Iowa's best high school softball players: Meet the state's top pitchers

By Barry Poe 

With the high school softball season beginning, SBLive is looking at the best players in Iowa. In our first installment, we feature pitchers across all classifications. The state is loaded with talented pitchers and many of these hurlers excel at other positions as well. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list as there are hundreds of outstanding pitchers statewide. 

Jalen Adams, Fort Dodge, Sr.

The University of Iowa recruit is coming off a season in which she posted a 25-1 record with a 0.66 ERA for Iowa’s Class 5A state champions. She struck out 219 in 159.2 innings pitched.

Kierra Jungers, Newell-Fonda, Soph.

As a freshman, Jungers pitched the Mustangs to the Iowa Class 1A state championship. She had a 29-3 record, 1.39 ERA and 264 strikeouts.

Thea Banning, Winterset, Sr.

The Indian Hills CC recruit racked up a 34-4 record for a state tournament qualifying team last season. She struck out 234 and posted a 1.94 ERA.

Bella Nigey, Davenport Assumption, Sr.

The Knights captured the Iowa Class 3A state championship behind Toledo commit Nigey. She had a 25-2 record, allowing only 17 earned runs in 142 innings pitched.

Sara Reid, Central City, Sr.

The Indian Hills Community College recruit was 30-7 with an 0.66 ERA for a team that finished 33-10 and second in the Tri Rivers West Conference. Reid had 333 strikeouts in 233 innings.

Jenna Sprague, Mount Vernon, Sr.

The Mustangs made it all the way to the Iowa Class 3A state championship game, falling to Davenport Assumption. Sprague was 27-3 with 252 strikeouts and will attend Kirkwood Community College.

Maddie Oetzmann, Waukee, Jr.

The Warriors finished third in the Class 5A state tournament. Oetzmann was one of two starting pitchers as a sophomore, going 18-6 with 166 strikeouts.

Kia Draeger, Johnstron, Sr.

Draeger finished with a 19-3 record during her junior season, pitching a team-high 136 innings.

Maura Chalupa, Muscatine, Jr.

Chalupa had a 16-1 record as a sophomore last season for a team that reached a Class 5A regional final. She had a 1.21 ERA with 125 strikeouts.

Lauren Summers, West Burlington, Jr.

West Burlington is coming off a strong sophomore season in which she posted a 26-3 record with 247 strikeouts in 174 innings. She sported a 1.04 ERA.

Ashlynn Sheets, Ottumwa, Jr.

Sheets put together a 16-5 record as a sophomore with 133 strikeouts in 120 innings of work. She shared pitching duties last season.

Erin Mullen, West Delaware, Jr.

Another in a strong group of junior pitchers across the state. Mullen had a 22-7 mark, striking out 81 for a team that made it to a regional final.

Ashley Webb, Clear Creek-Amana, Jr.

From a tradition-rich program, Webb was 19-7 for a Class 4A state third-place finisher a year ago. She had 199 strikeouts in 182 innings and a 1.54 ERA as a sophomore.

Peyton Driscoll, Williamsburg, Jr.

The Raiders finished 2-1 in the Class 3A state tournament, winning a consolation bracket game. Driscoll was 18-5 and fanned 206 batters.

Dakota Lake, Saydel, Jr.

Saydel’s season came to an end with a loss to Driscoll and Williamsburg. Lake, however, had a stellar sophomore campaign, going 20-3 with a 1.27 ERA.

Kinsley Robertson, Iowa City Liberty, Sr.

A DMACC recruit, Robertson posted a 10-9 mark in 10-9 mark in 16 starts last season. She struck out 114 opposing hitters.

Ellie Flanagan, North Linn, Jr.

The Lynx were the Iowa Class 2A state champions last season, winning 42 games. Flanagan had a 24-2 record while sharing pitching duties as a sophomore with 177 strikeouts (160.1 innings pitched).

Emily Meyer, North Union, Jr.

The Warriors were a Class 2A state tournament qualifier last season. Meyer was a mainstay, pitching all but 10 of her team’s innings played. North Union and Meyer finished with a 29-6 record and is off to a 4-0 start this season.

Carlin Smith, MOC-Floyd Valley, Sr.

The Central College recruit won 14 games as a sophomore and the Dutch made a run to a Class 3A regional final. Smith fanned 155 batters.

Sterling Berndt, Wayne, Sr.

The Falcons won the Pride of Iowa Conference and made it to the Class 1A state tournament last season. Berndt, a University of Iowa recruit, was a machine in the circle with a whopping 322 strikeouts and 20-5 record.

Macy Emgarten, Exira-EHK, Sr.

A Simpson College recruit, she hd a 20-4 record with 213 strikeouts. The Spartans lost to eventual Class 1A state champion Newell-Fonda 1-0 in a regional final.

Maria Cronin, Remsen St. Mary’s, Soph.

One of the bright young pitching stars in the state, Cronin led the Hawks to a Class 1A state tournament berth last season as a freshman. She was 18-5 with 126 strikeouts and a 2.49 ERA.

Cooper Klaahsen, Central Springs, Jr.

The Panthers won a pair of games in the Class 2A state tournament. Klaahsen struck out 233 batters and fashioned a 23-3 record during her sophomore season.

Erica Houge, Collins-Maxwell, Soph.

The Spartans lost only three games and reached a Class 1A regional final. Houge was 24-1 and gave up only nine earned runs in 27 innings as a freshman.

Ryleigh Allgood, Lisbon, Jr.

The Lions advanced all the way to the Class 1A state title game, where they lost to Newell-Fonda. Allgood was 29-5 with a 1.70 ERA as a sophomore with 257 strikeouts.