LHC baseball honors go to three Cardinals

Trey Vanderlaan, Brennen Dodd and Tyler Stanton were three of the six seniors leading Newton High’s baseball team in 2017. It wasn’t the senior season they wanted as the Cardinals struggled, going 8-29 overall.

The Cardinals finished last in the Little Hawkeye Conference with a 4-16 conference record. Indianola, which finished ranked ninth in Class 4A in the regular season, went 18-2 to win the LHC title. Oskaloosa, which was the only conference team to reach the state tournaments (3A), was second at 14-7.

Vanderlaan, Dodd and Stanton’s work on the ball diamond was noticed by LHC coaches. The Cardinal senior trio received 2017 postseason honors from the conference coaches.

Vanderlaan garnered Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 4A South Central All-District second team honors as a first baseman. Four Indianola players earned 4A South Central All-District honors also — first team Duncan Davitt, pitcher, Brendan Sher, utility; second team Chayton Reif, catcher, Brady Held, outfielder.

Vanderlaan was named to the 2017 All-LHC second team as an infielder. He played at first base and pitched for the Cardinals. He earned conference honorable mention honors as a junior.

Dodd and Stanton received All-LHC honorable mention honors. Dodd played at shortstop and in centerfield for Newton this summer. Stanton played at second base, shortstop and pitched for the Cardinals.

Vanderlaan led the Cardinals with a .342 batting average, a .360 slugging percentage and a .397 on-base percentage for the season. He had 38 hits, two doubles, 10 RBIs and scored 18 runs. He was 7-for-8 in stolen base attempts.

In LHC play, Vanderlaan was the team leader with a .351 batting average, .368 slugging average and a .403 on-base percentage. He had 20 hits, one double, five RBIs and nine runs scored. He was successful in two stolen base attempts in conference play. He had a .956 fielding average with four errors.

As a pitcher, Vanderlaan went 1-5 against Little Hawkeye Conference teams with a 2.68 earned run average. He allowed 38 hits, 24 runs and 15 walks. Vanderlaan struck out 32. Overall, he was 1-7 with a 3.11 ERA, giving up 48 hits, 31 runs and 16 walks. He had 39 strikeouts for the season.

Stanton finished conference play with a .258 batting average with 16 hits, one triple, three RBIs and scored four runs. He had a .842 fielding averse with three errors in LHC games. He was 2-2 as a pitcher in conference action with a 3.62 ERA, allowing 33 hits, 21 runs and 16 walks, and striking out 11.

For the season, Stanton’s batting average was .257 with 29 hits, three doubles and one triple. He drove in seven runs and scored 14 runs. Stanton was 4-of-5 on stolen base attempts. He had a .902 fielding average with 10 errors.

Dodd, who started at shortstop early in the season then moved back to centerfield, had a .913 fielding average and four errors in LHC action. He was a first-team LHC selection as a junior.

Dodd’s overall fielding average was .944 and he had five errors. He had 10 hits, three RBIs and scored two runs in conference games and finished with a .286 overall batting average with 26 hits, one double, six RBIs and 11 runs. He was 10-of-12 on stolen base attempts.

Conference champion Indianola had three first-team selections while third-place Pella (12-9) had four players named to the first team. Oskaloosa and sixth-place Grinnell (8-13) each had two first-team selections.

Pella Christian (10-11) was fourth and Norwalk (9-11) was fifth in the LHC standings and each had one first-team selection. Newton and seventh-place Dallas Center-Grimes (7-13) did not have anyone on the LHC first team.

2017 Little Hawkeye Conference

All-Conference Baseball Selections

First Team

*Duncan Davitt, Indianola, Jr., pitcher

Tyler Steward, Norwalk, Sr., pitcher

Jaden Rolffs, Pella, Jr., catcher

*Brenden Sehr, Indianola, Jr., infielder

*Will Dembski, Pella Christian, So., infielder

Ethan Mitchell, Grinnell, Jr., infielder

Bennett Spry, Oskaloosa, Sr., infielder

*Tyler Miller, Oskaloosa, Fr., outfielder

Avery Van Zee, Pella, Jr., outfielder

Caleb Piersma, Pella, Sr., outfielder

*Brady Held, Indianola, Jr., utility

Tyler Hillman, Pella, Sr., utility

Jayden Gibson, Grinnell, So., utility

* unanimous selection

Second Team

Rian Yates, Oskaloosa, So., pitcher

Isaac Vanderhart, Pella Christian, Sr., pitcher

Chayton Reif, Indianola, Jr., catcher

Cade Bertrand, Dallas Center-Grimes, Jr., infielder

Trey Vanderlaan, Newton, Sr., infielder

Alex Dejong, Oskaloosa, Jr., infielder

Kolton Arnold, Norwalk, Sr., infielder

Tucker Nunnikhoven, Oskaloosa, Jr., outfielder

Luke Raudabush, Grinnell, Sr., outfielder

Seth Sarver, Oskaloosa, Sr., outfielder

Joel Ruiter, Pella, Sr., utility

Nick Harrington, Oskaloosa, Jr., utility

Ethan Arnold, Oskaloosa, Sr., utility

Honorable Mention: Newton-Brennen Dodd, Tyler Stanton; Indianola-Kade Kolarik, Teyt Johnson; Oskaloosa-Peyton Crouse, Blake VanVeldhulzen; Pella-Landon Vander Leest, Gabe Thomas; Pella Christian-Lawson Bruxvoort, Scott Haveman; Norwalk-Matt Karnes, Orin Waters; Grinnell-Jake Hull Isaac Kracht; Dallas Center-Grimes-Brandon Risius, Justin Biegger.

Little Hawkeye Conference

2017 Baseball Final Standings

Team Conf Overall

Indianola 18-2 31-9

Oskaloosa 14-7 28-14

Pella 12-9 22-16

Pella Christian 10-11 19-16

Norwalk 9-11 13-23

Grinnell 8-13 20-16

Dallas Center-Grimes 7-13 10-21

Newton 4-16 8-29