Top stars, best performances last week in Iowa high school softball

By Barry Poe

Here are some stars from the past week's high school softball games across Iowa.

If you know of a top performance we should include, please menton them in the comments section. 

Haleigh Smith, Iowa City Liberty, Junior

Smith had two hits in each end of Liberty's doubleheader sweep over Iowa City West, including two home runs and five RBI in game two.

Alexis Barden, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Senior

Barden went 5-for-8 as Prairie posted a doubleheader sweep over Dubuque Senior. She went 4-for-4 with a double, home run with two RBIs and three runs scored in game one.

Olivia Mentzer, Sioux City East, Sophomore

Mentzer, one of the state leaders in RBI, drove in nine as Black Raiders swept a doubleheader from city rival North. She had two doubles and a home run to up her RBI total to 25 through 10 games.

Marina Cronin, Remsen St. Mary's, Sophomore

Cronin turned in back-to-back one-hit, nine strikeout performances in the circle as the Hawks posted shutout wins over Gehlen Catholic and West Sioux.

Jenny Leuvano, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Junior

Luevano drove in five runs in the Nighthawks 20-0 win over George-Little Rock and came back to deliver seven RBIs in a 13-0 blanking of Central Lyon.

Alivia Ruble, Southeast Warren, Junior

Ruble had a three-homer game and knocked in six runs as the Warhawks downed Earlham 16-4. She also pitched five shutout innings to get the win.

Anna Buchholz, WDM Valley, Sophomore

Buchholz had three home runs and four RBI as the Tigers posted an 8-3 win over Dowling Catholic.

Hayley Madlock, Wilton, Junior

Madlock had three hits, all home runs, and drove in seven runs as Wilton defeated Davenport Central 14-1.

Angela Lopez, Alta-Aurelia, Senior

Lopez went 4-for-4 with a home run as the Warriors posted a 14-9 win over Okoboji.

Randi Childress, West Lyon, Junior

Childress had a double, home run and three RBI in the Wildcats win over Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley.

Brylee Hempey, Sioux City East, Senior

Hempey tossed a no-hitter as the Black Raiders won the first game of a doubleheader with Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln. She would add two hits and three runs scored in game two as East completed the sweep.

Makenzie Hughes, Akron-Westfield, Freshman

Hughes posted a 4-for-4 game with a double, home run and drive RBIs in the Westerners win over rival West Sioux.

Gracie Knobloch, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn, Freshman

Knobloch had four hits, two doubles, and drove in two runs as the Hawks edged Trinity Christian in War Eagle Conference play.

Jadyn Case, Hinton, Senior

Case, one night after striking out nine in the Blackhawks win over Gehlen Catholic, pitched a no-hitter and struck out 10 in a 14-0 win over Trinity Christian.

Maddie Thomas, River Valley, Junior

Thomas hit a home run and later delivered the game-winning hit as the Wolverines edged Kingsley-Pierson 3-1 in a Western Valley Conference game.

Isabelle Olson, MMCRU, Junior

Olson tallied four hits and drove in four runs as the Royals outscored Harris-Lake Park 19-12 in a War Eagle Conference contest.

Claire Johnson, Sheldon, Junior

Johnson went 5-for-5 which included two doubles and four RBI while the Orabs rallied with four runs in the bottom of the eighth to edge Akron-Westfield, 11-10.

Isabel Bernard, Sumner-Fredericksburg, Freshman

Bernard went 3-for-3 at the plate while she was also 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts in the Cougars win over West Central.

Emma Beck, Grundy Center, Senior

Beck struck out 19 over seven innings while allowing only three hits as Grundy Center blanked South Hardin, 2-0.

Brooklyn Bettis, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Sophomore

Bettis allowed one hit while striking out 18 in Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont's 11-0 shutout win over Moravia.

Sterling Berndt, Wayne, Senior

Berndt, an Iowa recruit, pitched a one-hitter and struck out 18 as Wayne downed Central Decatur, 16-1.

Reagan McFarland, Lynnville-Sully, Senior

McFarland went 5-for-5 and scored four times as Lynnville-Sully posted a 13-4 win over Baxter.

Malena Woodward, Atlantic, Senior

Woodward went 4-for-4 and three doubles and three RBIs as Atlantic downed Denison-Schleswig 9-3.

Bryar Duwe, Decorah, Junior

Duwe was 4-for-4 with three doubles, two RBIs and scored four times during Decorah's 14-9 win over Waukon.

Emma Smock, Oelwein, Junior

Smock had four hits, including three doubles, as she drove in six runs during Oelwein's 20-5 win over Union.

Leah Grimm, Osage, Junior

Grimm had three hits, all doubles, and drove in three runs as Osage blanked Kee 12-0.