Kirkwood Softball receives six commitments from high school standouts
Kirkwood Community College head Softball coach Joe Yegge announced the signing of six student-athletes to begin in the fall of 2012. Joining the program are Shelby Crist, Kayla Tatge, Courtney Trotter, Haylee Krack, Jordan Kasbohm and Taylor Streicher.
Catcher Shelby Crist brings her hometown talent from Cedar Rapids Prairie High School as a seasoned athlete lettering in basketball, volleyball, track and softball. Her high school softball athletic honors include: Third Team All-State, First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Metro and All-District Team. She has shown leadership outside of athletics as a student leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Class of 2011 Student Council vice president, Student Advisory Board member, Youth Leadership for Five Seasons, National Council on Youth Leadership, Peer to Peer tutor, Best Buddies vice president and an honor roll student. She plans to attend a university to pursue a Physical Therapy career. Crist chose Kirkwood because she wanted “to be a part of a successful softball team and start [her] academic career at a great community college.”
“Shelby is a great athlete who will be able to catch and play outfield for us. We are very excited about her speed and leadership she will bring to the team,” said Yegge.
Sherrard High School standout Kayla Tatge comes to the Eagles as an infielder. Last season she was named Most Valuable Player and had the highest batting average on the team, hitting .414. Her academic accomplishments include three years of honor roll and All Olympic Conference Team honors, along with Student of the Month Awards in Math, Science and Web Design. Tatge plans to major in Dental Hygiene and work in Orthodontics. She chose to attend Kirkwood because of the “excellent academics and athletics, nice campus, Dental Hygiene program and scholarships.”
“Kayla comes from a strong high school and ASA program in Illinois. With her experience and athletic ability, I see good things in her future. We expect Kayla to be able to compete for a number of positions on the field,” said Yegge.
Four-year letter winner Courtney Trotter joins the Eagles as a utility player. Trotter was named First Team All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-State as an infielder at Des Moines Lincoln High School. As a junior, she was named Honorable Mention All-Conference as a designated hitter.
“I chose Kirkwood because I thought it was the best fit for me. After watching a few games, I knew the team was well coached and they had the desire to win,” said Trotter.
She has interest in Athletic Training, but her future plans are undecided.
“Courtney is having a lot of success playing for a very strong high school program in the biggest conference in Iowa. We expect to see that continue here. With her success at the plate in the Central Iowa Metropolitan League (CIML) conference, I can’t wait to see how well she does when she works on hitting every day,” said Yegge.
Haylee Krack of Silvis, IL comes to the Eagles as a catcher/third baseman from United Township High School. Krack will bring power to the lineup as she completed her junior season with a .548 batting average, three homeruns and 15 doubles.
“The first time I saw Haylee play as a sophomore all I could say was, ‘wow, who is this kid.’ I saw her playing third base and she moved well, had a good glove and hit line drive after line drive. Watching the next summer, I realized she is an even better catcher! Haylee is the ultimate package. When an individual can hit .600+ in her league, you have to do everything in your power to have a kid like that on your team,” said Yegge.
Pitcher Jordan Kasbohm (Moline, IL) will spend time on the mound as the Eagles lose pitchers Amanda Lambrecht (East Moline, IL) and Shelby Dougherty (Belmond, IA) to graduation. Kasbohm led West Carroll High School to a fourth place finish at the 2A Illinois High School State (IHSA) Tournament, before transferring to Moline High School as a junior. Last season she led Moline to a third place finish at the 4A IHSA State Tournament. Her success has earned her First Team All-Conference (2008-2010), First Team All-Metro (2008-2010), Rock Island Argus’ Pacesetter (2010) and Freeport Journal Standard’s 2009 Player of the Year honors. She holds an IHSA state record for strikeouts in a tournament final game (15) and pitched 47 consecutive shutout innings through the 2009 state tournament. Kasbohm intends to major in elementary education with an emphasis on physical education.
“Jordan is a very strong, athletic pitcher. She has proved she can be successful at any level. Taking West Carroll to state as a sophomore, then pitching Moline to a third place finish her junior year is very impressive. Jordan combines power and movement and will be a great addition to carry on our strong tradition of pitching,” said Yegge.
Catcher Taylor Streicher comes to the Eagles from Waverly, IA. she was been named Second Team All-Conference (2008), First Team All-Conference (2009-2010), First Team All-District (2009-2010), Third Team All-State (2009) and Honorable Mention All-State (2010). Last season she hit eight homeruns and led her team to a seventh place finish in the 3A Iowa High School State Tournament. She plans to get her Liberal Arts degree and transfer to a four-year school to continue her education and softball career.
“Taylor is a kid we couldn’t pass on. Hitting more than 20 homeruns in her first three years of high school is very impressive. She fits our style perfectly, and we can’t wait to start working with her,” said Yegge.
The six signees join an Eagles program with a tradition of success. Last season, the women earned a school record 55 wins and finished with a No. 2 ranking on the NJCAA national polls. The past two seasons, the Eagles have combined for an impressive 96-16 record, making the 2010 class the winningest class in school history. There are high expectations for the 2011 season as the Eagles begin with a No. 2 ranking on the NJCAA Division II preseason polls. The women take the field March 5, in Rochester, Minn.