By Ryan Stonebraker
Sports Editor, Tipton Conservative
The Tipton softball team won five more games than the previous year and made strides last summer in turning things around. Having a team with just one-win in the summer of 2015, the Tigers won six last summer. The Tigers had 64 more hits, scored 23 more runs, had 15 more extra base hits, drew more walks and drove in more runs than in 2015.
The Tigers will turn the reigns of the program to second year coach Brooklyn Koranda. Koranda, who played softball at Maquoketa and in college, was the coach-in waiting last year as longtime softball area coach Keith Chapman guided the 2016 Tigers. Former Tigers Kelly Wendel (Carpenter) and Jaden Compton will serve as assistant coaches.
The Tigers return three starters from last season. Two of which are their starting battery of pitcher Morgan Wendel and catcher Laken Hermiston. Wendel made 21 starts as an eighth grader and logged 108 innings. She had 78 strikeouts and had a 3-13 record. Hermiston had just one fielding error last season and was the Tigers fourth leading batter with 22 hits, 2 HR and a .232 batting average. Outfielder Hunter Humphrey also returns. Humphrey batted .200 last year as a freshman.
Also back are seniors Rylee Conrad, Mara Jauron and Kelsi Hein. All three offer leadership for the younger players and have been through the battles of many summers through the River Valley Conference. Conrad and Jauron will miss some time early in the year for state golf after the Tigers reached state for the first time. Conrad pitches and plays in the field. She batted .246 last season with 17 hits and a home run. Jauron, an outfielder had 83 at-bats and batted .253 with 21 hits and 6 stolen bases. Hein batted .250 in 44 at-bats and can play many positions in the field.
Gone from last season are all-conference centerfielder Maggie Bormann (graduation) and third baseman Allie Ryan (injury), and pitcher/shortstop Emilee Hamann (transferred). Bormann batted .223 with 23 hits and 7 stolen bases. Ryan was the Tigers leading batter with 27 hits, 11 RBI’s and 2 HR to go with a .284 batting average. Ryan injured her knee this past basketball season. Hamann transferred to Lisbon. She made 12 starts and was the winning pitcher in both of Tipton’s RVC wins last year and got the start in the Tigers Regional opener at Wapello where the Tigers lost 1-0.
The Tigers schedule will take a swing through the class 4A MAC conference with road varsity doubleheaders at Clinton and Davenport North. The Tigers will also travel to Central City in their non-conference schedule.
Tipton will play in three weekend tournaments highlighted by their own tournament on Saturday, June 3. Tipton will play at the Bellevue tournament on Saturday, June 17. The Tigers will play at the Clear Creek-Amana tournament on Friday, June 23 and Saturday June 24.
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