~by Joseph Beaudet, Scranton Journal summer intern
After a shortened season full of ups and downs for Greene County softball that saw the team start 1-7 and finish 5-11, the Rams had three players named to the Heart of Iowa all-conference teams.
Headlining for the Ram softball team was freshman Emma Hoyle, who was named to the HOIAC second team all-conference. The shortened season saw Hoyle make improvements on the mound and continue to develop as a player.
Hoyle was the Rams starting pitcher for the entire season and was held out of just one start, the second game of a doubleheader against North Polk. In 14 games played and started on the mound, Hoyle led the Rams with 81 innings pitched and 44 strikeouts. She held opponents to just a .232 batting average against, and an improved 4.41 ERA.
At the plate, Hoyle’s strong season and improvements upon 2019 continued. She was tied for the team lead with a .326 batting average and led the Rams with a .375 on-base percentage amongst Rams to start every game this season. Hoyle had a strong freshman season and will look to improve even further in 2021.
Izzy Bravard and Kyla Beyers finished their high school careers strongly by being named HOIAC all-conference honorable mentions. Beyers was the Ram DH this season and made one appearance at first base. She was tied for the team lead with a .326 batting average and was second on the team with a .370 on-base percentage. She also led the Rams with 11 RBI on the season.
Bravard was a strong, veteran presence at third base and the plate for the Rams. Bravard was third on the team with a .283 batting average and seventh on the team with a .283 on-base percentage. Both Bravard and Beyers were seniors in 2020 and brought strong performances to the Rams each game.
