – Keegan Kleppe, Soph., Solon: Kleppe emerged as a major threat at the top of the Solon batting order this season hitting .387 on her way to earning second team all-WAMAC East Division honors. The sophomore second baseman scored a team-high 32 runs, had 10 stolen bases 21 RBI and 17 walks posting a .481 on-base percentage and .913 OPS.

INF – Harper Erwin, Jr., Regina: The junior third baseman enjoyed a breakthrough junior season earning second team all-River Valley Conference South Division honors. Erwin batted .281 with a team-high 15 runs, six extra-base hits and a team-leading .439 slugging percentage.

INF – Ava Tague, Jr., Liberty High: A stalwart in the middle of the Lightning lineup, Tague batted .303 while leading Liberty High in doubles (10), extra-base hits (13), stolen bases (9) and RBI (27). The junior third baseman was a Mississippi Valley Conference all-division second team pick after posting a .445 slugging percentage and .819 OPS.

INF – Avy Lindsey, Sr., City High: A five-year starter Lindsey capped an impressive career with a strong senior season in which she earned third team Class 5A all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. The senior second baseman hit .322 with 14 extra-base hits, five home runs and 28 RBI while posting a .921 OPS and scoring 26 runs.

INF – Brenna Williams, Jr., Clear Creek Amana: A stalwart for the Clippers at third base and in the batting order, Williams continued to produce at a high level on her way to earning Class 4A second team all-state honors for the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. Williams batted .403 with nine doubles, 34 runs, 31 RBI and 19 walks posting a .493 on-base percentage and a .972 OPS.

INF – Kennedy Conner, Sr., Liberty High: Conner enjoyed a breakthrough senior season hitting .383 with eight doubles and 16 RBI while playing both third base and catcher for the Lightning. The senior standout led Liberty High in on-base percentage (.488) and OPS (.946) on her way to earning Mississippi Valley Conference all-Mississippi Division second team honors.

INF – Sulli Bucknell, Soph., West Branch: It was a big-time breakout season for Bucknell who earned first team River Valley Conference South Division honors after leading the Bears in batting average (.361), walks (10), on-base percentage (.440) and RBI (17) and ranking second on the team in runs scored (17) and OPS (.857).

OF – Addie Miller, Sr., Solon: One of the top hitters in Class 3A Miller capped a brilliant prep career with a third consecutive season with a batting average of .398 or better. A career .390 hitter, Miller hit a career-high .427 this season on her way to earning Class 3A second team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. Miller led Solon in extra-base hits (21), home runs (7) and OPS (1.277) for the third consecutive season and scored 31 runs and had 34 RBI in a stellar senior season.

OF – Iyana Merino, Fr., City High: Merino emerged as one of the top young power hitters in the state with a stellar freshman season in which she led City High in home runs and ranked second on the team in extra-base hits and RBI. Merino batted .339 with a team-high 12 home runs, 37 RBI and 28 runs scored earning Mississippi Valley Conference second team all-division honors in her first full varsity season.

OF – Kelsey Kaut, Jr., Liberty High: Kaut continued her impressive career with another strong season in which she led Liberty High in batting average (.400), hits (50), runs (26) and slugging percentage (.472). A Mississippi Valley Conference first team all-division pick, Kaut had seven extra-base hits and drove in 14 runs while posting an OPS of .904.

OF – Maeve Obermueller, Soph., City High: Already a three-year starter Obermueller enjoyed her best season yet as a sophomore hitting .346 with 17 extra-base hits, two home runs and 33 RBI on her way to earning Mississippi Valley Conference second team all-division honors. The speed center fielder scored 32 runs and posted a .945 OPS on her breakthrough season.

OF – Eliza Mitchell, Soph., City High: Mitchell enjoyed a breakthrough season in her first year as a full-time starter hitting a career-high .348 with 10 extra-base hits, 31 runs and 22 RBI on her way to earning Mississippi Valley Conference honorable mention all-division honors.

OF – Izzy Frees, Sr., Solon: Frees was a first team all-WAMAC East Division selection following a senior season in which she batted .377 with 13 extra-base hits, two home runs and 29 RBI. The versatile Frees had a team-high 13 stolen bases, scored 28 runs and posting a .958 OPS.

UTIL – Lander Malloy, Fr., West Branch: Malloy continued to build on her reputation as one of the top young all-around players in Class 2A following up a stellar debut season with a strong freshman campaign. Malloy hit .346 with four doubles, seven RBI and an OPS of .800 and also went 8-11 with a 5.41 ERA with 55 strikeouts in a team-high 112 2/3 innings pitched while earning River Valley Conference South Division first team honors.

UTIL – Elizabeth Timmerman, Jr., Clear Creek Amana: One of the best all-around players in the state Timmerman continued to show her versatility during a stellar junior season that saw her earn first team all-WAMAC West Division honors. Timmerman batted .397 with 39 runs, 19 RBI and a team-high 29 stolen bases and also went 14-5 with a 3.02 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 109 innings pitched.

UTIL – Lily Nibaur, Soph., Regina: A repeat all-area selection Nibaur followed up a strong freshman season with a stellar sophomore campaign in which she posted a 5-6 record and 4.48 ERA with 97 strikeouts in 86 innings in the circle and also led Regina with a .344 batting average. A River Valley Conference South Division first-team pick, Nibaur had five extra-base hits and scored eight runs while leading Regina with a .862 OPS.

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