Central Shares Softball Crown as Wares Sets Wins Mark

Senior Katie Tenboer set a school career record for home runs.

Senior Katie Tenboer set a school career record for home runs.

A pair of first-team all-Americans, first baseman Katie Tenboer and pitcher/ designated player Kiley Lythberg, were part of a rock-solid senior class that propelled the Central softball team to a share of the program’s 11th Iowa Conference championship.

The Dutch rolled to a 39-9 record and also secured their record 23rd NCAA Division III tournament berth, finishing second behind eventual national champion Linfield (Ore.) in a rugged eight-team regional at Pella May 12-16.

Meanwhile Central’s George Wares became the winningest coach in Division III history, upping his remarkable 27-year record to 909-302-3 (.750). Tenboer, a third-team all-American a year ago, hit a team-high .414 with a school-record 48 runs batted in and seven homers. She set school career records for home runs (21) and RBI (140). Lythberg hit .387 with 31 RBI while posting a 20-7 record with a 2.47 earned run average in the pitching circle. She ranks fourth in school history with 65 victories and is second in career slugging percentage (.555).

Kiley Lythberg

Senior Kiley Lythberg ranks second in career slugging percentage in Central history.

Junior second baseman Angela Davis was also a first-team all-region honoree, while designated player Rachael Everingham was a third-team pick. Lythberg, Tenboer, Davis, Everingham and freshman shortstop Annie Sarcone were first-team all-conference honorees.

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