Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Opening day for softball has arrived.

The season officially gets underway for teams across the state this week with Monday marking the first day of competition.

Before the season gets rolling Your Prep Sports takes a look at several players across the area to keep an eye on this season.

Molly Carlson

Senior, City High

A Northern Iowa commit, Carlson continued to cement her status as one of the top catchers and hitters in the state with another productive season last summer.

Carlson hit a career-high .449 with 25 extra-base hits including 10 home runs and 46 RBI on her way to earning first team Class 5A all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

A five-year starter, Carlson led the Little Hawks in six major offensive categories during her all-state junior season including slugging percentage (.803) and OPS (1.303).

A career .358 hitter, Carlson has racked up 71 extra-base hits including 29 home runs and 136 RBI in her prep career.

Kyla Schulte

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

One of the top hitters in the state, Schulte will look to put the finishing touches on what has been a stellar prep career with another huge season.

A year ago Schulte earned first team Class 4A all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association after leading 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).

A four-year starter, Schulte is a career .414 hitter and has racked up 63 extra-base hits, 22 home runs and 135 RBI over the previous three seasons.

Emerson Miller

Junior, Solon

A two-year starter, Miller enjoyed a breakthrough season last summer on her way to earning honorable mention all-WAMAC East Division honors.

Miller hit a career-best .375 last season and also emerged as the leader of a young Solon pitching staff during her breakthrough season.

The right-handed throwing Miller went 6-10 with a 4.91 ERA and struck out 68 in a team-leading 97 innings last season securing a save while posting a 1.62 WHIP.

Miller was also a key piece of the Solon lineup ranking third on the team with 28 RBI while posting an .884 OPS.

Lily Nibaur

Junior, Regina

Nibaur followed up a strong freshman season with an even better sophomore campaign last summer earning first team all-River Valley Conference South Division honors.

The junior right-hander continued to establish herself as one of the top pitchers in the RVC going 5-6 with a 4.48 ERA last season while striking out 97 in a team-high 86 innings pitched.

Nibaur also led Regina with a .344 batting average and had five extra-base hits, scored eight runs and had a team-high .863 OPS.

Kelsey Kaut

Senior, Liberty High

A mainstay at the top of the Lightning lineup the past three seasons Kaut has been among the most productive and consistent hitters in Liberty High history.

A four-year starter, Kaut is a career .403 hitter that has racked up 154 hits and 100 runs scored over the past four seasons.

Last season Kait led Liberty High with a .400 batting average, 50 hits and 26 runs scored while hammering seven extra base hits on her way to earning first team Mississippi Valley Conference all-division honors.

Kaut had a .472 slugging percentage, drove in 14 runs and posed an OPS of .904.

Laeni Hinkle

Junior, Solon

A versatile athlete Hinkle is coming off the best season of her career last summer when she earned second-team all-WAMAC East Division honors as an outfielder.

Hinkle hit a career-best .355 last season with eight doubles, 28 runs scored and 22 RBI and ranked third on the team with nine stolen bases.

In the circle Hinkle posted a 5-5 record with a 4.23 ERA while striking out 22 in 53 innings pitched.

Turner Patrick

Freshman, Clear Creek Amana

On of the top young hitters in the state Patrick burst onto the scene last summer with an impressive debut season that ended with her earning second team all-WAMC West Division honors.

In her varsity debut season Patrick ranked second on the team with a .450 batting average while posting eight extra-base hits and driving in 28 runs.

A strong defensive presence behind the plate at catcher, Patrick drew 14 walks and posted a .551 on-base percentage and 1.113 OPS last season as an eighth grader.

Iya Merino

Sophomore, City High

After seeing limited action as an eighth-grader Merino exploded on the scene last season as a freshman leading the Little Hawks in home runs and ranking second on the team in extra-base hits and RBI on her way to earning Mississippi Valley Conference second team all-division honors in her first full varsity season.

Merino emerged as one of the top young power hitters in the state with a stellar freshman season in which she batted .339 with 12 home runs, five doubles and 37 RBI.

Merino posted a .696 slugging percentage and 1.073 OPS during her freshman season.

Brenna Williams

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

A starter since her eighth-grade season, Williams is coming off the best season of her career last summer.

Williams was a Class 4A second team all-state selection by the Iowa Girls Coaches association after hitting a career-best .403 with 34 runs scored, nine doubles and 31 RBI, 19 walks while posting a .493 on-base percentage and a .972 OPS.

An excellent defensive third baseman, Williams is a career .362 hitter with 88 career RBI.

Elizabeth Timmerman

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

Among the top all-around players in Class 4A Timmerman is coming off a huge junior season in which she starred at the plate and in the circle on her way to being named first team all-WAMAC West Division.

Timmerman batted .397 with 39 runs scored, six extra-base hits, 19 RBI and a team-high 29 stolen bases.

As a pitcher Timmerman posted a 14-5 record and 3.02 ERA, striking out 84 in 109 innings pitched.

Maeve Obermueller

Junior, City High

Already a three-year starter Obermueller is coming off the best season of her career last summer when she earned Mississippi Valley Conference second team all-division honors.

Obermueller batted .346 with 17 extra-base hits, two home runs, 32 runs scored and 33 RBI.

An excellent defensive center fielder, Obermueller posted a .945 OPS in her breakthrough sophomore season.

Ava Tague

Senior, Liberty High

Another long-time fixture in the Liberty High lineup Tague has been a productive force in the middle of the Lightning order the past three seasons.

A career .335 hitter, Tague has 44 career extra base hits among her 99 career hits and has driven in 83 runs over the past three seasons.

Tague batted .303 and led Liberty High with 10 doubles, 13 extra-base hits, nine stolen bases and 27 RBI last season as the third baseman was a Mississippi Valley Conference all-division second team pick a year ago.

Tague had a .445 slugging percentage and .819 OPS last season as a junior.

Lander Malloy

Sophomore, 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 last summer.

The versatile Malloy hit .346 with four doubles, seven RBI and an OPS of .800 last season while earning River Valley Conference South Division first team honors.

In the circle Malloy went 8-11 with a 5.41 ERA with 55 strikeouts in a team-high 112 2/3 innings pitched helping the Bears to a 10-16 record.

Keegan Kleppe

Junior, Regina

Kleppe will add some pop to the Regina lineup after earned second team all-WAMAC East Division honors last season at Solon.

The left-handed hitting Kleppe batted .387 last season as a sophomore scored 32 runs and drove in 21 runs last season and added 10 stolen bases.

Kleppe drew 17 walks and struck out just eight times in 111 at bats, posting a .481 on-base percentage and .913 OPS.

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