On the surface, 2014 could be looked at as a down year in area softball.
Only seven of 18 Tribune-area teams finished the season with winning records. No team advanced to a state tournament and only Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg advanced as far as a section championship game.
Even that accomplishment was a bit of a downer for Saints fans, who had grown accustomed to making Mankato hotel reservations the first week of every June. Their team hasn’t lost in the regular season since 2010 and, until this season, hadn’t lost a game outside the state tournament in 95 games.
But 2014 wasn’t a lost season by any measure.
KMS still finished 20-2 – losing to Edgerton twice in the Section 3A finals – and Morris/Chokio-Alberta’s Lauren Reimers exhibited offensive and defensive talents not often seen in these parts.
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The Tigers junior hit just shy of .600, with 11 home runs and 22 extra base hits. Her slugging percentage was 1.183 and her OPS was an otherworldly 1.828.
Reimers drove in 43 runs, she scored 35 runs, stole 15 bases and struck out just three times in 82 at-bats. All-State and All-Section 3AA honors and a West Central South Conference MVP award almost don’t seem enough given her performances.
The 2014 Tribune All-Area team features many new faces, which isn’t unusual considering that nine of 2013’s 12 first-teamers were seniors.
KMS’ Alison Krieger and Minnewaska’s Madison Phillips are the only repeat selections to the 12-player first team, and KMS’ Kalli Forsell, Montevideo’s Ashley Hoehne and Kelsey Olson, and Morris/CA’s Becca Holland jumped up to the first team this year after earning Honorable Mention in 2013.
KMS’ Sadie Sulier, and Paynesville’s Sam Dahl and Kayla Schaefer are the other repeat selections on this year’s 29-play All-Area team.
Meet the 2014 All-Area First Team:
JUSTINE FLATTUM, Dawson-Boyd, Senior SS
Flattum was the Blackjacks’ top bat, with a .492 average and 33 runs scored. She also was tough on the base paths with 21 stolen bases.
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ALISON KRIEGER, KMS, Junior P/SS
Krieger hit .500 with 19 RBIs and 33 runs scored. She was the 20-2 Saints’ top pitcher, with a 12-1 record and a 1.80 ERA.
KALLI FORSELL, KMS, Junior C
The hard-working Saints catcher hit .437 and had 11 extra base hits among her 31 total. She drove in 33 runs and struck out just four times in 71 at-bats.
SAMANTHA GJERDE, KMS, Freshman P/SS
Playing like a seasoned veteran, Gjerde hit .500, drove in 28 runs and scored 37 runs. In the circle, she was 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA and averaged a strikeout per inning.
JENNIFER SOMMERS, MACCRAY, Senior P
Sommers was a powerful presence in the Wolverines’ lineup, hitting .411 with 29 RBIs. Half her hits were for extra bases. She had a 3.37 ERA and almost struck out a batter an inning.
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ASHLEY HOEHNE, Montevideo, Senior 3B/P
A three-time all-conference pick, Hoehne hit .474 with 9 doubles, 3 home runs and 31 RBIs. She slugged .782 and had a .523 on-base percentage. Set career school records for hits, doubles and RBIs.
KELSEY OLSON, Montevideo, Senior CF
One of the Thunder Hawks top offensive threats, Olson hit .429 with 21 RBIs, a .600 slugging percentage and a .500 onbase percentage.
LAUREN REIMERS, Morris/CA, Junior SS
A polished offensive and defensive performer, Reimers hit .598 with a .645 on-base percentage. She hit 11 home runs, scored 35 runs drove in 43 to earn All-State and All-West Central South Conference MVP honors.
BECCA HOLLAND, Morris/CA, Sophomore 3B
Holland hit .381 with 10 doubles, 3 triples and an on-base percentage of .458. She stole 15 bases and drove in 12 runs while scoring 35 runs to earn allconference and all-section honors.
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MADISON PHILLIPS, Minnewaska, Senior P
Phillips is a repeat All-Area first-teamer. She hit .411 with 18 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. She also worked 131 innings, had a 15-5 record and a 2.97 ERA with 101 strikeouts. She was all-section three times.
ALLYSSA ENGFER, Minnewaska, Senior 3B
Engfer hit .368 with 10 doubles, 21 RBIs and 26 runs scored to earn her second all-conference selection. Engfer started four years at third base for the Lakers. “She plays third base with no fear,” said head coach Steve Hoffmann.
