Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The Matchups

No. 1 ADM (33-4) vs. No. 12 Burlington (26-6)

Top-ranked ADM is making its sixth consecutive state tournament appearance after advancing the 4A semifinals last season.

The Tigers bring a 20-game winning streak to Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge that includes a 1-0 win over ninth-ranked Norwalk in the regional title game.

ADM has nine shutouts during its current 20-game winning streak and has allowed one or fewer runs in 28 of 37 games this season.

The four losses for ADM have come to 5A ranked teams Johnston and Waukee Northwest and 4A state qualifiers Carlisle and Western Dubuque.

Five ADM starters are batting over .312 this season led by senior two-way standout Lauren Hagedorn and junior Kinzie Maxwell.

Maxwell is hitting .377 with two home runs and a team-high 36 RBI while sophomore Aubrey Noring is hitting .371 with five home runs and 29 RBI.

Burlington returns to the state tournament for the first since 2022 after a 3-2 come-from-behind win over fifth-ranked North Scott in the regional title game.

The Grayhounds enter on an 11-game winning streak in which they have posted six shutouts.

Junior two-way standout Kylee Hill leads Burlington while sophomore Ava Brandenburg is hitting .471 with 17 RBI and a team-high 39 runs scored.

Junior Ava Fawcett is batting .412 with two home runs and 18 RBI for the Grayhounds.

No. 4 Western Dubuque (32-8) vs. No. 6 Winterset (24-13)

Western Dubuque is making its fourth consecutive state tournament appearance seeking its first quarterfinal win since it won the 4A title in 2021.

The Bobcats bring an 11-game winning streak into state tournament play after a 5-4 win over No. 14 Marion in the regional final.

Of the eight losses for Western Dubuque seven have come to ranked teams including five to ranked 5A opponents (Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Cedar Falls and Bettendorf).

Western Dubuque has one of the top pitching staffs in Class 4A led by senior Lauren Vaske who ranks third in 4A with a 1.14 ERA.

Vaske has held opponents to a .154 batting average while posting a 16-3 record with 151 strikeouts in a team-high 128 2/3 innings.

Junior Claire Vaske (7-3, 1.188 ERA) and senior Melanie Runde (7-2, 3.23) ERA have each pitched more than 47 innings for a Bobcat staff that ranks third in 4A in both team ERA (1.79), team batting average against (.197) and fourth in strikeouts (234).

Senior Kyla Ramler leads the offense while Runde is hitting .443 with 15 extra-base hits and 28 RBI and Carly Vogel is batting .414 with 30 runs scored.

Winterset earned its first trip to the state tournament since 2023 with a 2-1 win over No. 13 Grinnell in the regional title game.

The Huskies have won 11 of their last 13 games with the lone losses in that stretch coming to 5A state qualifier Dallas Center-Grimes and 4A top-ranked ADM.

Winterset has played one of the most challenging schedules in Class 4A going 3-10 against state qualifiers.

Eighth-grader Danica Ferber is a two-way standout for Winterset while junior Maci Olson is batting .406 with 23 runs scored and junior Makenna Olson is hitting .420 with 18 extra-base hits, five home runs and 22 RBI.

No. 2 Carlisle (33-5) vs. No. 8 North Polk (20-16)

A pair of familiar foes and state tournament regulars meet in a 4A quarterfinal rubber match after splitting a pair of regular season meetings.

North Polk defeated Carlisle 8-2 on May 27 in Carlisle and the Wildcats won the most recent meeting 14-9 on July 6 at North Polk.

Carlisle returns to the state tournament after having a string of six consecutive appearances snapped last season.

The Wildcats enter riding a nine-game winning streak that includes a 6-1 win over Newton in the regional title game.

Carlisle has losses to ranked 5A foes Cedar Rapids Prairie and Dallas Center-Grimes along with setbacks to top-ranked ADM and Webster City.

A challenging schedule for Carlisle also includes wins over state qualifiers Southeast Polk, ADM, Pleasant Valley, West Liberty, Regina and Clear Creek Amana.

Senior Mallie Stoner leads the Wildcats in the circle with a 19-4 record and 1.23 ERA while striking out 115 in a team-high 131 1/3 innings.

