Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

With a 27-12 career record and a 2.22 earned run average Kara Maiers has had plenty of success in the circle during her first two seasons of varsity action.

While the career numbers are strong for Maiers the Liberty High sophomore has saved her best performances for when the lights are the brightest.

Maiers owns a 3-1 record and a .50 ERA in four career postseason starts over the past two seasons after blanking No. 11 Cedar Rapids Xavier in a regional semifinal on Saturday in Cedar Rapids.

In four career postseason games dating back to last season the Liberty High hurler has allowed just 16 hits in 28 innings while striking out 25.

“I really like pitching in tough games,” Maiers said. “I like how it feels when you have all that excitement and energy.”

Thanks in large part to Maiers Liberty High (21-21) will play the biggest game in program history on Tuesday when they face fifth-ranked Independence (29-11) in the Class 4A, Region 5 title game at 7 p.m.

Maiers tossed a three-hit shutout in an 11-0 five inning win over Xavier on Saturday as the Lightning advanced to the regional finals for the first time in program history.

In 12 postseason innings this season Maiers has allowed nine hits and one unearned run while striking out 12.

“I think we have a great chance if we play well,” Maiers said. “If we can make it (to state) that would mean a lot because no Liberty team has made it to state and we would be the first ones and that would be really cool just to prove to everybody that softball is good here.”

Maiers posted a 14-6 record and 2.08 last season as a freshman helping Liberty High to an 18-24 mark in its first season of varsity play. 

This season, the first for the Lightning in the rugged Mississippi Valley Conference, Maiers and Lightning have taken a big step forward.

Maiers enters Tuesday’s regional final with a 13-6 record and a 2.37 ERA with 138 strikeouts in 115 innings.

“I honestly thought that I might struggle this year pitching but my defense has backed me up so much,” Maiers said. “Our defense has improved and so has the offense. We’ve all improved from last year.

The improvement showed on Saturday as Maiers held a Xavier team that entered fifth in 4A with a .349 team batting average to just three singles in five innings.

Xavier was averaging nearly seven runs per game and had been shutout just three times in 40 games before Saturday.

Maiers allowed 11 hits and four earned runs in a regular season win over Xavier last month.

“All my pitchers were working pretty good and I have a lot of confidence with my defense behind me, they have my back,” Maiers said. “I was really excited and the adrenaline was flowing and that helps.”

Maiers will attempt to be at her best again on Tuesday when she faces off against Independence senior standout and Drake recruit Mackenzie Hupke.

Hupke is 19-6 with a .51 ERA and 262 strikeouts in 180 innings this season.

“Their pitcher plays on the same club team as me,” Maiers said. “I’m looking forward to it, pitching against someone else good is really fun.”

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