Cedar Rapids Washington turns to Amy Bautista to turn softball program around

CEDAR RAPIDS — Amy Bautista helped make North Linn a softball contender in the Tri-Rivers Conference.

Now she faces a bigger challenge.

Bautista was named the new coach at Cedar Rapids Washington in a release sent Friday morning by the school.

The Warriors were 0-39 last season and scored four runs all summer.

'I am excited to share my love of the game, my passion, with the Warriors,' Bautista said in the release. 'In addition, I am motivated to start working in the offseason not only with the high school program, but also the Junior Warriors to build a solid foundation.'

Bautista is a physical education teacher and athletics director at Isaac Newton Christian Academy, which spending its first year as an IHSAA- and IGHSAU-sanctioned school.

She has been a softball coach at several schools throughout her career, most recently at North Linn. The Lynx won 57 games in the last two seasons, and reached the Class 2A regional finals last summer.

'Amy has great passion and will bring new energy to the entire softball program, which will help provide positive and successful experiences for our athletes,' Washington AD Grant Schultz said.

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