Top stars, best performances in Iowa high school softball last week

Some of the top performances from Iowa prep softball last week

By Barry Poe 

Here are some stars from the past week's high school softball games across Iowa.

If you know of a top performance we should include, please include them in the comments section below.

Ellie Flanagan, North Linn

The junior registered her 17th pitching win of the season and had a single and double at the plate in Class 1A top-ranked North Linn’s final regular season win, 9-2 over Center Point-Urbana on Thursday.

Abby Pate, Central Springs

The Class 2A top-ranked Panthers closed the regular season at 28-1 with their 14th straight win, 12-0 over Osage on Thursday. Pate, a junior, was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Cameran Smith, ADM

The sophomore pitched a one-hit shutout, striking out 10 in a 2-0 win over Earlham on Friday for the Tigers, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A.

Ella Smithson, Johnston

Sophomore first baseman was 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in 13-1 win over Waukee on Wednesday.

Bridget Stover, Winterset

Senior catcher hit a grand slam home run as the 31-4 Huskies rolled to a 14-1 win over Gilbert on Thursday.

Tory Bennett, Fort Dodge

Senior had two hits and drove in four runs for the defending Class 5A state champions in a 12-0 victory over Earlham on Friday. 

Maura Chalupa, Muscatine

Junior dialed a two-hit shutout as Muskies blanked top-ranked Waukee Northwest 3-0 on Saturday in the Iowa City West tournament.

Kaylee Bunn, Linn-Mar

Sophomore collected two hits and drove in four of her team’s runs in 7-6 win over Iowa City Liberty on Thursday.

Ryleigh Algood, Lisbon

The 12th-ranked Lions ended the regular season at 32-4 with a 3-0 win over Anamosa on Wednesday. Algood, a junior, struck out 12 and allowed only four hits.

Grace Bailey, Twin Cedars

Senior was 4-for-4 at the plate with a homer and three RBIs in 8-6 win over Pella Christian to end the regular season Saturday. 

Nyah Hulbert, Norwalk

Freshman had two hits, including a double, and stole a base for No. 15 Warriors in 5-2 win over Indianola on Wednesday.

Elle Nelsen, Dallas Center-Grimes

The 16th-ranked Panthers beat West Delaware 16-2 on Friday for their 11th straight win. Nelsen had a single, double, home run and four RBIs.

Alexis Houge, Collins-Maxwell

The DePaul recruit is the top hitter in the state with a .705 average. She had three hits in a 10-0 blanking of Don Bosco on Monday.

Jena Young, Winterset

Senior and University of Iowa signee smacked her state-leading 17th home run of the season in a 10-0 win over Ballard on Monday. Young is also fourth in the state with a .640 batting average.

Emily Watters, Anamosa

Junior – hitting .614 for the season – was 3-for-3 with a double, homer and five RBIs in 13-1 win over West Branch Tuesday.

Emily Meyer, North Union

Junior notched her state-leading 29th pitching win of the season in the regular season finale, 16-0 over Eagle Grove. North Union, No. 2 in Class 2A, finished 29-3 with its seventh straight win.

Dakota Lake, Saydel

The junior pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out 12 to earn her 26th win of the season in an 8-0 win over Perry on Wednesday. Lake leads the state with 359 strikeouts.

Ava Smithson, Johnston

Senior and Minnesota State signee drove in a run in an 11-0 win over North Polk on Friday. That gives Smithson 55 RBIs for the season, tops in the state.

Anna Weathers, Des Moines Christian

Promising freshman slugged her 16th home run of the season, a two-run blast in a 9-4 win over Woodward-Granger on Thursday.

Bailey Olerich, Clear Creek-Amana

Senior and University of Iowa recruit had three hits and drove in four runs in 11-4 win over Mount Vernon on Wednesday. The win gave CC-A a share of the Wamac West Conference title.

Anna Bellcock, Newell-Fonda

Senior drove in three runs as the Class 1A No. 2 Mustangs closed the regular season with a 9-1 win over Kingsley-Pierson. Bellcock leads the team with 37 RBIs.

Payton Drefke, Ankeny Centennial

The Jaguars, No. 19 in the latest SBLive rankings, scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to overtake No. 3 ADM, 4-3, on Friday. Drefke had two hits and drove in a run.

Campbell German, Martensdale-St Marys

The sophomore drove in two runs and was the winning pitcher as the Pride of Iowa Conference champions closed the regular season with a 4-2 win over Independence on Friday.

Lexi Clendenen, Southeast Warren

Just an eighth-grader, Clendenen had a single, double, homer and drove in four runs in Warhawks’ 10-2 win over Central Decatur in a regular season finale Tuesday.

Pearson Hall, West Liberty

The freshman is the leading hitter for the Comets with a .544 average, four home runs and 21 RBIs. She had a double and triple and drove in two in a regular-season ending 6-2 win over Mount Pleasant on Saturday.