The Belmond-Klemme softball team (17-8, 11-5 TIC-West) galloped to their best overall record since 2015 (21-9) and best Top of Iowa West Conference record since 2021 (10-6). Head Coach Shannon Muhlenbruch on the ingredients that delivered a solid season for the Broncos.
“I think a lot of it had to do with our maturity, the kids got older. We also had solid pitching. Whenever you can throw strikeouts, it gets you outs and out of innings and different things. A lot of it’s just maturity,” says Muhlenbruch. “We’re into five or six years as coaches, and I think they’re starting to understand our system. They’re buying into it. I think it’s just a combination of lot of little things, the offseason, kids playing travel ball and just trying to get better at softball. Being coachable makes you a better team.”
Morris maintained rhythm in the circle with 17 wins and 192 strikeouts, which are marks that both ranked as the second most in the Top of Iowa Conference West. She also posted a 3.54 ERA. Four different Broncos hit over .300 this season, paced by Jordyn Muhlenbruch with a .358 avg and 29 RBIs, and Morris with a .356 avg and 30 RBIs. Muhlenbruch on the Broncos improvement in the batters box.
“Overall, in our batting lineup from one through nine, what probably helped us as much this year as anything else, was we had kids that improved their batting average by 100 points. When you can get a little bit more consistent all the way through your lineup, it just makes you that much more solid. If you go to our strikeouts on the other side, I think as a team we had 97 for the year. I guarantee you last year we probably had 160. That means that we’re putting the ball in play. Anytime you put the ball in play in high school softball, you have a chance.”
Five Broncos were recognized as Top of Iowa West all-conference honorees including Kaylen Morris, Jordyn Muhlenbruch, Kendra Huedepohl, Ella Negrete and Kennedy Morris.
Belmond-Klemme after graduating Negrete is projected to return 18 players next season.
