March 28, 2018 By Chris Varney
It is shaping up to be a record setting season for the Grinnell College softball team. Oh, wait, it already has been a record setting season. Eleven games into 2018, the Pioneers have set a school record for HR in a single season and Freshman Darice Wheeler has exploded onto the scene hitting 7 HR, also a new Grinnell College record. And they still have not played a conference game.
Yesterday, the Pioneers ended a seven game losing streak against Simpson College, storming past the Storm 13-5 and 8-6. In the first game, the Pioneers slugged 4 homers. Junior Emily Jordan hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Ashley Wehrenberg and Freshman Flynn Johnson added dingers and Wheeler hit her 7th HR, going 2-2 overall with 3RBI and 3runs. Plus, Wheeler pitched for Grinnell, throwing a complete game and earning her 3rd win of the year. In the second game, Grinnell built a 6-2 lead, added two more runs in the 6th inning and withstood a rally from Simpson before holding on to a 8-6 victory.
Right now, Wheeler is hitting .432 with 7 HR and 19 RBI. The seven homers are tied for 7th in all of NCAA Division III players. Her slugging percentage is 1.162, which ranks 10th in the country in Division III. Just for some perspective, a typically good slugging percentage is .800 to .900. Wheeler is going into the stratosphere with her offensive numbers so far this season.
This is not a one woman gang, however. Another freshman Mya Davis has 3 HR this season and she cannot crack the starting line-up. Yet another freshman Flynn Johnson is batting .405, 2, 9. Junior Emily Jordan is hitting .406 with one homer. And we have not even mentioned the leader of the team, Kayla Morrissey who was the Midwest Conference Player of the Year in 2017. The Senior has been hitting leadoff for the Pioneers and is hitting .439 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 12 RBI, and 15 runs.
The pitching has been shared by three players — Senior Melissa Anderson (3-2, 3.74), Senior Maggie Remus (2-1, 2.74 ERA), and Wheeler (3-0, 3.19) — but it has been the offense that has been setting the records early. Still Remus was named the Midwest Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday after going 2-0 with a 0.78.
Grinnell was only picked to finish 6th in the Midwest Conference pre-season poll so there are some tough tests to come starting today as the Pioneers visit Central College, ranked #16 in NCAA D3.