Balanced West is undefeated

We're only a week into the high school softball season, and we're dealing with a small sample size.

But as of now, Iowa City West has the makings of a complete, dangerous team.

'It's a good group of girls, a veteran team,” said Coach Justin Lutjen, in his second year at West. 'So far, we've really put it together.”

The Class 5A sixth-ranked Women of Troy (6-0 overall, 4-0 MVC) have all the elements. Speed at the top of the lineup. Power behind it. And, most importantly, quality pitching.

Junior Jessie Harder and senior Laynie Whitehead - both 3-0 - have combined for a 0.74 ERA, allowing just six runs total. Their strikeout totals are modest (only about four per game), but they don't beat themselves, and neither does the defense behind them.

Harder was 17-2 last season. A Northeastern University volleyball recruit, Whitehead has made the big jump after a 10-8 campaign in 2014.

'She took a couple summers off so she could pursue her volleyball,” Lutjen said. 'She came back last year, and another year back has made her really sharp.”

West's offense is ignited by sophomore speedster Taleah Smith at the top of the order. Smith is hitting .524 with nine runs scored and 14 stolen bases (most in 5A).

When she gets the ball down where she wants it, she's a nearly impossible out. And once she's on base, She's a royal pest on the basepaths.

'She's definitely one of the fastest kids in Iowa, and her hand-eye coordination is through the roof,” Lutjen said. 'You combine that with her speed, and she an extremely tough out.”

Grace Tafolla is hitting .524 with a team-high 11 RBIs. Adara Opiola and Madi Miller have eight RBIs apiece.

Through six games, West batters have struck out just 10 times, nobody more than twice.

West already owns sweeps over Cedar Rapids Xavier and Cedar Rapids Prairie, and dropped Iowa City High 13-0 and 18-0 on Tuesday.

The MVC Valley Division leader, West is at Waterloo West on Thursday.

GOLDEN HAWKS FLY TO THE FOREFRONT

Lutjen's former team is shining, as well.

By virtue of a sweep at Iowa City Regina on Monday, Mid-Prairie has settled into the driver's seat of the River Valley Conference South Division race.

The Golden Hawks (5-1, 4-0) got a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning for a 3-2 victory in the opener, then completed the sweep with a 6-4 triumph in the nightcap. Alex Rath scored three times in the twinbill, and Taylor Kurtz and Emma Troyer picked up the pitching wins, combining to scatter nine hits.

Mid-Prairie fell to Northeast, 11-10, in an eight-innings cross-divisional game Tuesday. The Golden Hawks returned nine starters from last year's 3A state-tournament team.

POTENT PRODUCTION

Benton Community sophomore Alyssa Wiebel leads the state in home runs (five) and ranks second in RBIs (18).

Wiebel is an Illinois State University recruit. The Bobcats are 11-0.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com