PAIGE LARSEN, BOLD, Senior SS
Larsen was the motor for the Warriors’ offense, hitting .493 and driving in 24 runs while also stealing 12 bases. Larsen struck out just three times in 77 plate appearances.
Honorable Mention
SADIE ZAISER, Dawson-Boyd, Senior P
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Zaiser led the Blackjacks in the pitching circle with a 13-5 record in 107 innings pitched. At the plate, she hit .388 and scored 18 runs.
SADIE SULIER, KMS, Junior CF
A superb defensive player, Sulier hit .434 with 22 RBIs, 27 runs scored and 14 stolen bases. “Sadie is an excellent hitter and bunter with a great arm,” said head coach Eileen Suter
MIKAYLIE HAGEN, KMS, Sophomore LF
Hitting out of the No. 9 spot, Hagen was like a second lead-off hitter. She hit .478 with 10 RBIs, 23 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
HAILEY ENSTAD, Yellow Medicine East, Senior LF
Enstad returned from injury to hit .382 with a .455 slugging percentage. She was a 2014 team captain and MVP and was named all-conference.
MEGAN RUDNICK, Willmar, Senior OF
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Rudnick hit .393 and had a .424 on-base percentage. She was an all-conference honorable mention this season. For her career, she hit .328 with 4 home runs and 18 RBIs.
SARAH STADEM, Willmar, Senior 1B
Stadem hit .347 and led the Cardinals with 15 RBIs in 2014. She was named all-conference this spring. Stadem hit .336 for her career and drove in 22 runs.
JORDAN MARTINS, Willmar, Senior SS
Martins started three years and hit .327, had a .375 on-base percentage and she drove in 13 runs this season. She hit .265 and scored 20 runs in her career.
JESSIE JANISCH, Montevideo, Senior SS
Janisch hit .358 with 10 extra base hits – including 4 home runs – and she drove in 13 runs. She slugged .616, had an onbase percentage of .484 and she stole 26 bases and scored 36 runs.
KAYLA PRING, Morris/CA, Junior P
Pring had a 10-4 record with a 2.79 ERA pitching 95.1 innings. She hit .258, with 4 doubles and 3 home runs and she drove in 12 runs to earn an all-conference selection.
BROOKE JOHNSON, Morris/CA, Senior catcher
Johnson hit .277 as a solid backstop for Tigers pitchers. Johnson had 14 putouts and threw out 25 base runners at second base. She was named allconference in 2013 and 2014 and all-section this year.
TASHA STUBEDA, Litchfield, Senior LF/SS
Stubeda hit .303 and a pair of home runs for the Dragons in 2014. A team captain, Stubeda was named to the All-Wright County Conference team and the All-Section 5AA team.
CASSIDY FRANSEN, Renville County West, Junior P
Fransen was a workhorse for the Jaguars this season, logging 121 innings. She finished the season with 10 wins, a 2.30 ERA and 91 strikeouts.
TAYLOR THUNSTEDT, New London-Spicer, Senior SS
Thunstedt was the epitome of a lead-off hitter for the Wildcats. She hit .458 with a .500 on-base percentage and led the team with 22 hits, 13 runs, 3 triples and 6 stolen bases.
BRIANNA FREDRICK, New London-Spicer, Senior IF
Fredrick was a combination of power and speed. She hit .293 and had an on-base percentage of .383. She was dangerous on the base paths, as well, earning her three all-conference selections.
KELSIE RUSTAD, New London-Spicer, Senior P
Rustad was the Wildcats workhorse, posting 80 innings and earning all-conference honors. She had 60 strikeouts and “wins and losses don’t reflect how well she pitched,” said head coach Melissa Bergeson.
SAM DAHL, Paynesville, Senior 1B
Dahl hit .352 this season and .367 in her four-year career. She drove in 11 runs this season and was 10 for 10 stealing bases. “Sam has been a four-year rock for us at first base,” said head coach Tim Woehler.
KAYLA SCHAEFER, Paynesville, Junior INF/P
Schaefer is a repeat All-Area selection. She hit .386, had seven multiplehit games, drove in 16 runs and was 13 for 13 in stolen bases. “Kayla is one of those unique kids who can play any spot on the field and play it well,” said head coach Tim Woehler.
