10 Northwest Iowa softball players to watch in the 2023 season

Tatum Schmalbeck, senior, Sioux Center. The infielder/pitcher earned First-Time All-State honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association last summer as she led the Warriors to a 22-11 record and a sixth place finish in the Class 3A state tournament. In 32 games, Schmalbeck slashed .426/.500/.653, with eight doubles, three triples and three home runs and 28 RBIs while scoring 37 runs. In the circle, she went 19-9 with a 1.88 ERA, striking out 124 batters in 153 innings.

The senior is off to a hot start this season, hitting .488 with two doubles, two triples and a home run through last weekend. As a pitcher, she has experienced some hard luck in the early going, with a 3-3 record despite a 0.82 ERA.

Clarire Schroeder, junior, Remsen St. Mary’s. As a sophomore, Schroeder earned IAGCA First-Team All-State honors, helping lead the Hawks to an undefeated regular season and a berth in the Class 1A state tournament. The speedy outfielder posted a robust .573 average and .609 on base percentage, with 65 hits, all singles, while swiping 60 base and scoring 56 runs, both third highest in 1A.

Elise Evans-Murphy, senior Sergeant Bluff-Luton. The top returning offensive player in the Missouri River Athletic Conference, Evans-Murphy  produced 97 total bases last season, slashing .435/.497/.740 with 15 doubles, two triples and seven home runs while knocking in 46 runs and scoring 45 times. 

This season, the senior is on a similar torrid pace, slashing .429/.500/.690, with five doubles, two HRs and 14 RBIs, while leading the Warriors to a 11-2 mark.

Kierra Jungers, junior, Newell-Fonda. A Class 1A First-Team All-State selection as a pitcher last season, Jungers recorded 27 wins and a 1.56 ERA while striking out 267 batters. She also hit .353 with five doubles, a triple and 31 RBIs as the Mustangs again reached the state tournament.

The Mustangs are off to a 11-1 start this season, even though Jungers has seen limited duty in the pitchers’ circle. In two games, she has thrown four scoreless innings with one save. 

Carly Miller, senior, Kacy Miller, junior West Monona. The Millers both earned IAGCA Second-Team All-State honors last season as they helped lead West Monona to the Class 2A regional finals. Carly led the Spartans with a .407 average, driving in 19 runs, and also recorded 21 wins as a pitcher. Kacy hit .386 and collected 36 RBIs. 

This season, Kacy leads the Spartans with .389 average, with two doubles, two triples and eight RBIS, while stealing 12 bases. Carly has batted .353 while driving in 13 runs, and has a 4-1 record with a 1.70 ERA as the Spartans has jumped out to a 8-3 start. 

Mya Bunkers, junior, Remsen St. Mary’s. Bunkers knocked in a team-high 40 runs last season, hitting .435 and stealing 33 bases for the Hawks as she earned IAGCA Second-Team All-State honors.

In the first seven games this season, the infielder was tied with Schroeder with a team-high .522 average. Bunkers’ .913 slugging percentage also leads the team, as she clubbed three doubles and three triples while driving in eight runs. 

Olivia Mentzer, junior, Sioux City East. The leading run producer in the MRAC last season, Mentzer produced 93 total bases last season, slashing  .493/.520/.684 with 17 doubles and three home runs while driving in a league-high 54 runs.

In the first 10 games this season, Mentzer has knocked in 15 runs while hitting .361 with three doubles, a triple and a HR. 

Gracie Knobloch, sophomore, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn. As a freshman, Knoblock earned Class 2A Second-Team All-State honors after slashing .548/.663./.790 with nine doubles, three triples and 16 RBIs for the 10-15 Hawks. 

The infielder has picked up where she left off this season, with a line of .500/.583./.667, while producing 20 total bases with three doubles, a triple and 11 RBIs in the team’s first 10 games.

Olivia Huckfelt, junior, Spencer. Huckfelt led the Tigers with .457 average, 43 RBIs 11 doubles and eight homers as a Third-Team Class 4A All-State selection last season.

Huckfelt, who capped an undefeated season with a championship in the inaugural Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union’s state girls wrestling tournament in February, has slashed .667/.667./1.000 in her first five games on the diamond this spring, with two doubles, a homer and seven runs knocked in.