Kennedy Softball

Eric Frese named Kirkwood softball coach

Eric Frese is returning to Eastern Iowa to become the new softball coach at Kirkwood Community College.

Frese replaces Joe Yegge, who left Kirkwood after 11 seasons this summer to become the associate head coach at DePaul University.

Frese, who is from Norway, has been the head baseball coach at Wisconsin-Platteville for the past 12 years.

Frese has also been serving as an assistant softball coach at Dubuque Hempstead High School where his wife, Alisha Frese, is the head coach. Alisha Frese played softball at Kirkwood.

"We have offered and he has accepted the position," Kirkwood athletic director Doug Wagemester confirmed Friday afternoon. "That happened this morning. We're fired up."

Read more...

No. 3 Eagles pound Iowa Central, 35-0

The third-ranked Kirkwood softball team destroyed Iowa Central in an ICCAC conference doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Kirkwood.

The Eagles whipped Iowa Central, 25-0, in the first game and captured the second game, 10-0.

Both mismatches were stopped after 4 1/2 innings by the college mercy rule. Kirkwood scored 35 runs in just eight innings.

Rachel Stewart went 5-for-5 in the first game with two doubles, two homers, four RBIs and five runs. The freshman shortstop has belted 13 homers this year.

Monika Bevans was 3-for-3 and drove in two runs. Kenady Waugh, Audra Bridenstine and Skylar Ryan had two hits. Waugh and Ryan collected a pair of doubles.

Read more...

Saints swept by Kennedy juggernaut

The Xavier Saints enjoyed some good moments on Senior Night Thursday, but they were no match for the softball juggernaut that resides at the other end of 42nd Street NE in Cedar Rapids.

The third-ranked Kennedy Cougars began swinging the moment they arrived at Bob Erusha Field and never stopped until they swept the Mississippi Valley Conference twinbill, 11-3 and 18-7, with 40 hits in the doubleheader.

Kennedy raised its records to 31-3 overall and 22-2 in the conference as it battles Iowa City West for an MVC title. Xavier fell to 13-24 overall and 9-15 in the league with the season dwindling to just a few more games.

The Cougars feature lusty hitting and aggressive baserunning that puts pressure on all opponent all night. Sydney Kinney led the onslaught with seven hits in the doubleheader, including a 5-for-5 performance in the nightcap, but it was hard to find a Cougar who did not have a good night at the plate.

Tianna Drahn, Ashley Hamilton, Peyton Baskerville and Camryn Jeffords all had five hits for Kennedy, while Megan Weber and Jenna Schwartzhoff had four hits apiece. Hamilton socked a home run and drove in five runs in the nightcap and Jeffords had four RBIs in that second game.

The Saints swung the bats themselves, but not to the same degree as the Cougars. They collected 10 hits against Schwartzhoff (12-3) in the first game and they had nine hits against Ashley Winterowd (12-0) in the second contest.

Read more...

Hamilton commits to Iowa softball

Cedar Rapids Kennedy junior Ashley Hamilton has committed to the University of Iowa softball program, Kennedy activities director Aaron Stecker confirmed Wednesday morning.

Hamilton, a shortstop, hit .435 with two home runs and 28 RBIs for Kennedy last season as a sophomore. She was named second team all-state in Class 5A by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

Hamilton helped the Cougars compile a 28-13 record last season.