Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The baseball season came to a close last month with the crowning of four state champions.

It was another memorable season for teams in the Your Prep Sports area.

Liberty High reached the Class 4A state tournament for the second consecutive season and fourth time in the past five seasons while Clear Creek Amana and Solon both advanced to substate title game.

Before closing the book on the 2026 season Your Prep Sports takes a moment to celebrate some of the best performances, plays, moments and players from a summer full of excitement.

Best individual pitching performance: Adam Bowman against Ottumwa. Among the best pitchers in the state over the past two seasons the City High senior standout was at his absolute best with the season on the line. Bowman allowed just three hits and struck out 13 in 6 2/3 shutout innings throwing just 90 pitches in a 3-0 win over Ottumwa in a substate quarterfinal.

Best individual pitching performance part 2: Kyle Henkenius against Davenport West. The West High junior was nearly flawless in a three-hit shutout of the Falcons. Henkenius allowed just three baserunners and struck out nine while navigating the seven-inning complete game in just 91 pitches.

Best individual pitching performance part 3: Blayne Roberts against Pella. In a season filled with impressive performances by the hard-throwing Clear Creek Amana senior, Roberts was at his best in his first start on the road against defending state champion Pella. Roberts tossed six no-hit, shutout innings, allowing just one baserunner on a hit by pitch, and striking out 12 in what ended a 9-2 Clipper win.

Best individual offensive performance: Nolan Staker against Lisbon. The West Branch senior leadoff hitter pulled off the near unthinkable in a 20-2 win over the Lions going 3-for-5 with three inside the park home runs while driving in six runs.

Best individual offensive performance part 2: Eli Nolte against Waterloo West. The West High senior shortstop went 3-for-4 with two homers in a 14-9 loss to the WaHawks. Nolte added a double and a walk with his two homers, racking up 10 total bases and scored three runs and drove in four.

Best individual all-around performance: Garrett Sotzen against Tipton. The West Branch junior two-way standout was stellar on the mound and at the plate in an 11-1 win over the Tigers. Sotzen went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, four RBI, two runs and a stolen base and also struck out nine in a five-inning, five-hitter.

Best individual all-around performance part 2: Del Brewer against Dubuque Hempstead. Brewer came up big on the mound and clutch at the plate in the first of two 4-3 walk-off wins over the Mustangs in a City High doubleheader sweep. The junior right-hander allowed three runs on five hits and struck out four in a complete game win. At the plate Brewer provided the game-winning, two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to go with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored.

Best individual all-around performance in a doubleheader: Luke Young against Williamsburg. How’s this for a day against your rival? In a doubleheader sweep of Williamsburg Clear Creek Amana junior standout Luke Young went 4-for-8 at the plate with two doubles, two home runs, three runs scored and eight RBI. Young also picked up the win on the mound in the nightcap allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out six in five innings.

Best clutch performance: Jarryn Sertterh against Cedar Rapids Prairie. Facing the second-ranked team in the state on the road with a trip to the state tournament on the line Sertterh came up with one of the best games of his career. The Liberty High senior right-hander limited a Cedar Rapids Prairie offense that entered averaging 8.9 runs per game with a team batting average of .348 to just three hits in 4 2/3 shutout innings. Sertterh walked one, hit a batter and struck out five in a 15-0 Liberty High win in the 4A substate 7 title game.

Best games: City High against Dubuque Hempstead. The Little Hawks walked it off twice in a pair of 4-3 wins in doubleheader sweep of the Mustangs. Del Brewer had a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning as City High rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the opener 4-3. It was more of the same in game two as Crosby Newton scored the game-winner after Dubuque Hempstead tied the game at three with two runs in the top of the seventh.

Biggest hit: Evan Schmierer against Cedar Rapids Prairie. Liberty High already had a 2-0 lead in bottom of the second inning after a James O’Connor RBI single. However, the two-run triple off the right field fence by Schmierer doubled that lead and set the tone in what would be an emphatic 15-0 Lightning win over second-ranked Cedar Rapids Prairie in the Class 4A, Substate 7 title game.