Stoner is also hitting .368 with 27 RBI and senior shortstop Alyvia Freeman is batting .454 with 43 runs scored and 41 RBI.

The defending 4A runner-up, North Polk is making its fourth consecutive state tournament appearance after falling to Pella in the 4A title game last season.

North Polk has faced a challenging schedule with 12 of its 16 losses coming to state qualifiers.

Junior Alexandra Mohlke leads the North Polk offense while Madelyn Klever has hit .407 with 21 extra-base hits and 30 RBI and junior Audrey Lucas is hitting .340 with a team-high 22 extra-base hits, six home runs and 41 RBI.

Sophomore Mallory Byrd is 17-10 in the circle with a 2.83 ERA and has struck out 53 in a team-leading 150 2/3 innings pitched.

No. 3 Fort Dodge (38-4) vs. No. 7 Clear Creek Amana (31-11)  

Clear Creek Amana returns to the state tournament for the first time since 2021 after a 2-1 win over No. 10 Cedar Rapids Xavier in the regional title game.

The Clippers enter the state tournament on a six-game winning streak and are averaging 8.8 runs per game during that span.

Of the 11 losses for Clear Creek Amana this season six have come to state qualifiers currently ranked in the top five in their respective class.

The Clippers have been impressive offensively this season ranking fourth in 4A with a .360 team batting average and third in 4A with 32 home runs.

Senior Kyla Schulte, the state leader in home runs with 23 leads the way while Lizzie Pasbrig is hitting .367 with two home runs and 33 RBI and senior outfielder Elizabeth Timmerman is hitting .385 with 26 runs scored and 26 RBI.

Addilyn Scheetz is batting .398 with 39 runs scored, Brenna Williams is hitting .366 with 23 RBI and junior Carley Nash is hitting .370 with 31 RBI.

Eighth-grader Kynlee McElvain is 14-4 with a 1.65 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 120 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings.

Fort Dodge returns to the state tournament after having a string of seven consecutive appearances snapped last season.

The Dodgers have won 11 in a row entering state tournament play and outscored two regional opponents by a combined total of 28-0 after a 13-0 win over No. 11 Sioux City Heelan in the regional title game

The lone losses for Fort Dodge this season came to state qualifiers Mount Vernon, Dallas Center-Grimes (twice) and Ankeny Centennial.

Fort Dodge is among the best offensive teams in Class 4A leading the class in batting average (.435) and runs (440) and ranking second in home runs (34).

All nine regulars in the Fort Dodge lineup are batting over .337 this season led by junior Ellie Doster at .602.

Sophomore Grace Nichols is batting .500 with eight home runs and 53 RBI, freshman Macy Wills is hitting .495 with four home runs and 43 RBI and junior Calliegh Zimmerman is hitting .379 with three home runs and 34 RBI.

Senior Teryn Rippentrop is hitting .485 with 56 runs and 38 RBI and junior Hope Alstott is hitting .442 with three home runs and 44 RBI.

Senior Aubrey Alstott leads the Dodger pitching staff going 22-1 with a 1.86 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings.

The Players

Clear Creek Amana: Kyla Schulte, Sr., OF: Among the top hitters in the state Schulte has had her best season as a prep this summer tying for the state lead in both home runs (23) and RBI (74) while batting .514 with a 1.305 slugging percentage and 1.926 OPS.

Fort Dodge: Ellie Doster, Jr., C: A returning first team all-state pick, Doster has been one of the most productive hitters in the state this season batting .602 with 35 extra-base hits, 13 home runs and 74 RBI. Doster has a 1.159 slugging percentage and 1.819 OPS.

ADM: Lauren Hagedorn, Sr., P: An Iowa State commit, Hagedorn was a first-team all-state selection each of the past three seasons and is one of the top two-way players in the state. This season Hagedorn is 16-4 with a .95 ERA and 137 strikeouts in 125 2/3 innings in the circle while batting .463 with 22 extra-base hits, 13 home runs and 31 RBI.

