SPORTS

Here are the 21 top Ames-area high school sports performers for June 20-26

Joe Randleman
Ames Tribune

The Ames softball team went 5-3 and the Little Cyclone baseball team finished 3-2 last week. The softball team saw its record go to 17-14 and the baseball team 16-14.

The Gilbert baseball team defeated Carlisle and fell to Bondurant-Farrar and Boone in going to 13-8 on the season. The Tiger softball team split with Humboldt and Ames and suffered losses to Bondurant-Farrar, Adel-Desoto-Minburn, Carlisle and Boone in going to 10-14.

The Ballard baseball team defeated Boone, Ames and ADM to run its winning streak to nine before falling to Johnston and Urbandale at the Prange Classic to put its record to 14-9. The Bomber softball team went to 12-15 after defeating Estherville-Lincoln Central and losing to Davis County and Ankeny at the Prange Softball Classic, falling to Van Meter in a non-conference game, losing to ADM and sweeping Boone in RRC play.

Nevada went 2-2 in both baseball and softball during the week. The Roland-Story baseball team ran its winning streak to seven before falling to Janesville, putting its record at 13-6, and the Norse softball team went to 16-7 after a 4-1 week that included an upset win over No. 7 Saydel.

The No. 4 (1A) Collins-Maxwell softball team went to 19-2 with seven consecutive wins and the Spartan baseball team pushed its record to 12-8 with a 4-1 week. The Colo-NESCO baseball team went 2-2 during the week to put its record at 12-10 and the Royal softball team defeated North Tama and HLV and lost to Don Bosco and Clarksville in addition to its setback against Roland-Story in going to 5-18.

Here are the top Ames Tribune-area individual performers for the week:

Ireland Buss now has nine home runs for the season, setting a new single-season mark for the Ames softball program.

Ireland Buss

Buss became the single-season home run record holder for the Ames softball team when she hit her ninth homer of 2022 against Gilbert at the Boone Classic Saturday.

Buss was 11-for-25 with three home runs and a triple during the week.

Ellie Lynch

Lynch also had a big week for the Ames softball team.

Lynch went 14-for-23 during the week. She finished with three doubles and a triple.

Ben Amador

Amador pitched Ames to a 3-2 victory over Ankeny June 22.

Amador gave up two runs on eight hits going all seven innings. He struck out seven batters and didn't issue a single walk.

Ames' Aidan Nigh (21) hits a solo home run against Ballard during the third inning at Ames on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, in Ames, Iowa.

Aidan Nigh

Nigh went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and he also threw out a base runner from behind the plate for the Ames baseball team in a 7-5 loss to Ballard June 21.

Nigh was also 3-for-6 with an RBI in a doubleheader sweep of Marshalltown June 20.

Eli Eldred

Eldred was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for the Gilbert baseball team in an 11-8 loss to Bondurant-Farrar June 20.

Eldred also threw six solid innings in a 7-6 loss to Boone June 23. Eldred gave up five runs with 10 strikeouts and one walk in six innings.

Emma Latterell

Latterell went 4-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBIs for the Gilbert softball team in a 10-1 victory over Humboldt at the Boone Softball Classic Saturday.

Third baseman Bella Nelson was 8-for-15 with five RBIs during the week for the Gilbert softball team.

Bella Nelson

Nelson was 8-for-15 with a double, triple and five RBIs for the Gilbert softball team last week.

Nelson doubled, tripled and scored four runs against Humboldt. She was 3-for-4 with three RBIs against Boone.

Miles Mudd

The Bomber freshman was the winning pitcher in a 7-5 victory over Ames. 

Mudd gave up two earned runs and three strikeouts in four innings. He also went 4-for-7 with two doubles and four RBIs at the plate in a doubleheader sweep over Boone.

Jade Lande

Lande had a huge night for the Ballard softball team in a doubleheader sweep over Boone June 20.