Most reliable player: Regina junior Will Litton. Whether it was on the mound or in the batters box Litton was as reliable as they come this season consistently coming up with impressive performances while helping Regina to second consecutive season with at least 22 wins. On the mound Litton went 5-1 with a .93 ERA and .96 WHIP while striking out 60 and walking just 10 in 45 innings. At the plate Litton batted a team-best .449 with 10 extra-base hits, two home runs and 31 RBI while posting a 1.130 OPS.

Under the radar standout: West High senior Owen Harms. He may not end up with the list of accolades as other players in Class 4A but Harms put together a monster senior season that stacks up statistically with the best in 4A. Harms batted .432 with 20 extra-base hits including two home runs, scored 29 runs and drove in 35 runs while posting a 1.188 OPS and also went 2-4 with a 6.77 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched.

Most improved player: West Branch junior Eli Klinkkammer. There may not be a more improved player in the state this season than Klinkkammer who made a huge jump this summer during a solid junior season. A year ago Klinkkammer batted .127 with five RBI in 55 at bats and went 0-4 with an 8.25 ERA in 18 2/3 innings. Fast forward to this summer where Klinkkammer hit .267 with 28 RBI and posted a 4-1 record with a 2.84 with 32 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched.

Most improved player part 2: West High junior Christian Sawyer. A solid two-way player last season as a sophomore Sawyer simply elevated all areas of his game to a different level this summer. After hitting .231 with eight RBI last season Sawyer batted .281 with 17 extra-base hits and a team-high seven home runs with 25 RBI this season while posting a career-best 4.86 ERA while striking out 44 in 40 1/3 innings pitched.

Comeback player of the year: Clear Creek Amana senior Blayne Roberts. Comeback stories don’t get much better than what Roberts pulled off this season. Roberts pitched 18 1/3 innings as a freshman in 2023 but an elbow injury limited him to just two innings each of the past two seasons. This summer a healthy Roberts emerged as one of the top pitchers in 3A as the right-hander went 6-0 with a 1.56 ERA and .84 WHIP while striking out 88 in 45 innings.

Breakthrough player of the year: Regina junior Kaleb Moeller. After a solid sophomore season in which he hit .315 with six extra-base hits and 14 RBI Moeller exploded this season after taking over the main catching duties for the Regals. Moeller batted .435 with 24 runs, 12 extra-base hits and 23 RBI posting a 1.110 OPS and leading the Regals with 18 stolen bases.

Most consistent player: Solon sophomore Tate Miller. Few pitchers in the state can match the numbers Miller has amassed during his first two seasons or the consistency in which he has gone about putting up those numbers. Miller is a combined 15-0 with a 1.12 ERA in 100 1/3 over the past two seasons and has been impressively consistent along the way. This season Solon won all nine of Miller’s starts as the right-hander went 8-0 with a 1.41 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 59 strikeouts in a team-high 54 2/3 innings. Miller pitched at least four innings and allowed three or fewer earned run in all nine starts, he lasted five or more innings in eight and allowed one or zero earned runs seven times.

Most versatile player: City High senior Paxton Bell. Bell didn’t just do it all for City High this season the senior outfielder did it all exceptionally well. At the plate Bell hit for average (.369) and power (14 extra-base hits, two home runs) while driving in 22 runs and scoring 38 runs. A strong defensive outfielder, Bell ranked fourth in 4A with 38 stolen bases and also went 5-3 with a 3.42 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched.

Most persistent player: Solon senior Dylan Gorham. A four-year starter Gorham batted .220 with one extra-base hit as a freshman back in 2023. Since his baptism by fire freshman season the Solon center fielder did nothing but improve. Gorham raised his batting average, on-base percentage and OPS every varsity season culminating with an impressive senior season in which he posted career highs in batting average (.384), extra-base hits (13), runs (47), walks (18), on-base percentage (.493) and OPS (1.037).

Breakout star: Solon sophomore Luke Merrick. After flashing massive potential last season with three home runs, 21 RBI and a .305 batting average as a freshman Merrick made the move into star territory with a breakout sophomore season. Merrick hit .396 with 23 extra-base hits, 11 home runs, 43 RBI and 45 runs scored leading Solon in both on-base percentage (.527) and (1.368).

Unsung hero: Clear Creek Amana junior Alex DuBay. On any team that enjoys a success season there is a player that steps up and does the job without loads of fanfare. For a Clear Creek Amana squad that won 24 games, claimed its first WAMAC West Division title in four years and advanced to a substate final that player was DuBay. The 6-foot-6 DuBay emerged as a key piece of the Clipper rotation going 5-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 1.4 WHIP while striking out 45 in 35 innings pitched.

