Baxter softball players receive Iowa Star all-conference honors

Baxter’s softball team finished as the runner-up in the Iowa Star Conference’s South Division for the second straight season. And finishing 9-5 netted the Bolts six all-conference selections.

Earning first-team honors were junior Holly Jessen and sophomores McKenzie Eslinger and Maddie Pierce. The second-team picks included senior Sydney Schmidt and junior Kaitlyn Headlee. The honorable mention selection was eighth-grader Mandee Selover.

Eslinger was a first-team selection as an infielder. Overall, she batted .413 and had an on-base percentage of .450. She finished with 13 runs, eight doubles, 22 RBIs, four walks and 12 stolen bases. Her fielding percentage was .888.

In conference play, Eslinger batted . 400 and had an OBP of .449. She finished with nine runs, four doubles, 13 RBIs, four walks and nine stolen bases. Her fielding percentage in conference games was .907.

Pierce made the first team as an outfielder. She batted .315 and had an OBP of .425. She scored 29 runs, had six RBIs, walked 13 times and stole 36 bases. Her fielding percentage was .870.

In conference play, Pierce hit .318 and had an OBP of .455. She finished with 20 runs, five RBIs, 10 walks and 25 steals. Her fielding percentage in conference games was .893.

Jessen was the Bolts’ top hitter and she earned first-team honors as a utility player. Overall, she batted a team-best .451 and had an OBP of .536, which also was a team-high. She finished with 23 runs, 10 doubles, 15 RBIs, 11 walks and 27 steals. She did not commit an error in the field and threw out eight potential base stealers.

In conference play, Jessen hit .429 and had an OBP of .455. She finished with 15 runs, seven doubles, eight RBIs, 10 walks and 20 steals. She threw out four attempted base stealers.

Schmidt, Baxter’s lone senior, earned second-team honors as a pitcher. Overall, Schmidt was 11-12 with an earned run average of 4.88. She struck out 76 batters in 137 2/3 innings pitched.

At the plate, Schmidt hit .338 and had an OBP of .456. She finished with 16 runs, eight doubles, 11 RBIs, 13 walks and 12 steals. Her fielding percentage was .935.

In conference play, Schmidt was 9-5 with an ERA of 3.69. She struck out 55 in 85 1/3 innings. At the plate, Schmidt batted .342 and had an OBP of .490. She finished with 11 runs, six doubles, nine RBIs, 10 walks and nine steals. Her fielding percentage was .920.

Headlee was a second-team selection as an infielder. Overall, she batted .319 and had an OBP of .417. She finished with 21 runs, 11 RBIs, 11 walks and 16 steals. Her fielding percentage of .934.

In conference play, Headlee batted .302 and had an OBP of .444. She finished with 14 runs, seven RBIs, 10 walks and 14 steals. Her fielding percentage was .921.

Selover was the Bolts’ starting shortstop as an eighth-grader. Overall, she batted .273 and had an OBP of .342. She finished with 14 runs, two doubles, 13 RBIs, seven walks and 11 steals.

In conference play, Selover hit .278 and had an OBP of .395. She finished with 10 runs, one double, nine RBIs, seven walks and eight steals.

Collins-Maxwell won the conference for the second straight season with a record of 13-0. Head coach Troy Houge was the conference coach of the year and Spartan pitcher Mikayla Houge was player of the year.

Iowa Star Conference

2019 Softball All-Conference Teams

First Team

Pitcher: Mikayla Houge, jr., Collins-Maxwell

Catcher: Hannah Caple, sr., Collins-Maxwell

Infielders: McKenzie Eslinger, so., Baxter; Alexis Houge, fr., Collins-Maxwell; Rylee Purvis, jr., Colo-NESCO; Chloe Feisel, sr., North Tama.

Outfielders: Maddie Pierce, so., Baxter; Ella Kahler, jr., Collins-Maxwell; Faith Vincent, sr., Colo-NESCO.

Utility: Holly Jessen, jr., Baxter; Carissa Calderwood, sr., North Tama.

Second Team

Pitcher: Sydney Schmidt, sr., Baxter.

Catcher: Zoe Duncan, sr., GMG.

Infielders: Kaitlyn Headlee, jr., Baxter; Reagan Franzen, so., Collins-Maxwell; Lauryn Hill, jr., Colo-NESCO; Kelsey Vaverka, sr., GMG.

Outfielders: Emma Kahler, jr., Collins-Maxwell; McKenzie Niemeyer, so., Colo-NESCO; Rylee McLean, so., North Tama; Trinity Stover, jr., Collins-Maxwell.

Honorable Mention

Mandee Selover, 8th, Baxter; Olivia Pasquariello, jr., Collins-Maxwell; Callie Kohlwes, 8th, Colo-NESCO; Emily Vaughn, so., GMG; Sable Fehr, jr., North Tama.

Coach of the Year: Troy Houge, Collins-

Maxwell.

Player of the Year: Mikayla Houge, Collins-

Maxwell.

Iowa Star Conference

South Division

2019 Final Softball Standings

Team Conf. Overall

Collins-Maxwell 13-0 28-1

Baxter 9-5 12-12

Colo-NESCO 7-7 8-19

North Tama 4-10 5-18

GMG 1-13 2-22

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536
or thyde@newtondailynews.com