Kirkwood Softball

KCC softball coaches win regional honor

Kirkwood softball coach Joe Yegge and his two assistants have been named the Midwest Regional Staff of the Year for Division II junior colleges by the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association.

Yegge, Jenny Nelson and Kristen Winter led the Eagles to a 58-6 record and a fifth-place showing at the NJCAA national tournament. Kirkwood led the nation in runs, hits and RBIs this season and ranked in the top-10 in 15 other departments.

Lansing Community College won the East Regional honor and Jones County took the South Regional honor. The national winner for Staff of the Year will be announced June 14.

4 Eagles named softball All-Americans

Four members of the Kirkwood softball team have been named NJCAA Division II All-Americans.

Taylor Nearad, Maddie Hansen and Gabi Carter were named first team All-Americans by the NJCAA Division II Softball Committee. Nicky Simpson was named a third team All-American.

Nearad, a freshman center-fielder from Solon, hit .602 with 30 home runs and 129 RBIs this season. She led the nation in homers and RBIs and finished third in batting average.

Hansen, a freshman catcher from Cedar Rapids Jefferson, hit .455 with 20 home runs and 93 RBIs. She finished third in the nation in RBIs and seventh in home runs. Hansen will play at Ball State next season.

Carter, a freshman infielder from Cedar Rapids Prairie, hit .442 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs. She finished fifth in homers and fifth in RBIs.

Simpson, a sophomore from Conrad, compiled a 28-3 record and 2.18 earned run average for the Eagles. She will pitch at Truman State next season.

Kirkwood finished with a 58-6 record and placed fifth at the national tournament.

Kirkwood softball places 5th at nationals

CLINTON, Miss. - The Kirkwood Eagles lost both of their games at the NJCAA D2 national softball tournament Friday and tied for fifth place.

Kirkwood lost to Jones County, 7-6, in the winner's bracket semifinals, then lost to Phoenix, 5-2, in a loser's bracket game and was eliminated from the tournament.

The Eagles finished the season with a 58-6 record.

Kirkwood, which was seeded No. 2 in the tournament, went 2-2 in the tournament in Mississippi. Jones County, which is seeded No. 3, advanced to the winner's bracket finals against LSU Eunice. Phoenix, which is seeded No. 1, stayed alive in the loser's bracket.

Kirkwood trailed Jones County, 7-2, heading into the bottom of the seventh inning in the winner's bracket semifinals. The Eagles loaded the bases and pulled within 7-3 on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Nearad. Lexi Ferrari struck out, but Maddie Hansen belted a three-run homer to pull the Eagles within 7-6 with two outs.

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Kinnaird shines as Eagles blank Highland

CLINTON, Miss. - Freshman Lexi Kinnaird spun a seven-hit shutout Thursday as the Kirkwood Eagles blanked Highland, 6-0, in the second round of the NJCAA D2 national softball tournament at Traceway Park.

Kirkwood (58-4) will face Jones County (47-6) in the winner's bracket semifinals Friday at noon. Kirkwood is the No. 2 seed in the 16-team tournament and Jones County, from Mississippi, is the No. 3 seed.

Kinnaird (25-2) struck out four batters and walked two in the seven-inning ballgame. The Eagles broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. They made it 4-0 in the fourth and tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.

Morgan Frost went 3-for-4 for Kirkwood with two doubles and two RBIs. Lexi Ferrari was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs. Peyton Mercer went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Gabi Carter collected a double, two walks and two runs for the Eagles. Maddie Hansen contributed an RBI. Taylor Nearad went 1-for-4 with a run.

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