Iowa high school softball: Top sophomore softball players

Here is a look at some of the top Iowa high school sophomore softball players

Lauren Sandholm of Ankeny Centennial is one of the top sophomore softball players in Iowa. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

May marks the official beginning of high school baseball and softball in the state of Iowa. That might sound wrong to many of you, as Iowa is the only state that participates in the two sports during the summer months.

The season begins here in a few short weeks with games, running through the Fourth of July and near the end of that month with the state championships.

Here is a look at some of the top sophomore softball players in Iowa in alphabetical order:

Hope Alstott, Fort Dodge

A two-year starter already, Alstott hit .430 with two homers, eight doubles and a triple, driving in 26 while scoring 52 runs. She did not have a strikeout in 121 at-bats. 

Leah Conlon, Sioux City East

Conlon led all Class 5A ninth-graders last year with a .500 batting average, hitting 27 doubles with a home run and a triple. She drove in 40 and scored 50 times.

Ellie Doster, Fort Dodge

Doster, the younger sister of former Dodger standout Tristin Doster, hit .389 with 14 doubles, three triples and a home run. She drove in 43 and had 51 hits in all on the year with just two strikeouts in 131 at-bats. 

Emma Eekhoff, Pella

Eekhoff was 15-6 with 100 strikeouts last year while also posting 34 hits including 10 doubles and three homers with 29 RBI.

Lexi Gilbert, Woodbury Central

Not only did Gilbert hit .451, she did damage, belting 11 home runs while driving in 40 runs.

Hayden Gookin, Mount Vernon

Gookin is the next Mount Vernon star, as she is coming off a year in which she recorded 54 hits with 10 homers, 14 doubles and three triples. Gookin drove in 32 and scored 20 times herself all while going 21-6 with 247 strikeouts and a 0.74 earned run average inside the circle.

Aubree Greenwood, West Marshall

Greenwood was tough inside the circle, winning 16 games while striking out 131 and posting an earned run average under two. She also hit two homers and drove in 14 runs. 

Sam Gripp, Indianola

Gripp belted 14 home runs as just a freshman, driving in 46 while hitting .405 with seven doubles.

Kylee Hill, Burlington

Hill produced a strong ninth-grade campaign, hitting .361 with five homers, five doubles and 23 RBI. She was also 6-3 inside the circle with 75 strikeouts and a 2.31 earned run average.

Riley Miller, Audubon/Exira-EHK

Miller was part of a strong 1-2 punch last year, going 17-3 with 256 strikeouts and an earned run average of 1.24. She also had 36 hits at the plate, driving in 19 runs.

Clara Page, Des Moines Roosevelt

Page produced an average of just under .400 with four homers, 13 doubles and two triples, driving in 23 with 41 hits and 23 runs scored. 

Lauren Sandholm, Ankeny Centennial

Sandholm won 14 games and had 150 strikeouts with an earned run average of 1.58 last year.

Taylor Schwenn, Clear Lake

Schwenn is helping build a program at Clear Lake, as she hit .460 with six homers, 11 doubles and 30 RBI last year.

Emma Stupp, Marshalltown

Stupp is coming off a season in which she blasted 10 home runs, driving in 47 with nine doubles and a .449 average. 

Emme Wikner, MFL-MarMac

Wikner sported a batting average of .545 with 12 doubles and three triples, driving in 33 runs on the year.