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 mention them in the comments section below. 

Tory Bennett, Fort Dodge, Senior

Bennett went 23-for-31 (.742) for the week in 10 games played while also scoring 19 times and driving in 18 runs as the Dodgers went 8-2.

Kierra Jungers, Newell-Fonda, Sophomore

Jungers, one of the state's top pitchers, fired a one-hitter and struck out five of the 11 batters she faced in a 16-0 Newell-Fonda win over East Sac County. She also had two hits and five RBIs in the win.

Madison Goosman, Hinton, Senior

Goosman put together a strong game in the Blackhawks’ 14-2 win over South O'Brien as she had three hits, scored three runs and drove in three runs. She later homered and doubled in a 11-1 win over Trinity Christian.

Carlin Smith, MOC-Floyd Valley, Senior

Smith pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout and struck out five as MOC-Floyd Valley blanked Sioux Center 1-0. She also struck out eight in a complete game effort during an 8-1 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton.

Rylee Schnepf, Le Mars Gehlen, Senior

Schnepf punched out 19 while allowing four hits and one earned run in the Jays 3-1 win over Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and then she struck out 15 batters over seven innings as Gehlen Catholic posted a 6-2 win over Trinity Christian. Schnepf went 4-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs to go with 14 more strikeouts in a 5-1 win over MMCRU.

Marina Cronin, Remsen St. Mary's, Sophomore

Cronin limited Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn to one hit and struck out nine as the Hawks remained unbeaten with a 11-0 win.

Vanessa Koehler, Glidden-Ralston, Junior

Koehler had a 5-for-5 night at the plate with a home run and three RBI as Glidden-Ralston posted a 13-4 win over Manson Northwest Webster.

Malia Yoder, Hillcrest Academy, Freshman

Yoder produced a 5-for-5 game, all singles, while scoring three times in a 13-3 win over Danville.

Elise Evans-Murphy, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Junior

Evans-Murphy had five hits, including two doubles, scored three times and drove in two runs as the Warriors posted a 13-1 win over Pocahontas.

Makenna Kleinhesselink, Sheldon, Junior

Kleinhesselink had four hits and four RBI as Sheldon posted a 17-0 Siouxland Conference win over Central Lyon.

Berkley Johannsen, Sioux Central, Junior

Johannsen homered and drove in three runs in Sioux Central's 8-0 win over Emmetsburg and then pitched a four-inning, no-hitter in a 14-1 win over Alta-Aurelia.

Jadyn Jensen, Sibley-Ocheyedan, Junior

Jensen tallied four hits and four RBI as Sibley-Ocheyedan earned a 13-4 Siouxland Conference win over Okoboji.

Tatum Dunleavy, Estherville-LC, Sophomore

Dunleavy tallied three hits and five RBI while also striking out eight in the circle during the Midgettes’ 12-2 win over Sheldon. She also homered and drove in two in a 10-0 win over Spirit Lake.

Taylor Harpenau, MMCRU, Senior

Harpenau tallied three hits and three RBIs as the Royals downed West Sioux 12-5 one night before she drove in three runs in a 12-0 win over George-Little Rock.

Mary Walker, Newell-Fonda, Junior

Walker contributed four hits and three RBI as the Mustangs posted a 12-2 win over Ridge View.

Alayna Wingate, Sibley-Ocheyedan, Junior

Wingate twirled a pair of shutouts in the circle with a 12-strikeout performance in a 4-0 win over Spirit Lake and a two-hit, nine-strikeout game in a 6-0 win over George-Little Rock.

Maddie Thomas, River Valley, Junior

Thomas, who hit two walk-off home runs in the past eight games, had a 3-for-3 night with two runs scored and two RBIs in the Wolverines 11-1 win over OABCIG.

Anne Lammers, South Hamilton, Senior

Lammers had a 5-for-5 game with four RBI in a South Hamilton 8-7 win over Perry.

Kinzie Theeler, Whiting, Junior

Theeler produced five hits, a double, triple and drove in four runs in Whiting's hard-fought 14-12 setback to West Harrison.

Grace Nelson, Bishop Heelan, Junior

Nelson hit two home runs and drove in four runs as Bishop Heelan edged Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 11-10 in a MRAC contest.

Kamea Van Kalsbeek, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Sophomore

Van Kalsbeek struck out 16 batters while allowing five hits and one unearned run in the Warriors 13-1 win over Pocahontas.

Hannah Kramer, Central City, Senior

Kramer had three hits, a double, a home run and drove in six runs as Central City edged Marquette Catholic 10-6.

Reese Burke, Dallas Center-Grimes, Sophomore

Burke went 4-for-4 with a double, home run and six RBIs as Dallas Center-Grimes downed Oskaloosa 15-1.

Arlie Lorack, Lone Tree, Senior

Lorack hit two doubles and two home runs amongst her four hits while driving in six runs in Lone Tree's 20-8 win over Danville.

Ellen Cook, Montezuma, Freshman

Cook had three doubles and drove in six runs as Montezuma blanked Colo-Nesco 14-0.