The Dike-New Hartford softball team has completed its season, and interim coach Rhandi Oelmann recognized the departure of its three seniors after a regional semifinal loss to Hudson.
Catcher Payton Nolan was a five-year starter, and became one of the elite catchers of the NICL.
“She’s been behind that plate for five years,” Oelmann says. “So she is obviously a staple of DNH Softball. You know people don’t run on us and that gives us a lot of opportunities defensively to do things, because who runs on Payton Nolan? There’s few that have and have not succeeded. There’s a few that have succeeded, but not in the most. She also is a great bat for us. She puts in a lot of work in the offseason. She plays travel ball. She is always working.”
Nolan, a Hawkeye Community College Softball commit, batted .430 this year, which ranked second on the team and fourth in the NICL-Central.
Oelmann says Macy Mracek performed at a high level despite ongoing shoulder issues, and Skyla Broten provided needed support in the dugout.
“Macy Mracek has had some shoulder issues. She had shoulder surgery two years ago, and that’s kind of still been bothering her. So she hasn’t quite been able to do what she wants to do, but still swings a great bat for us. Skyla Broten, she’s a senior this year, and she came out last year. It was her first year back out since she said sixth grade. And she came out and she was this little dark horse. She was like, ‘I’ll play shortstop.’ And that first time we hit to her, she just got it and threw it to first. I was like, ‘Wait a minute, great job!’ She’s just so positive and she’s somebody who’s always picking up other people. She’s a light to have in our dugout. So we’re thankful for all three of them, and they’ll all be hard to replace.
Mracek, a first baseman, batted .306 and committed among the fewest errors. Broten appeared in three games this season.
The Wolverines went 20-10, their fourth straight 20-plus win season.
