Newton softball players earn LHC honors

Four Newton High School softball players received recognition from Little Hawkeye Conference coaches to wrap up the 2017 softball season. The Cardinals did not have any first-team selections but they have two second-team 2017 All-Little Hawkeye Conference players and two players earning honorable mention honors.

For the second straight season, Newton sophomore Anna Coyle was named to the LHC second team as a pitcher. Joining her on the second team is sophomore Emily Valtman, who played several infield positions including catcher for the Cardinals, as a utility player/designated hitter.

Senior Bailey Davis and junior Taylor Ryan received honorable mention. Davis, who returned to the Newton team after a year off, played in the outfield and infield for the Cardinals. Ryan has held down the first-base position the past couple of years for Newton.

Pella Christian claimed the 2017 LHC title with a 17-4 conference mark followed by Indianola at 16-5 and Oskaloosa at 13-8. All three teams had three players named to the 2017 LHC first team.

Oskaloosa, which was ranked No. 5 in Class 4A’s final regular-season poll, placed third at the 4A state tournament. It was the lone LHC team in the state tournaments. Pella Christian was ranked No. 4 in Class 2A and Indianola was No. 8 in Class 5A.

Dallas Center-Grimes, which was ranked No. 13 in Class 4A, finished fourth in the LHC standings at 12-9 and Norwalk was fifth at 11-10 as both teams had two members named to the first team. Last-place Grinnell went 1-20 and had one player received first-team honors.

Newton (16-18) ended up sixth in the conference with a 10-10 mark. Pella was seventh at 4-16. Neither team had a first-team selection.

Coyle was 5-6 in the circle in conference play and went 9-8 overall for the season. She had the fourth-best earned run average, 2.00, among LHC pitchers. She allowed 72 hits, 41 runs — only 22 earned runs — and issued 16 walks. Coyle had 48 LHC strikeouts, which was eighth best.

Overall, Coyle had a 1.75 ERA for the season. She pitched 120 1/3 innings. She allowed 106 hits, walked 29 batters and hit one batter. Coyle gave up 56 runs — 30 earned. She racked up 73 strikeouts.

Valtman led the Little Hawkeye Conference with a 1.037 slugging percentage and was second in her on-base average at .541. Her .481 batting average was third best in the conference. Valtman hammered out eight home runs and drove in 26 runs, both second best in the conference.

Valtman finished in a three-way tie for most home runs among Class 4A hitters with 13 this season. She led the Cardinals in home runs and in triples, hitting their only three triples this season. She also led the team in RBIs with 34 and runs scored with 33.

Valtman’s 1.096 slugging percentage for the season ranked second overall in Class 4A. She finished with a .470 batting average and a .962 fielding average. Valtman was an honorable mention player as a freshman.

Ryan had the fifth-best batting average, .435, in LHC action and was ninth with a .473 on-base average. She had 30 hits, five doubles and 19 RBIs in conference play and scored 11 runs.

For the season, Ryan had a .396 batting average and a .468 slugging average. She led the Cardinals with 44 hits and eight doubles. She drove in 26 runs for the season. She had a .981 fielding average and five errors at first base.

In LHC play, Davis hit .271 with 16 hits, two doubles , three RBIs and 10 runs scored. Overall, Davis ended her senior season with a .282 batting average and a .365 slugging average. She hit one home run and four doubles. She had 24 hits, 11 RBIs and scored 18 runs. She was 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts. She led Newton with 10 sacrifices.

2017 Little Hawkeye Conference

All-Conference Softball Selections

First Team

Sydney Sickels, Indianola, Jr., pitcher

Emma Schnell, Pella Christian, Sr., pitcher

Elizabeth Van Manen, Pella Christian, Sr., catcher

Brooke Kramer, Dallas Center-Grimes, Sr., infielder

Brooke Mitrisin, Pella Christian, Sr., infielder

Parker Matthews, Indianola, Jr., infielder

Aubrey Miller, Oskaloosa, Sr., infielder

Cheyenne Andersen, Indianola, Sr., outfielder

Amron Born, Norwalk, Sr., outfielder

Riley Hall, Dallas Center-Grimes, Fr., outfielder

Josie Bunnell, Oskaloosa, Jr., outfielder

Alyx Witt, Norwalk, Jr., Utility/DH

Alexis Groet, Oskaloosa, Sr., Utility/DH

Megan Doty, Grinnell, So., Utility/DH

Second Team

Allie Boender, Dallas Center-Grimes, Sr., pitcher

Anna Coyle, Newton, So., pitcher

Paige Linthicum, Dallas Center-Grimes, Sr., catcher

Amber Fistler, Dallas Center-Grimes, Jr., infielder

Ava Vanderwall, Oskaloosa, Fr., infielder

Kinzi VanWyk, Pella, Jr., infielder

Chloe Dembski, Pella Christian, Sr., infielder

Maddie Parks, Pella, So., outfielder

Briley Sodergren, Norwalk, So., outfielder

Destiny Lewis, Indianola, 8th, outfielder

Kirsten VanderHart, Pella Christian, Sr., Utility/DH

Miranda Hughes, Norwalk, Jr., Utility/DH

Emily Valtman, Newton, So., Utility/DH

Honorable Mention: Newton-Taylor Ryan, Jr., Bailey Davis, Sr.; Dallas Center-Grimes-Shelby Freestone, Sr., Kamryn O'Brien, Fr.; Grinnell-Macey Harris, So., Kaitlyn Kriegel, 8th; Norwalk-Tessa Palmer, Fr., Courtney Westvold, Jr.; Oskaloosa-Taylor Willis, Fr., Maddie Haines, 8th; Pella-Claire Corbin, So., Courtney Thompson, Fr.; Pella Christian-Natalie Vos, Sr., Sophie Howerzyl, Jr.; Indianola-Emma Yeager, Jr., Sammie Becker, So.

Little Hawkeye Conference

2017 Softball Final Standings

Team Conf. Overall

Pella Christian 17-4 32-6

Indianola 16-5 34-7

Oskaloosa 13-8 31-13

Dallas Center-Grimes 12-9 23-18

Norwalk 11-10 18-21

Newton 10-10 16-18

Pella 4-16 8-27

Grinnell 1-20 8-26

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