Softball: Hoyle earns prestigious, third team all-state honors

Staff report

Emma Hoyle’s breakout summer continues to earn recognition.

The Greene County junior was named to the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association all-state, third team last week after compiling one of the highest strikeout rates in Class 3A.
Hoyle fanned 230 batters in 165 innings pitched this year, a total which not only was a career high, but it was the third-highest mark in the state. The ace also maintained an ERA of 2.42 in addition to a WHIP of 1.24.
Saydel’s Dakota Lane, who helped lead the Eagles to a fourth-place finish at state, led the state with 411 strikous in 226 innings of work.
The 200-strikeout plateau is an elite club. Only nine pitchers in class 3A struck out 200 or more hitters last summer while only two pitchers reached the same mark in a shortened 2020 season. Seven pitchers crossed the 200-strikeout mark in 2019. Only five pitchers crossed the 200-strikeout mark this summer.

Hoyle is the first Greene County pitcher since Marissa Promes to pass the 200-strikeout mark. Promes, an all-state honoree, fanned 241 batters in 2015, the same year the Rams finished third at state.
Hoyle helped power an impressive Greene County turnaround this summer. The Rams finished the year on a 12-7 after beginning the year with losses in six of their first seven games. Greene County wrapped up the summer slate with an even 13-13 record, aided by a regional win over Southeast Valley.

The Rams were knocked from postseason play in a pitcher’s dual with Saydel, falling 1-0 in the regional semifinals. Hoyle struck out four batters while allowing just six hits in the loss. Lane fanned 15 batters while surrendering just a single hit.
Hoyle’s breakout was punctuated by a 24-strikeout outing during an extra inning win over Perry. She also fanned more than 10 batters a number of times, shattering her career-best strikeout total by more than 100 .
Hoyle was also one of Greene County’s most reliable hitters. She batted .295, maintaining at least a .300 average for much of the year.  She collected 23 hits to go with a team-best 25 RBI in addition to a team-high two home runs and eight doubles.
Mount Vernon captured the Class 3A state title, defeating Davenport Assumption, 10-5 in the championship game.

Joining Hoyle on the Class 3A, All-state third team are:

Addy Halstead, Albia 
Lillian Etherington, Algona 
Maddie Loken, Assumption
Abby Odean, Assumption
Jada Jensen, Atlantic
Mya Hillers, Center Point Urbana
Layne Braby, Chariton
Macy Hill, Davis County
Bailey Welu, Dubque Wahlert
Molly Shafer, Eddyville-Blakesburg Fremont
Emma Hoyle, Greene County
Carlin Smith, MOC-Floyd Valley
Ashlynn Steen, Mount Vernon
Emma Kjergaard, Northeast 
Leah Mangelsen, Northeast
Riley Johannes. PCM
Makenna Kleinhesselink, Sheldon
Taylor Schneider, Spirit Lake
Hayley Vaske, West Delaware
Kyley Collins, West Liberty
Randi Childress, West Lyon
JennaThurm, Williamsburg