Sophomore Kyla Schulte is a strong playmaker for Clear Creek Amana softball

Without plate discipline, it’s hard to get things rolling in softball.

Pitch recognition, patience and zone awareness are traits that elite batters must carry every time they step into the box. For right-handed bat Kyla Schulte, those are skills that she wanted to strengthen entering her sophomore season for Clear Creek Amana softball.

Schulte did everything you could’ve asked for as a freshman last season. Ranked first on the team in hits (41), runs (26) and homers (eight) with nine wins as a pitcher, Schulte emerged as a dual-threat competitor for the Clippers.

But as she reflected on her breakout season, there was one category that struck a nerve.

“I think I struck out so many times last year because I just watched so many go by and I didn’t find the pitch that I wanted early on,” Schulte said. “It was something that was a goal for me. I really wanted to limit what I had on those because I really wasn’t happy with what I had last year.”

After striking out 16 times as a freshman, it was time for a change, and Schulte went straight to the lab. For Schulte, the offseason grind was all about staying disciplined against pitches outside of the zone.

With the help of her coaches and parents, including her mom who was a college softball player, Schulte invested more time strengthening her mechanics at the plate, and it's shown.

The left fielder has been more selective with her swing this season, limiting her strikeout total to seven. The Clippers (23-12) are on their way to their fifth-straight winning season. Schulte has started 33 games for the Clippers, hitting .439/.484/.684 with 50 hits and 29 runs, all improvements compared to last season. She's also earned two wins as starting pitcher.

There’s one statistic that pops off the stat sheet. Her RBI total (56) has soared in comparison to her 24 RBIs last season.

"Her turn from last year to this year is her being more confident. She's put it in a lot more work than the year before,” said CCA coach Jodie Scheetz. "Just trusting herself and getting the job done definitely helps her confidence, and she's been pretty solid for us so far."

Sophomore Lizzie Pasbrig, who's known Schulte's since elementary school, has had a front-row seat to her softball journey. Ever since youth softball, Pasbrig known that the power that Schulte has, a trait that has carried over to CCA.

If you ask Pasbrig, Schulte can be best described as a hardworking slugger filled with power and confidence.

"Her hitting has always been great, even from a young age," Pasbrig said. "I believe in her 100% and I know she doesn't crash under pressure. She's definitely very confident in herself and she should be, she's a great hitter."

Having a leader that's not only reliable but also dedicated to the sport is invaluable, especially for a CCA softball program filled with sophomores looking to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2021.

Team chemistry is what helps teams thrive and Schulte's confidence and support at-bat has contributed to that cause. Known for her leadership. Schulte has earned a reputation for lifting her teammates up.

The road to state begins this week with the start of regional competition, and the Clippers want to run the gauntlet. Schulte knows there's room for improvement but believes CCA softball can reach new heights this postseason.

"Our coaches think that we have a really good shot this year, we just need to make sure we're stringing our hits together because we're having trouble with that right now," Schulte said. "But everybody will hit when we need to, and we'll get (them)...in order to win games because we have a really good shot this year."

For Schulte, it's been a sophomore season filled with discipline at the plate, a trend that she wants to strengthen during the last phase of the season.

"Now, I realize what pitches I want to hit; I hit the ones that I want to hit and I'm making sure that I'm not just swinging because of the strike," Schulte said. "I've learned how to hit it a whole lot better now, so I think that makes me more successful."

Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn .

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Sophomore Kyla Schulte is a strong playmaker for Clear Creek Amana softball