Two Cardinals land on all-LHC softball teams

Newton’s softball team didn’t win a single game in 2020 and finished last in the Little Hawkeye Conference.

This season, the Cardinals were not last place and improved their conference win total by six games.

Still, LHC coaches did not vote a Newton player to the all-conference first or second team. Senior Chassidy Henwood and junior Jazlynn Cooper both were honorable mention selections.

Pella, which was the last-place team and won only three LHC games, had one player on the second team and two more honorable mention picks.

All-conference is based on statistics inside LHC play only.

Henwood finished with a batting average of .323 and had an on-base percentage of .400. She tallied 11 runs, two doubles, four RBIs, four walks, four hit by pitches and a team-high seven stolen bases. Henwood had a fielding percentage of .892.

Henwood’s .323 batting average led the team among players with at least 30 at-bats.

Cooper batted .242 with an OBP of .320. She scored 11 runs, walked seven times, was hit by one pitch, stole one base and tied for a team-best 12 RBIs. Her fielding percentage was .932.

Little Hawkeye Conference

Softball

Final Standings

Team                    Conference         Overall

Indianola   19-2    33-4

Dallas Center-Grimes 14-6   21-15

Norwalk 14-7    23-14

Oskaloosa 11-9    19-14

Grinnell   9-12    14-16

Newton   6-15    15-18

Pella Christian  6-15  14-18

Pella   3-17    8-26

First Team

Pitchers — *Kate Kralik, sr., Indianola; Faith DeRonde, jr., Oskaloosa.

Catcher — Mara Bishop, jr., Indianola.

Infielders — *Destiny Lewis, sr., Indianola; *Elle Nelsen, jr., DCG; *Natalie Harrill, jr., Pella Christian; Kylee Tucker, sr., Indianola.

Outfielders — *Maria Hendricks, sr., DCG; Maleah Walker, so., Oskaloosa; Emri Agre, so., Pella Christian; Jayden Lammers, sr., Norwalk.

Utility — Kylie Merical, sr., DCG; Ella Grife, so., Grinnell; Olivia Gordon, jr., Oskaloosa.

Second Team

Pitchers — *Haley Downe, sr., Norwalk; Blythe Geiman, sr., DCG.

Catcher — Kate Kriegel, sr., Grinnell.

Infielders — Bailey Roose, sr., Pella Christian; Kiki Riggen, fr., Pella; Hannah Behrens, sr., Grinnell; Brynn Ortlund, so., Indianola.

Outfielders — Kaylee Johnson, sr., Oskaloosa; Hannah Rauschenberg, sr., DCG; Alley May, sr., Indianola.

Utility — Macie Mays, sr., Indianola; Aubrey Johansen, fr., DCG; Jaylynn Brandt, fr., Norwalk.

* Unanimous selection

Honorable Mention

Chassidy Henwood, sr., Newton. Jazlynn Cooper, jr., Newton. Isabel Kidd, sr., DCG. Riley Feeley, sr., DCG. Ashlyn Imhoff, jr., Grinnell. Kelsey Van Compernolle, so., Grinnell. Selia Becker, jr., Indianola. Kaylee Cary, so., Norwalk. Kayla Workman, sr., Norwalk. Aubrey Boender, jr., Oskaloosa. Abby Braundmeier, sr., Pella Christian. Ella Corbin, jr., Pella. Kylie Tauke, so., Pella. Alexa Dunsbergen, jr., Pella Christian. Anna Bonnett, sr., Pella Christian.