Ankeny softball coach Dave Bingham said he often thinks about Dick Rasmussen, the legendary coach who guided the Hawkettes to 12 state championships.
Rasmussen passed away early Friday morning at the age of 85.
“The legacy he and his girls created is a powerful standard that can’t be measured,” Bingham said. “I think about him before and after every practice when I’m out there alone. I will miss him.”
Rasmussen won 1,165 softball games in his career. He built a powerhouse program at Ankeny that provides some motivation for Bingham and his players.
“We strive to be a top team in the state every season,” Bingham said. “Hawkette softball is historically a championship program, and the girls are proud of that legacy. They will play hard to honor the ladies that came before them. We will be exciting to watch.”
The Hawkettes return nine starters from last year’s team that posted a 21-17 record. Two of the team’s key returnees, senior outfielder Eva Fulk and junior pitcher Kendra Winfrey, can now turn their full attention to softball following the completion of the girls’ track season.
Fulk ran on Ankeny’s state champion distance medley relay on Friday. That same day, Winfrey placed second in the Class 4A shot put.
“These first three weeks are a busy time with spring sports and graduation. We have had perfect weather to prepare so far!” Bingham joked. “Cool and wet days followed by extreme heat, but we have been lucky not to miss a day. We work a ton of fundamentals, go live, and have as much fun as we can preparing for the season.”
Winfrey is back along with fellow pitcher Ashtyn Billings. The duo combined to win 20 games a year ago.
Winfrey posted a 12-7 mark with a 2.58 ERA and racked up 87 strikeouts in 95 innings of work. She also batted .344 with two home runs and seven RBIs.
Billings, a senior, went 8-5 with a 2.75 ERA while batting .441 with two triples and eight RBIs. She has signed with Northwestern College.
“Our pitchers return with two years of experience each,” Bingham said. “That is valuable, and we have several other pitchers ready to support our program.”
Senior outfielder Mariah Parton and junior infielder Larissa Miller are among the team’s other returning starters. They both joined Winfrey on the CIML Iowa Conference second team a year ago.
Parton batted .379 with three triples and 14 RBIs as a junior. She has signed with Central College.
Miller batted .372 with one homer and 13 RBIs. She combined with Parton to steal 31 bases.
“We have speed and depth,” Bingham said. “The junior and senior classes give us 18 kids who can all contribute if called upon.”
Junior infielders Praze Buchan and Kennedy Palmer are also back. Those two received all-conference honorable mention along with Billings and Fulk.
Buchan batted .457 with three doubles and 10 RBIs. Palmer batted .394 with 14 RBIs and had 19 steals.
Fulk, meanwhile, led the Hawkettes with 25 steals in 25 attempts. The Northern Iowa track recruit batted .354 with 10 RBIs and scored 30 runs.
Catchers Reagan Enright and Hailey Uemura will again provide some stability behind the plate. Enright batted .370 with two doubles and 10 RBIs, while Uemura batted .150 with one homer and four RBIs.
Ankeny will open its season on Monday with an Iowa Conference doubleheader at Waukee Northwest.
“Our internal goals are important–they are part of our everyday commitment to each other, and this is hard to see or measure,” Bingham said. “The seniors and juniors are invested in making that a priority. A championship culture is the No. 1 goal. This will unlock our potential.”
