Top stars, best performances in Iowa high school softball (June 26-July 2)
By Barry Poe
Here are some stars from last week’s high school softball games across Iowa.
If you know of a top performance we should include, please email nate@scorebooklive.com.
Cooper Klaahsen, Central Springs
The senior pitched a gem against Mason City Newman, allowing just three hits while striking out 12 in a 6-1 win. Newman got an unearned run in the first inning and Klaahsen did not walk a batter while charting her 17thpitching win.
Aspen Falk, Saint Ansgar
Falk had a big night against Northwood-Kensett, going 3-for-4 with a home run, triple and three RBIs. Falk then hit her state-leading ninth triple of the season and drove in four runs as the Saints opened Class 1A regional play with a 12-1 win over Rockford.
Libby Trewin, West Fork
The sophomore twirled a four-hit shutout, limiting a high-powered Osage offense to four hits. Trewin struck out 10 and got her 13th win of the season.
Macy Kellar, Mason City Newman
The senior struck out nine Crestwood batters and surrendered just four hits on 81 pitches. Kellar has won 17 games and struck out 176.
Sharli Fessler, Central Springs
The sophomore clubbed her 10th home run of the season as the Panthers erupted for a 25-0 win over Northwood-Kensett. Central Springs had 20 hits in the three-inning contest and Fessler upped her RBI total to 31.
Claire Long, West Des Moines Valley
The sophomore hit a grand slam home run in the Class 5A sixth-ranked Tigers’ 12-0 win over No. 12 Waukee in the first game of a doubleheader. Valley completed a sweep, holding on for a 10-9 win as Reese Cooley had three hits and drove in three.
Brynn Ortlund, Indianola
The senior was 6-for-7 with three runs scored as the Indians swept Oskaloosa. Ortlund leads the team with a .481 batting average and has stolen 21 bases in 25 attempts while scoring 41 runs.
Kacy Miller, West Monona
The junior shortstop had two doubles and three RBIs for the Class 2A sixth-ranked Spartans in an 11-3 win over AHSTW. MIlleris hitting .420 with 34 RBIs for the Western Valley Conference champions.
Marina Cronin, Remsen St. Mary’s
Cronin, a junior, dialed a pair of shutouts, striking out a total of 13 while allowing five hits in run-shortened victories over Le Mars Gehlen and West Sioux. Cronin is 18-1 with an 0.62 ERA and 119 strikeouts for the Hawks, who ended the regular season 22-1 with 17 consecutive wins.
Devin Simon, Cascade
The senior hit for the cycle in an 8-2 win over Anamosa in the second game of a doubleheader. Simon was 4-for-4 with a single, double, triple, home run and three RBIs. She was 2-for-3 in the opener.
Paige Kampman, Clarksville
Kampman, a freshman outfielder, had two hits – including a homer – and three RBIs in a 10-3 win over BCLUW. For the season, Kampman is batting .420 with 20 RBIs for the 25-1 Indians.
Carson Koerperich, Western Dubuque
The junior shortstop was a combined 6-for-8 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs in a sweep of Waterloo West. Koerperich has six doubles, five triples, a .381 average and 29 RBIs for the season.
Lucy Stratton, Chariton
The sophomore checked an 18-win Albia team on two hits in a 3-1 Chargers’ victory. Stratton is the second pitcher for Chariton, but she has a 5-0 record and 0.30 ERA in 31 innings.
Audrie Kohl, Missouri Valley
In shutouts of Boyer Valley and Fremont-Mills to end the regular season, the sophomore struck out 15 and gave up two hits in nine innings. Kohl has a state-leading 25 wins and 276 strikeouts.
Carly Goodwin, Sigourney
The junior threw abbreviated back-to-back no-hitters to end the regular season, combining to strike out 17 against Iowa Valley and Pekin. Goodwin homered and knocked in four against Iowa Valley for the South Iowa Cedar League champions.
Pearson Hall, West Liberty
Hall’s second homer of the night and her 14thof the season came in the seventh inning and gave West Liberty the lead for good and the Class 3A 15th-ranked Comets shocked Class 2A No. 1 Iowa City Regina 6-4. The outcome, coupled with Wilton’s win over West Branch, meant Regina and Wilton shared the River Valley Conference South Division title.
Kiya Steger, Western Dubuque
The junior drove in a combined eight runs in the Class 4A No. 8 Bobcats’ sweep of Waterloo West. In a 14-4 win in the second game, Steger had a homer, four RBIs and 11 strikeouts to record the pitching win.
Molly Breeding, Winterset
The junior struck out 12 in a 1-0, nine-inning win for the Class 4A ninth-ranked Huskies over No. 5 Norwalk. Neela Applegate drove in the only run of the game.
Charlotte Brown, Wilton
The senior had a single, double, homer and five RBIs as the Beavers beat West Branch 11-2 to earn a tie for the River Valley Conference South Division title. Wilton closed the regular season with its 10thstraight victory.
Maddy McDermott, North Scott
The senior first baseman was 4-for-4 with two singles, a triple and a homer in the Lady Lancers’ 10-0 win over Davenport North. McDermott was the winning pitcher in the opener, striking out 11 in a 7-4 victory.
Kamea Van Kalsbeek, Sergeant Bluff-Luton
The junior blanked Le Mars on six hits and the Class 4A No. 15 Warriors (32-6) clinched their second straight Missouri River Conference title. Van Kalsbeek won her 11thgame of the season as she rotates pitching duties with Regan Herbst (12-0).
Madison Kluever, Northeast
The junior allowed only one hit and struck out 11 in a 12-1 victory over Clinton in a regular season finale. Kluever has a 12-5 pitching record and is also the leading hitter for Class 2A No. 11 Northeast with a .445 average.
Cristen Durian, Twin Cedars
The sophomore third baseman had two hits, including a home run, and drove in four as the Class 1A No. 12 Sabers closed the regular season with a 10-0 win over Lamoni. It was Durian’s third homer of the seasonand she has driven in 25.
Brynn Webber, Sioux Central
The senior centerfielder got two hits and drove in three as the Class 2A No. 12 Rebels closed the regular season with an 8-1 victory over GTRA, their 11th straight. Webber heads into the postseason with a .533 batting average, ranking seventh in 2A.
Ellie Anderson, South Hardin
The senior was 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, leading the Class 2A No. 15 Tigers past Roland-Story 7-5 in a regular season finale. Anderson is hitting .378 with 42 RBIs.
