Even with new faces, Iowa City High vs. Cedar Rapids Kennedy is must-see softball

CEDAR RAPIDS — The names and the faces have changed. And, frankly, so have the circumstances.

But City High-Kennedy softball remains an event.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s next generation of pitchers showed promise, and the Cougars overcame a grand slam by Iowa City High’s Avy Lindsey to sweep the Little Hawks 5-3 and 5-4 in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader Thursday night at Kennedy High School.

“We’re young, but we have a lot of young potential, a lot of young talent,” Kennedy Coach Maddison LeClere said. “But there’s a lot of learning left to do.”

Stars like Ayana Lindsey, Carey Koenig and Ella Cook (City High), and Kaylin Kinney, Jayme Scheck and Mya Dodge (Kennedy) have moved on to NCAA Division-I programs.

Expectations aren’t as high for either team — both of which have been state-tournament regulars recently — and neither is the pressure level.

Still, it’s clear that both of these teams are capable of going on a surprising postseason run.

“It’s a process for us,” City Coach Jeff Koenig said. “Where we’re at today, we want to be a little better tomorrow.”

And in both games Thursday, the Cougars (10-4 overall, 10-2 MVC) were a smidge better than the Little Hawks (6-11, 6-8).

“A play here, a play there, and things might have gone the other way,” Koenig said.

One of a handful of remaining veterans who played on Kennedy’s 2020 state-championship team, Keaton Gerber said, “Games with City High are fun games. It’s competitive, so it’s fun.

“I like how it always seems to go back and forth with them, to see who can get the energy up when they need to.”

In both games, a fourth-inning Kennedy rally was key.

The Cougars trailed 1-0 in the first game before sending 10 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, splicing together six hits in a four-run surge.

Topanga Beauregard tied it with an RBI double, then Lilea Prahm, Alexis Wheatley and Ainsley Rulli each followed with RBI singles for a 4-1 lead.

In the nightcap, Kennedy led 2-0 through three innings, then got a two-run double from Rulli and an RBI single from Addy Alber to make it 5-0.

That was enough to offset Lindsey’s grand slam in the top of the fifth.

“Avy’s been squaring up balls a little bit more lately,” Koenig said.

Time will tell if they have Kennedy careers similar to Kinney (now at Nebraska) and Scheck (at Drake), but pitchers Ella Brown and Lily Knutson are off to good starts.

A freshman, Brown (4-2) scattered nine hits in the opener, striking out two and walking two. Knutson (4-1), an eighth-grader, fanned 10 and walked six in a three-hit Game 2 effort.

“They’re both really solid,” said Gerber, who hit a solo home run in the second game. “I didn’t think they’d be confident enough, but they are.”

LeClere said, “They’re young. They’re 14- or 15-year-olds against 18-year-old batters. There are going to be learning moments.

“The fact that I’m going to have one of them for three more years and the other for four ... I like to see that.”

Cedar Rapids Kennedy 5-5, Iowa City High 3-4

AT C.R. KENNEDY

Game 1

Iowa City High 001 020 0 — 3 9 0

C.R. Kennedy 000 410 x — 5 10 1

Kylie Cronk and Sydney McCleary. Ella Brown and Addy Alber. W — Brown (4-2). L — Cronk (3-5).

Game 2

Iowa City High 000 040 0 — 4 3 1

C.R. Kennedy 110 300 x — 5 9 0

Addyson McKillip and Molly Carlson. Lily Knutson and Addy Alber. W — Knutson (4-1). L — McKillip (1-3). HR — ICH: Avy Lindsey (2), CRK: Keaton Gerber (1).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com