Emerging star: Clear Creek Amana sophomore Texton Bollers. There might not be a more exciting young player in the state than Bollers who flashed his immense two-way talents in a breakout sophomore season. A dynamic defender, Bollers hit .364 with eight home runs, 32 RBI, 32 runs scored, 20 stolen bases and a 1.119 OPS. On the mound Bollers went struck out 27 in 20 1/3 innings while posting a 6.54 ERA.

Coach of the year: Uby Martinez. In his fourth season leading the Liberty High program Martinez did perhaps his best coaching job yet directing Liberty High back to the state tournament for the second consecutive season. Liberty High went through an 11-game losing streak in June but played its best baseball when it mattered the most winning 15 of its final 20 games including a string of three consecutive substate wins by a combined score of 32-0.

Rookie of the year: City High eighth-grader Crosby Newton. A rare eighth-grade starter at the varsity level Newton impressed in a debut season in which he batted leadoff and played shortstop for the Little Hawks. Newton produced, batting .254 with 29 runs, 18 RBI, a team-high 28 walks, 26 stolen bases and a .437 on-base percentage. He also posted a 1-1 record and 3.71 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings pitched.

Rookie of the year part 2: Regina freshman Bennett Recker. Technically Recker made his debut a year ago, throwing 10 1/3 innings as an eighth-grader. However, the Regina right-hander made the most of his extending opportunity this season establishing himself as one of the top young arms in Class 2A. Recker went 5-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while striking out 39 in 34 1/3 innings pitched.

Newcomer of the year: West Branch senior Hunter Knorr. In his first season in a West Branch uniform Knorr provided an immediate impact both on the mound and at the plate. Knorr hit .396 with 18 extra-base hits, four home runs, 36 RBI and 35 runs scored and also went 3-3 with a 3.84 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings pitched.

Silver slugger: West Branch junior Garrett Sotzen. Already a three-year starter, Sotzen turned in his best season to date this summer with a junior campaign in which he solidified himself as one of the top hitters in Class 2A. Sotzen ranked 11^th in the state with a .552 batting average while hammering 20 extra-base hits, including six home runs, scoring 46 runs and driving in 42. Sotzen posted a .611 on-base percentage and a 1.487 OPS.

Cy Young: City High senior Adam Bowman. After excelling last season alongside City High ace Jaxton Schroeder the right-handed Bowman starred in his first season as the unquestioned leader of the Little Hawk staff this summer. Bowman posted a 7-0 record, 1.55 ERA and .92 WHIP while ranking seventh in Class 4A with 58 2/3 innings pitched and eighth in 4A with 72 strikeouts. Over the past two seasons Bowman went 14-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 123 strikeouts and 27 walks in 108 innings pitched.

Gold glover: Regina junior Jaydon Leonard. Just how impressive was Leonard defensively at shortstop in his first season at Regina? Well, Leonard excelled everywhere on the field including at the plate (.410 batting average, 37 runs, 30 RBI), on the bases (12 steals) and on the mound (4-0 with a .78 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 18 innings) and his play defensively is perhaps still the strongest part of his game.

Relief pitcher of the year: Solon senior Tyler Greazel. Greazel carved out a role as a reliever in a talented Spartan pitching staff and filled it well going 2-1 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 21 2/3 innings. Greazel appeared in 13 games, helping the Spartans to a 24-win season and a spot in a 3A substate title game.

Most valuable player: Liberty High senior Evan Schmierer. A three-year starter Schmierer has been at the heart of the most successful stretch in Liberty High history helping the Lightning to an 83-41 record over the past three seasons and back-to-back state tournament appearances. This season Schmierer established himself as one of the best players in the state ranking in the top four in Class 4A in hits, batting average and stolen bases while leading the Lightning to a 26-17 record. The senior second baseman ranked fourth in 4A with a .496 batting average and second in 4A with 65 hits and 40 stolen bases. Schmierer scored 45 runs and drew 21 walks while striking out just four times in 131 at bats. Schmierer had career highs in extra-base hits (16), RBI (30), on-base percentage (.577) and OPS (1.241) as a senior.

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