State-bound Comets field 8 all-NEIC softball players
Staff Report
CHARLES CITY — Election results are not always popular … even from popular elections.
But when the votes among the coaches were all tabulated to determine all-Northeast Iowa Conference softball team selections, Charles City Comets head coach Brian Bohlen found no reason to request a recount.
For the State Softball Tournament-bound Comets, eight players were honored. It was the same amount from last year’s state-qualifying team, but this year the Comets fielded four first-teamers as opposed to three the season before.
Despite leading the team and conference in homers last season, then junior Sara Martin didn’t get a first-team nod. But after again leading the Comets in homers (12), hits (56), RBIs (52) batting average (.471) and slugging percentage (.924) thus far this season as well as improving her defense while patrolling left field, Martin’s first-team selection was pretty much a no-brainer this time around.
Also moving up to the first-team after being a second-teamer last year is junior second baseman/pitcher Tayler Schmidt, who is hitting .462 with five homers and is 25 of 25 in stolen bases.
Schmidt is also a reliable No. 2 starter for the Comets with an 8-1 record and an 2.41 earned run average.
As for Charles City’s No. 1 starter, there were few better than sophomore Sami Heyer, who earned her first first-team selection after compiling a 22-5 record with a 1.39 earned run average and holding opponents to a .145 batting average. If Heyer is not careful, she could possibly leave Fort Dodge next week with 300 strikeouts this season.
The only freshman named to the NEIC first team was Comet right fielder Lisabeth Fiser. The state-qualifying track athlete not only got a good jump on the ball off the bat while fielding her position, but also got a good jump while stealing bases as she leads the Comets in 28 thefts in as many attempts.
As a left-handed slap-hitter, Fiser is hitting .430 — not bad for someone hitting ninth in the Comets’ lineup.
Charles City senior shortstop Bailey Mitchell, who was a first-teamer last season, was named to the second team after hitting above .400 thus far this season. Junior third baseman Ciana Sonberg was also named to the second team as she is hitting .427 with five homers.
Comet junior center fielder Payton Reams, who is second on the team in homers (7) and is hitting .323 from the leadoff spot, was named all-NEIC honorable mention.
Comet junior catcher Kelby Katcher, who has only made one error in 327 chances and is hitting .300 with three homers, was also named all-NEIC honorable mention.
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