June 15, 2018 By Chris Varney
Last year, the South Iowa Cedar League made a statement by sending 4 teams to the Class 1A state tournament. This year’s regional pairings will be released on Monday and we will see whether SICL teams will be spread out in different regions like last year. If it does, history might repeat itself.
Only one team in the conference shows up in the current rankings so that might hurt. Sigourney is currently ranked 7th in Class 1A with a 13-3 record but is not in even in first place in their division. Belle Plaine currently leads the Savages by a half game in the East but Sigourney thumped the Lady Plainsmen 13-6 on the first day in June. Sigourney plays small ball — Autumn Bartelman is hitting .538 with 21 stolen bases and 24 runs scored. She likes to bunt, slash, and slap her way on base. They have some power too with Megan Stuhr leading the conference in homers with 5. Belle Plaine has a deep line-up and Junior Katie Cubbage has been a dominating pitcher. Both teams made it to state last year and both teams are dominating the eastern side of the conference.
The west is wide open.
Lynnville Sully is currently in first place at 8-2 with Colfax Mingo and North Mahaska 1 1/2 games back and BGM 2 1/2 back. Montezuma who went to state last year along with the Tigerhawks are a full 3 games behind L-S with HLV bringing up the rear. The Hawks are back on top of the standings thanks to a freshman pitcher in Denali Conover and another deep line-up led by Mallory Loftus who leads the conference in stolen bases with 31.
Colfax Mingo has a deep line-up with 4 players that have 15-16 RBIs each plus Junior P Colbee Cunningham with a 2.21 ERA and 84 strikeouts. North Mahaska has Junior P Emma Deucore who is not as much a strikeout pitcher but has a 2.09 ERA and Freshman P Maddie McKay has really emerged as a complement to Deucore. By the way, Deucore can hit too — batting .511 with 2 HR and 16 RBI. BGM should not be discounted after they just had a 7 game winning streak snapped by Belle Plaine. The Bears’ twins Kaylee and Kelsey Lint form a great battery with Kelsey the pitcher (8-5, 1.11 ERA) and Kaylee the catcher (.471, 2 HR, 19 RBI). The Bravettes will be one to watch in the playoffs as well with Senior P Hanna Jones (2.37 ERA) leading the way, although Montezuma has struggled with the bats, only hitting .215 as a team.
Teams will start playing each other in their own division for the second time starting next week and it will fun and interesting to see who evolves down the stretch of the season in preparation for the playoffs.
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