Burlington: Kylee Hill, Jr., P: A two-way star, Hill has been brilliant at the plate and in the circle for the Grayhounds this season. Hill is 14-3 with a 1.54 ERA and .98 WHIP and has struck out 150 in 109 innings. At the plate Hill is batting .420 with 17 extra-base hits, six home runs and 33 RBI.

Carlisle: Chloe Roling, Soph., OF: The table setter at the top of a dangerous Wildcat lineup Roling is a returning first team all-state pick enjoying a stellar sophomore season. Roling leads Carlisle with a .543 batting average, 48 runs scored and 59 stolen bases and has driven in 18 runs.

North Polk: Alexander Mohlke, Jr., INF: Mohlke leads the Comets with a .445 batting average and has 17 extra-base hits, including five home runs while driving in 36 runs and scoring 36 runs.

Western Dubuque: Kyla Ramler, Jr., OF: Ramler is the leader of a talented Western Dubuque offense batting .402 with a team-high eight home runs and 31 RBI and has posted a 1.127 OPS.

Winterset: Danica Ferber, 8^th, P: One of the top young players in the state Ferber is batting .333 with six home runs among 13 extra-base hits ad 35 RBI while posting a 13-5 record and 3.38 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings.

The Favorite

Perennial power Fort Dodge enters red-hit and has the comfort of playing at home but top-ranked ADM still comes to Rogers Sports Complex as the Class 4A favorite.

The Tigers enter with a 4A field-best 20-game winning streak with its last loss coming on June 16 against 5A top-ranked Waukee Northwest.

A semifinalist last season, ADM has experience, a dangerous lineup and a talented pitching staff highlighted by senior standout Lauren Hagedorn.

ADM will have a strong list of contenders but enters as the top seed for a reason.

The Underdog

If ADM is the favorite that makes No. 12 Burlington the underdog but the Grayhounds have already proved they are capable of taking down top teams.

Burlington knocked off fifth-ranked North Scott in the regional title game to reach Fort Dodge and are capable of making noise in the double elimination format this week.

Junior pitcher Kylee Hill (14-3, 1.54 ERA) is one of the best in 4A and her presence on the mound makes Burlington a dangerous matchup for any opponent.

The Darkhorse

Keep a close eye on Clear Creek Amana this week.

The Clippers don’t enter with the fanfare of some of the higher ranked teams but the Clippers are a veteran group and will be a tough out in Fort Dodge.

Clear Creek Amana has a game-changer in Schulte, who can wreck an opposing game plan with one swing and a lineup capable of putting up runs.

Eighth-grader pitcher Kynlee McElvain has established herself as a rising star and the ace of the Clipper staff but Clear Creek Amana has a veteran and talented number two in senior Elizabeth Timmerman.

The Clippers have the balance from top to bottom to be a tough team to beat this week.

The Focus

Are we in for another wild week in 4A in Fort Dodge?

Last season eighth-seeded Pella flipped the 4A bracket right off the bat with a win over top-seeded Cedar Rapids Xavier on its way to an underdog run to the state title.

Along with the eighth-seeded Dutch last season’s 4A semifinals featured fifth seed ADM, seventh-seed North Scott and third-seeded North Polk.

North Polk and ADM both return to state this season along with perennial powers Fort Dodge and Carlisle.

In a deep 4A field the possibility remains for another week filled with tight games as a new 4A champion will be crowned.

Five Fast Facts

*- Carlisle ranks second in the state and leads Class 4A with 205 stolen bases and sophomore Chloe Roling has more steals (59) than half of the teams in the 4A tournament field.

*- Fort Dodge ranks second in the state and leads Class 4A with a team batting average of .431 which is nearly 50 points higher than any other team in the 4A field.

*- The 23 home runs for Kyla Schulte this season are more than five teams in the 4A state tournament field and is the highest total for a player in the state since Kendyl Lindaman of Ankeny hit 24 in 2013.

*- Fort Dodge leads the state in run differential, outscoring opponents by a total of 349 runs which is 64 runs higher than the next highest run differential for any team in the state.

*- ADM ranks second in the state in runs allowed giving up a total of 45 runs in 37 games this season.

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