All-State softball honors bestowed on seven area players

Newton High’s Sydney Jenkins and six area high school softball players were recognized with all-state honors by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association. The IGCA announced its 2015 All-State Softball Teams this week.

Jenkins, a junior, was named to the Class 4A second team.

Lynnville-Sully’s senior pitcher Madison Rasmusson and junior second baseman Kasiah Ehresman received All-State Class 1A first-team honors. Senior center fielder Lysandra James was named to the 1A third team.

Prairie City-Monroe’s senior Molly Vignovich earned Class 3A second-team all-state honors. Senior Rachel Freland received third-team recognition.

In Class 2A, Collins-Maxwell/Baxter sophomore Abbey Kahler was named to the all-state third team.

Jenkins led the Cardinals in all offensive categories during the 2015 season. She led the team in hitting for the third straight season. Her .500 batting average was 10th best in 4A. She owned a .830 slugging percentage, which was seventh best in 4A, and a fifth-best .597 on-base percentage in 4A.

As Newton’s leadoff hitter for most of the season, Jenkins was 20 of 22 on stolen base attempts. She drew 21 walks and was hit by pitches three times. She only struck out eight times. Jenkins had 50 hits, eight doubles, five triples and five home runs. She drove in 29 runs and scored 37 runs.

Jenkins switched from catcher to shortstop this season. She had a .882 fielding percentage. She had 15 errors on 127 fielding chances with 49 putouts and 63 assists.

Lynnville-Sully went 36-4, finished ranked No. 4 in the final 1A polls, and then claimed fifth for the third straight year in the 2015 1A state softball tournament. Three reasons why were Rasmusson, Ehresman and James.

Rasmusson posted the best record — 36-4 — among 1A pitchers as she logged the most innings pitched — 225 1/3. She had the sixth-best earned run average of 1.09 and was ranked 10th in strikeouts with 163. Rasmusson gave up 170 hits, walked 23 batters and hit five batters.

Ehresman and Rasmusson were first and second, respectively, in 1A on stolen base attempts. Ehresman was 58 of 59 on stolen base opportunities and Rasmusson was 47 of 51. The Hawks were 201 of 216 as a team.

Offensively, Ehresman, who was Lynnville-Sully’s leadoff hitter, led the team with a .537 batting average, eighth in 1A, and her .600 on-base percentage was seventh best. She scored 59 runs, which was second best in 1A.

Rasmusson batted third in the lineup with a .512 batting average. She led the team with a .772 slugging percentage and had an on-base percentage of .537. Rasmusson drove in 50 runs, fifth-best in 1A.

Ehresman and Rasmusson each had 65 hits, which put them tied for fifth in 1A for hits. Rasmusson had five doubles, five triples and six home runs while Ehresman had one double.

Ehresman had an .886 fielding percentage at second base for the Hawks. She had 29 putouts, 49 assists and made 10 errors. Rasmusson committed seven errors fielding her pitcher’s position with 38 putouts and 85 assists.

James was third on the team in slugging percentage at .565. The Hawks’ cleanup hitter had six home runs, one triple and eight doubles. She had 42 hits with a .339 batting average and a .369 on-base percentage.

James chalked up 29 RBIs and scored 21 runs. She had a .968 fielding average in center field with only one error. James had 27 putouts and three assists.

As CMB’s top pitcher, Kahler finished 18-12 with an ERA of 1.70 with 191 strikeouts, which were 14th and ninth, respectively, among 2A pitchers. She walked 33 batters and allowed 177 hits on 197 2/3 innings. Kahler was seventh in number of innings pitched.

Kahler led the Raiders with a .337 batting average and had a slugging percentage of .579. She had 32 hits, 11 doubles and four home runs. She drove in 16 runs. CMB went 20-1

Vignovich was PCM’s leading hitter with a .364 average. She connected for 43 hits, three doubles, one triple and one home run. She drove in 17 runs and scored 24. Vignovich committed seven errors and had 71 putouts and 68 assists as the Mustangs’ second baseman.

As the Mustangs’ top pitcher, Freland compiled a 16-9 record in the circle with a 2.87 ERA. She chalked up 129 strikeouts, which was 14th best in 3A. She issued 54 walks and allowed 128 hits in 161 innings of work. Freland had seven errors defensively.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com