Sarah Saladino

After dropping a pair of games at the Fort Dodge Invitational on Friday, the Ankeny softball team rebounded on Saturday with victories over two ranked Class 1A opponents to earn a 13th-place finish overall. The Hawkettes began the day with a 9-8 win over No. 7 Newell-Fonda (15-6). They closed out the tournament with a 10-4 triumph over No. 15 … [Read more...] about ‘It was a great way to bounce back’: Hawkettes place 13th at Fort Dodge Invite

The Ankeny softball team will look to regroup for the Fort Dodge Invitational this weekend after dropping an 11-1 decision to visiting Waukee in four innings on Thursday. The 12th-ranked Warriors broke the game open right away with six runs in the first inning and five more in the second. They pounded out eight hits off four Ankeny pitchers, who also … [Read more...] about Waukee scores 6 runs in 1st inning, 5 in 2nd to sweep season series vs. Hawkettes

The Ankeny softball team was hoping to carry the momentum from Tuesday's sweep over Southeast Polk into Wednesday's doubleheader against visiting Johnston. However, the Dragons came into the matchup riding a three-game winning streak of their own and looking to avenge an earlier 14-7 loss. Johnston combined 14 hits with 15 walks to earn a sweep on the … [Read more...] about ‘The girls played very hard’: Hawkettes battle but fall twice to surging Johnston

The Ankeny softball team split a pair of games in the John Stephens Classic at Creston before Saturday's contests against fifth-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes and Bondurant-Farrar were rained out. The Hawkettes opened the tournament on Friday with a 13-4 win over Clarinda (6-4) in four innings. Ava Schlee drove in three runs, while Kensington Arringdale went … [Read more...] about Ankeny girls rout Clarinda, fall to Atlantic in John Stephens Classic at Creston

Waukee Northwest's Sophia Schlader showed again on Monday night why she's considered one of the top softball players in the nation. The sophomore tossed a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts to lead the top-ranked Wolves to a 9-0 victory over visiting Ankeny in five innings in the first game of a doubleheader. Northwest, the defending state champion, then … [Read more...] about ‘They are a tough team to beat’: Ankeny girls fall twice to No. 1 Wolves, Schlader

The Ankeny softball team came from behind to win both games of a doubleheader on Wednesday at Urbandale. The Hawkettes completed the sweep with a 12-4 victory. They erased a 4-2 deficit with five runs in the fourth inning, four in the fifth and one more in the seventh. "We were disciplined on the bases tonight and created multiple opportunities to … [Read more...] about Hawkettes come from behind twice to sweep doubleheader at Urbandale

Despite dropping both games of a doubleheader on Thursday at Waukee, Ankeny softball coach Sarah Saladino saw a lot of positives in her team's play. "The girls showed a ton of grit all night long," she said. "We embraced the pressure tonight." The Hawkettes scored five runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-6 lead in the nightcap. They were only six … [Read more...] about Waukee softball team rallies twice to sweep doubleheader against Hawkettes

The Ankeny softball team pounded out 18 hits, seven of them for extra bases, and rolled to a 14-7 victory at Johnston in its CIML Conference opener on Wednesday. Every Ankeny starter had at least one base hit, and six of them had multiple hits. The Hawkettes scored five runs in the seventh inning to seal the win after Johnston had rallied from an 8-1 … [Read more...] about Arringdale, Hogan, Hutchins hit blasts to lead Hawkettes to 14-7 win at Johnston

After scoring 17 runs in its season opener on Wednesday, the Ankeny softball team managed just three hits in a 4-1 loss to visiting ADM (Adel) in a non-conference game on Tuesday. ADM got a combined 11 strikeouts from Makenna Pitlick and Lauren Hagedorn. Pitlick tossed three perfect innings to earn the win. It was the season opener for the Tigers, who … [Read more...] about ‘We just need to be more consistent’: Ankeny held to 3 hits in 4-1 loss to ADM

If Wednesday's season opener is any indication, the Ankeny softball team is going to have an entertaining season. The Hawkettes put up crooked numbers in four different innings and never trailed en route to a 17-10 victory at North Polk, the No. 8 team in Class 4A. "We had great production at the plate and confidence in our approach, solid defense … [Read more...] about Hawkettes erupt for 17 runs in victory at Class 4A No. 8 North Polk to open season

The Ankeny softball team returns several starters from last year's squad, but the Hawkettes will have to replace their top two pitchers. Aubrey Lensmeyer and Kaylyn Miller both graduated after helping the team to a 13-27 record in its first season under coach Sarah Saladino. Those two combined to pitch all but 14 of the 250 2/3 innings that the Hawkettes … [Read more...] about ‘Set the Standard’: Saladino’s Hawkettes look to continue progress in 2026 season

It would not have been ideal for the Ankeny softball team to enter regional play on a seven-game losing skid. A dramatic rally in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against fourth-ranked Valley allowed the Hawkettes to avoid that scenario. Ankeny overcame a 9-2 deficit on its home field and got a walk-off double from Avery Nelson in the bottom of … [Read more...] about Hawkettes rally from 9-2 deficit, defeat Valley on Nelson’s walk-off double in 8th

Despite dropping a 5-0 decision on Wednesday at top-ranked Waukee Northwest, the Ankeny softball team made the Wolves work for their 25th consecutive victory. Northwest led by only 2-0 through four innings. The Wolves tacked on a run in the fifth inning, then added two more in the sixth to wrap up the outright CIML Conference championship. "It was some … [Read more...] about No. 1 Wolves shut out Ankeny, capture outright CIML Conference championship

The Ankeny softball team is hoping to get another shot at CIML Conference rival Southeast Polk. After the two squads split a doubleheader on June 5 at Pleasant Hill, the sixth-ranked Rams traveled to Ankeny on Tuesday for a make-up game and posted an 8-5 victory in eight innings. They scored two runs in the sixth inning to tie it at 5-5 and then used a … [Read more...] about Hawkettes pound out 12 hits, but tumble to No. 6 S.E. Polk girls in extra innings

If the Ankeny softball team is going to pull off any surprises in postseason play, the Hawkettes will likely need to rely on the right arm of senior pitcher Aubrey Lensmeyer. The South Dakota recruit tossed a four-hitter and had four strikeouts to lead Ankeny to a 2-1 victory at Dowling Catholic in the first game of a doubleheader on Monday. The Maroons … [Read more...] about Lensmeyer hurls Hawkettes past Dowling in first game of doubleheader split