2024 was a return to the top for the Waterloo softball team. The Pirates won an undefeated Capitol - South conference title in 2022 but let that crown slip to rival Marshall in 2023. This season, Marshall and Waterloo split their regular season series and, eventually, the conference title as they both finished 7-1.
To the victors went the spoils. Waterloo covered the Capitol - South postseason all-conference list, most notably senior catcher Brenna Huebner. She was not only named a first team all-conference selection, but also the conference's Player of the Year. Three Pirate teammates joined her on the first team while three more picked up second team honors.
Brenna Huebner, senior, first team (Player of the Year)
Huebner has long been considered one of the area's better players. Last season alone, she was a honorable mention all-state and first team all-district selection. She's made the Capitol - South's first team all-conference list in three consecutive seasons, as well, after earning second team honors as a freshman.
Her batting stats speak for themselves. Huebner put up a 0.398 batting average this season with a 0.495 on-base percentage and a 0.639 slugging percentage. She collected 33 total hits on the year, including 13 doubles, two triples, and a homerun. This helped her drive in 21 RBIs and come in to score a team-high 31 times. She also drew 15 walks and stole five bases.
Huebner's impressive stats this spring also included her play behind the plate. She did not commit an error all season, recording 125 putouts with 11 assisted putouts. She only allowed eight passed balls and caught six runners stealing.
Emma Baumann, sophomore, first team
Baumann has taken the Capitol - South conference by storm in her first two seasons at the high school level. She was a second team selection last spring, but her level of dominance at the plate in 2024 made her an undeniable first team choice.
She led Waterloo in most major batting categories. She had the highest batting average (0.451) and on-base percentage (0.510) to go along with a 0.610 slugging percentage, second best on the team. Baumann led the way in total hits (37), singles (27), and RBIs (30). Of those 37 hits, eight were doubles, one was a triple, and another was a homerun. She also came in to score 22 times and drew 11 walks.
Over at third base on defense, Baumann made just five errors on 68 total chances for a fielding percentage of 0.926. She recorded 31 putouts, assisted on 32 more, and helped turn a pair of double plays.
Briana Lauersdorf, senior, first team
Lauersdorf earned her first all-conference nod as a second team selection last spring. As leader of the outfield in 2024, she upped that level of recognition to the first team.
She put up solid averages at the plate this spring, including a 0.254 batting average and a 0.346 on-base percentage thanks to 18 hits and nine drawn walks. One of those hits was a double, putting her in position to score 19 times and knock in 10 RBIs. She also stole three bases.
In center field, Lauersdorf only made one error. She snagged 32 catches and threw in to assist on two more outs for an overall fielding percentage of 0.971.
Katrina Freund, senior, first team
The Capitol - South is no stranger to Freund's stellar high school career. She's made the all-conference list every season, including three consecutive first team selections after making the second team as a freshman.
Freund was an ultra-reliable glove at first base, committing only two errors on 119 attempts for a 0.983 fielding percentage. She nabbed 110 putouts, assisted on seven more, and played a role in four double plays.
She was also one of the most valuable bats in the lineup. She was strong across the board with a batting average of 0.325, an on-base percentage of 0.423, and a slugging percentage of 0.488. Of Freund's 26 hits, nine were doubles and two were triples alongside 15 drawn walks. This set her up to drive in 21 RBIs and come in to score 24 times.
Callie Davison, freshman, second team
Davison was ready for the challenge this spring, stepping into one of the field's most important positions of shortstop as a freshman. She was solid there, recording 40 putouts, 33 assists, and turning four double plays.
She also brought great consistency to the plate, collecting 24 total hits and 15 RBIs. Davison led the team in total homeruns with two and stolen bases with seven to go along with eight doubles. In total, Davison came in to score 30 times and drove in 12 RBIs. She capped the season off with a 0.312 batting average 0.415 on-base percentage, and a 0.494 slugging percentage.
Ally Schaumann, freshman, second team
Much like Davison, Schaumann never looked like a freshman as she stepped into a vital varsity role this spring. She logged 113.2 innings in the pitching circle, making 23 starts with 12 wins. She allowed only 43 earned runs over this stretch for an earned run average of 2.648. She logged 95 total strikeouts in her freshman campaign.
Waterloo also relied on Schaumann for offensive production, which she supplied. She put up strong numbers with a 0.349 batting average, 0.406 on-base percentage, and a 0.381 slugging percentage. She had 22 hits in total to drive in 14 RBIs.
Leeah Dorn, senior, second team
Dorn caps her high school career with her first all-conference nod after also starting all of 2023 at second base for the Pirates. She only made five errors there all season long, finishing with a 0.939 fielding percentage thanks to 55 putouts and 22 assists.
She also proved to be an important part of the batting order, finishing with 19 total hits and seven drawn walks. Included in her hits were three doubles and a triple as she drove in 13 RBIs and came in to score 18 times.
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