March 28, 2024

Spartan softball hopes to go next level this year

The Southwestern Community College softball team is off to a good start this year, having gone 5-3 on its Florida road trip and then following with an ICCAC doubleheader sweep of NIACC.

That start comes as no surprise to head coach Lindsay Stumpff.

She, along with assistant coach Amber Brown and her entire team, believes the Spartans have what it takes to take the program to the next level.

“Our statement this year is ‘On a mission,’” Stumpff said. “They truly believe, and Amber and I as well, that if everybody’s state of mind stays the same, we have a good shot at moving on to that next level of nationals.”

Having already played 10 games this season, Stumpff says she’s learned that her team is full of fight.

“They’re here because they want to learn more about the game,” she said. “They’re eager to learn. They’re eager to get better.”

Power lineup

One reason the Spartans and coaching staff believe the team has what it takes to go to the next level is its offensive firepower.

The Spartans have been scorching hot at the plate thus far, especially freshman Gabby DuBois of Des Moines, who played high school ball at Carlisle.

DuBois is batting .553 with five doubles, four triples, four home runs and 16 runs batted in through 10 games, leading the team in each category.

“I think offensively, from the first batter to the last batter, they’re focused,” Stumpff said about her team. “If they’re in a pressure situation, we have confidence they’ll get the job done. In the past, we’ve been a couple of hitters short. This year, we have a complete team.”

Sophomore outfielder Emma Ferin of St. Marys is batting just .229 through 10 games, but has three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI. Freshman Tiernee Fichter is batting .471 with two doubles, three triples and 11 RBI.

Sophomore first baseman Katrina DeVore of Norwalk bats .313 so far with four doubles and nine RBI. Freshman third baseman Brennan Banks is batting .419 with two triples, two home runs and eight RBI.

“Gabby is our leadoff hitter and she’s leading us in home runs,” Stumpff said. “Katrina DeVore in the 2-spot is also capable of hitting home runs. Emma at three, Tiernee Fichter out of South Dakota is also very capable. She’s my only true left-handed hitter. It goes all the way down to No. 9 where Ashley Gibbs has hit home runs, as well. I’m very confident in our lineup.”

Stumpff believes she has a power hitter in every spot in the lineup. While most college coaches look to fill their lineup with speed and slap hitters, Stumpff has put together a lineup that can do damage with just one swing of the bat.

That doesn’t mean her lineup is short on speed, however. The Spartans have 12 stolen bases in 14 attempts through 10 games.

“A lot of times, college coaches are looking for that speed, slap-hitter type,” Stumpff said. “We don’t have a lot of that, but we do have speed with power.”

Freshman Melody Stevens from Norwalk will provide the Spartans with plenty of speed on the basepaths.

Pitching duo

The Spartans found out during their trip to Florida they have several pitchers who can enter the circle for them.

But Stumpff said the goal is to stick to two main pitchers for the remainder of the season.

DuBois and DeVore each saw some time in the circle in Florida, but sophomore Sam Strand of Johnston and sophomore Malory Christiansen, a transfer from Doane College, will be the primary pitchers for the Spartans.

“Sam Strand had never told us her shoulder had been bothering her that bad,” Stumpff said about the Florida trip. “She’d be good for two or three innings max, and then we’d have to throw Malory in. Our philosophy is we have to help pitchers out and keep pitch counts down.”

Christiansen had to have her knee scoped at the end of October and is still not at 100 percent.

Stumpff said her hope is that Christiansen is back in her prime by the end of the season.

“That’s our goal to stick with Sam and Malory,” Stumpff said. “They’ve been working hard in the offseason and spending a little extra time with pitching. Those are our two go-to pitchers.”

Christiansen is 4-1 so far this season with three complete games. She has a 2.70 earned run average in 49 1/3 innings, giving up just 30 hits with 30 strikeouts compared to just 15 walks.

Strand is 3-1 with a 4.55 ERA through 20 innings pitched. She has struck out 14 and given up 20 hits with 19 walks.

Stumpff said many of her players come from winning high school programs, which she believes will help her team as it gets into the conference race and regional push.

As for the conference race, she sees Kirkwood and DMACC as being the frontrunners, but believes her Spartans can be right in the mix.

“Third is a tossup,” Stumpff said. “I honestly think we’re right up there. Depending on which team shows up, I think we could definitely finish in the top three.”

The regional playoff format is different this year. The top seed will host half of the teams in the region, while the second seed will host the other half of the teams.

Winners from those two brackets will match up with teams from either Region VIII or Region IX. Winners of those games advance to the national tournament, meaning, theoretically, two teams from Region XI could advance to the national tournament.

Roster

Sophomores — Malory Christiansen, P, Persia; Katrina DeVore, IF, Norwalk; Emma Ferin, OF, St. Marys; Ashley Gibbs, IF, Osceola; Danielle McIntosh, IF/P, Osceola; Sam Strand, P/IF, Johnston; Jill Vanderhoof, Utility, Villisca.

Freshmen — Brennan Banks, C/IF, Corydon; Riley Coates, IF/OF, Indianola; Sydnie Fahrney, IF, Colfax; Tiernee Fichter, C/IF, Sioux Falls, S.D.; Lexi Herbert, C/IF, King City, Mo.; Mackenzie Miller, C, Altoona; Paige Mitchell, OF, Seymour; Brook Rychnovsky, IF/OF, Diagonal; Melody Stevens, OF, Norwalk; Gabby DuBois, OF, Des Moines; Nikkie Tennant, IF, Adel.

Schedule

March 15 — vs. Madison College, 7-6 (L)

March 15 — vs. Highland Community College, 11-2 (W)

March 16 — vs. Burlington County College, 7-2 (W)

March 16 — vs. Muscatine Community College, 13-11 (L)

March 17 — vs. Northland Community & Technical College, 10-0 (W)

March 17 — vs. Bethel University JV, 22-14 (L)

March 18 — vs. Dakota County Technical College, 6-0 (W)

March 18 — vs. Madison College, 9-5 (W)

March 21 — vs. NIACC, 8-5 (W), 5-4 (W)

March 25 — vs. DMACC (DH), 2 p.m.

March 28 — vs. Iowa Lakes Community College (DH), 1 p.m.

April 1 — vs. Ellsworth Community College, 2 p.m.

April 3 — at NIACC (DH), 2 p.m.

April 4 — at Iowa Lakes Community College (DH), 12 p.m.

April 6 — vs. Southeastern Community College (DH), 2 p.m.

April 7 — at Marshalltown Community College (DH), 3 p.m.

April 8 — at DMACC (DH), 2 p.m.

April 14 — at Central Community College, Columbus, Neb., (DH), 1 p.m.

April 15 — at Ellsworth Community College, 2 p.m.

April 20 — at Southeastern Community College (DH), 3 p.m.

April 21 — vs. Central Community College (DH), 1 p.m.