Can you stand the heat? Sigourney pitcher Carly Goodwin thrives in it

SIGOURNEY — Carly Goodwin likes it hot.

“I love (pitching in) those hot, humid, 100-degree days,” she said.

When the temperature rises, so does Goodwin’s velocity, into the upper-60s in terms of miles per hour.

An all-state senior at Sigourney High School, Goodwin is likely to be pitching deep into those heated dog days of mid-July.

Recently, the Savages have been close to a major breakthrough. Really close.

After reaching the state tournament in 2021, Sigourney dropped a 7-6 regional-final decision to Twin Cedars in 2022.

Twin Cedars went on to win the Class 1A state championship.

The Savages returned to state last year and battled North Linn through seven scoreless innings in the 1A quarterfinals before the Lynx scratched across a run in the eighth.

North Linn went on to win the title.

“It always sucks losing in a big game,” Goodwin said. “When you see them winning a state championship, knowing how close you were, it hurts, but it makes you feel good.”

Sigourney Coach Shelly Streigle said, “Being so close, it gives us confidence, knowing what we’re capable of.”

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These Savages are capable of a lot.

Seven starters return, led by the all-state battery of Goodwin and junior catcher Josephine Moore.

If you’ve got an elite pitcher, you’ve got a chance to do great things. Goodwin certainly suffices.

Last year, she compiled a 23-3 record and 0.19 ERA, striking out 325 batters and walking only seven (three intentionally) in 144 2/3 innings.

Prorate those numbers to a seven-inning game, and that translates to 0.39 runs allowed (0.19 earned) on 0.28 hits, 15.73 strikeouts and 0.33 walks per game.

Simply staggering.

Throughout her career, Goodwin is 67-14 with a 0.70 ERA, 963 strikeouts and 96 walks.

Instead of drowning in statistics, consider this: Goodwin might be even better this summer.

“She has more control with her change and drop,” Streigle said. Those are jumping a little more.”

When she wasn’t playing basketball last winter (she scored more than 1,000 career points), Goodwin worked with pitching coach Amy Williams of Kalona.

“I had a rise and drop last year, but I wasn’t confident enough in them all of the time,” Goodwin said. “Now I can stick with either of them on any count, on any batter.”

Goodwin’s favorite is her inside riseball. Moore said, “I love her change. Her rise complements her change.”

Early last season, Streigle handed pitch-calling duties to Moore.

“She’s our second pitcher, so she knows the batters well,” Goodwin said. “She has that pitcher’s mentality, and we have a good connection.”

They should. They are cousins.

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“Carly has the ability to shake off (my signals). We’ll scratch it and go with a different pitch,” Moore said.

That happens about once per game.

Goodwin will pitch next year at the University of Northern Iowa.

“I visited seven schools, got some good scholarship offers. When I was at UNI, I could tell that they wanted me there,” Goodwin said. “On the car ride home, I told my mom, ‘This is where I want to be.’ She said, ‘That’s what I think, too.’”

Four of Sigourney’s returners -- Moore, Kenzi VanDenHeuvel, Goodwin and Erin Dawson -- hit .400 or better last season.

Moore finished at .460. VanDenHeuvel, now a sophomore, batted .456 and led the team in home runs (four) and RBIs (48).

“I want to be more of an offensive weapon. I wasn’t happy with the way last season ended. I wasn’t hitting well at all,” Moore said.

Sigourney is heavily favored to win its fourth consecutive South Iowa Cedar League title; the Savages are 54-4 in league play during the Goodwin era.

Streigle upgraded the non-conference schedule. For instance, the Savages play at West Liberty on Tuesday and compete at the Ottumwa Classic on July 5.

Then there’s mid-July. The Savages want to revisit Fort Dodge, and they don’t want the mere bittersweet satisfaction of a close loss to the eventual state champion.

“They have some high goals for the postseason,” Streigle said, leaving it at that.

As far as Goodwin is concerned? The hotter, the better.

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Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com