K.J. Pilcher

Iowa’s Nia Carter has wreaked havoc on opposing pitchers and their defenses this season. She ranks second in NCAA Division I with 70 hits, entering Saturday’s series finale against Maryland. She has helped power Iowa to 26 victories this season.

Montezuma won its first four competitions and ranked first in Class 1A in all three nine-hole scoring categories and combined adjusted average. The successful start mirrors last season, but the Braves want a better finish than a year ago.

Something has clicked during the last month and the Coe softball team has soared since a loss to Sul Ross State on March 16, going almost a month without a setback and ascending the national rankings.

Cornell’s Darren Mancke reached base three times with two hits, scored twice and drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of the Rams’ 9-7 victory over rival Coe.

Mount Mercy senior Kyle Moeder shared a passion for baseball with his late father, Tony, who died earlier this week after a long battle with Frontotemporal Dementia. He took the field Friday, using baseball as an escape for himself and a tribute to his dad.

Cedar Rapids Prairie returns all six starters from last season. The Hawks have a senior-laden lineup, including all-Mississippi Valley Conference performer and two-time state qualifier Addie Berg, who placed eighth at state a year ago.

Coe’s Tyler Elliott has always been a key component in the outfield, but this season he has increased his production at the plate. He ranks among team leaders in multiple offensive categories, leading the Kohawks in RBIs, doubles and slugging percentage.

Luther right-hander Nick Dufoe suffered a collapsed lung in his two previous seasons. He underwent surgery to correct the issue and worked his way back into the Norse rotation for his final season. He threw a complete game in a 4-1 victory over Coe in the opener of a doubleheader sweep Thursday.

Maryland was able to weather an early Iowa storm. Matt Shaw tallied four hits, including a grand slam and solo home run, and powered the Terrapins to a 10-9 victory over No. 25 Iowa in the opener of a three-game Big Ten baseball series Friday.

A list of Gazette area golfers and teams to watch for the 2023 Iowa high school boys’ golf spring season.

Solon’s boys’ golf team produced the best back-to-back seasons in program history. The consecutive state runner-up performances come with more confidence than pressure, but it leaves one thing left to achieve.

The Kohawks tallied 27 hits and 18 runs in doubleheader sweep over the Rams, giving Coe a 7-4 advantage in the 2022-23 Bremner Cup Series between the two schools. Skyler Stookey had five hits with two home runs and five RBIs to boost the Kohawks.

Linn-Mar sophomore Morgan Rupp enters the spring as one of the top returners in Class 4A, capping last season with a fifth-place state finish. She is ranked fourth by Bound to start the season and is one of seven Mississippi Valley Conference golfers in the top 10 of 4A.

A list of Gazette area golfers and teams to watch for the 2023 Iowa high school girls’ golf season.

After a weekend of upsets and thrilling wrestling in Tulsa, Okla., the final 2022-23 edition of the Pinning Combination podcast with Hall of Fame coach Dick Briggs is here to break down all the action from the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.