5 area teams that won the first week of the Iowa high school softball season

Rain wiped out last Tuesday, and did a moderate amount of damage to weekend tournaments.

But for the majority of the state’s softball teams, enough of a sample size was created last week to make some observations.

Here are five area teams that won Week 1:

Alburnett

Five of the Pirates’ first six games were won via shutout.

Sophomores Ingrid Landa and Katelynn Bowler have shared pitching duties, and both have been effective. Both are 3-0, with Landa sporting a 0.00 ERA and Bowler at 1.47. The duo have combined for 52 strikeouts and nine walks in 37 innings.

There’s another aspect of the Pirates’ lockdown capabilities; they have not committed an error in 143 defensive chances.

Savannah Caves (.524, 10 RBIs) and Gralynn Martin (.500, 10 runs) highlight the offense.

The Pirates (6-0 overall, 4-0 Tri-Rivers) are at Calamus-Wheatland (5-0, 2-0) Tuesday night.

Cedar Rapids Xavier

The Saints (6-0 overall, 3-0 MVC) absolutely appear to be the best team in the Metro, and — along with Dubuque Wahlert — are the cream of the crop in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

Braylen Conlon has been a force, both at the plate (.636, five doubles, 10 RBIs), and in the circle (4-0, 0.67 ERA, 45 strikeouts in 21 innings).

Katie Pilcher is the area leader in home runs, with three, and is hitting .600 with a 1.300 slugging percentage.

Xavier has outscored its first six foes by a 52-8 margin and plays a doubleheader at Cedar Rapids Jefferson on Tuesday.

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Benton Community

The area matchup of the season, so far, is Wednesday, when the Bobcats (4-0 overall, 4-0 Wamac) host defending Class 3A state champion Williamsburg (5-2, 4-0).

Benton has relied on an explosive offense, scoring 45 runs in their first four games while allowing 22.

The Bobcats possess a .415 team batting average, led by Hannah Greiner (.667 BA, .722 on-base percentage). Ana Glawe, who hit 20 home runs last season, has 11 RBIs.

Maquoketa Valley

A split with Edgewood-Colesburg to start the season was promising, then the Wildcats (3-1 overall, 3-1 Tri-Rivers) followed that with a sweep of Springville.

They’ll learn more of their stature in the TRC West on Thursday, when they visit Alburnett.

Kallie Freiburger (2-0, 0.44 ERA) has been a lockdown pitcher, and Lily Huber and Jada Knipper are hitting .600-plus.

Union Community

The Knights’ last winning season came in 2017. They opened with two victories in three decisions last week.

Union opens NICL East action Tuesday at home against Oelwein.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com