Lande was 5-for-7 with a double, home run and 10 RBIs in 10-0 and 13-3 Bomber victories. She picked up five RBIs in each game.

Karter Beving

Beving tossed a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts for the Nevada baseball team in a 9-0 victory over South Hamilton June 22.

Beving also was 1-for-3 with an RBI in a 7-6 victory over South Tama June 21.

Nevada first baseman Samantha Herridge (18) catches the ball for a force out of Grand View Christian's Livy VanDerSluis during the fifth inning at Nevada Softball Field Friday, June 24, 2022, in Nevada, Iowa.

Samantha Herridge

Herridge had a big week with the bat for the Nevada softball team.

Herridge was 3-for-6 with a home run and six RBIs in a 15-6 victory over South Hamilton June 22 and she also homered and drove in two runs in a 7-4 victory over Grand View Christian Friday. Herridge also doubled twice in a 7-3 loss to West Marshall June 20.

Alex Berends

Berends tossed a brilliant extra-inning shutout for the Roland-Story baseball team in a 1-0 victory over Saydel in eight innings June 22 at Story City.

Berends fired a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts. He also hit a solo home run in a 2-0 victory over Perry June 20 at Perry.

Thomas Matthes

Matthes threw an outstanding game for the Roland-Story baseball team in its victory over Perry.

Matthes tossed a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts and no walks. He also doubled and drove in a run at the plate.

Madison Geise

Geise fired a three-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks for the Roland-Story softball team in its upset victory over Saydel.

Geise was also 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs in a 20-9 victory over Perry June 20. She fired a three-hit shutout in a 3-0 victory over Webster City and homered with three RBIs in a 15-2 victory over Colo-NESCO at the Norsemen Classic Saturday.

Geise threw a three-hitter with six strikeouts and one walk in a 2-1 loss to West Marshall June 21.

Macy Friest

Friest homered and drove in four runs for the Roland-Story softball team in its victory over Colo-NESCO at the Norsemen Classic.

Friest was also 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI against Webster City. She was 4-for-4 with a double and four RBIs against Perry and doubled and drove in a run against Saydel.

Erica Houge

Houge threw a perfect game with nine strikeouts in three innings for the Collins-Maxwell softball team a 12-0 victory over Baxter June 20.

Houge also threw shutouts against Des Moines Christian (5-0), Janesville (13-0), GMG (11-0), Dunkerton (14-0) and Central Decatur (2-0) and led the Spartans to a 4-2 victory over Pella. She combined for 60 strikeouts over the six games.

Alexis Houge

Alexis turned in a big week with the bat and on the base paths for the Collins-Maxwell softball team.

Alexis was 12-for-16 at the plate with two doubles, one home run, 14 runs and six RBIs over the Spartans' seven games. She also came up with 14 steals in 15 attempts.

Jace Huntrods

Huntrods played a big role for the Collins-Maxwell baseball team in its four victories during the week.

Huntrods was 10-for-20 at the plate during the week with eight runs and seven RBIs. He also was the winning pitcher in a 7-5 win over Pleasantville, giving up four earned runs with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings.

Kenny Cutler was 7-for-14 at the plate with six runs and five steals during the week for the Colo-NESCO baseball team.

Kenny Cutler

Cutler was a big sparkplug for the Colo-NESCO baseball team on offense during the week.

Cutler went 7-for-14 with six runs, five steals and two RBIs over four games for the Royals. 

Drew Banks

Banks gave up one run on two hits with seven strikeouts and no walks in 3 2/3 innings to get the win for the Colo-NESCO baseball team during a 15-5 victory over Clarksville June 20.

Banks was also 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs at the plate in the victory. He also doubled and scored three times and gave up one earned run on six hits and three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings during a 7-6 loss to North Tama Friday.

Callie Kohlwes

Kohlwes threw a two hitter for the Colo-NESCO softball team in a 2-1 victory over H-L-V June 21.

Kohlwes struck out 10 batters and she didn't issue a single walk.