PERU, Neb. —The Peru State softball team finished with a 7-37 overall record this past season. The Bobcats finished 4-22 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play; they did not qualify for the conference tournament.
 
Peru State was 2-18 at home, 3-13 on the road and 2-6 in neutral site play. Peru State is under new direction of first year head coach Renita "Toni" Closner.
 
In 44 games, the Bobcats posted a batting average of .225, an on base percentage of .287 and a slugging percentage of .302.
 
The Bobcats scored 112 runs, 250 hits, 47 doubles, seven triples, eight home runs and 105 RBIs. Peru State drew 83 walks and stole 14 bases.
 
In the circle, the Bobcats pitched 273.2 innings, striking out 139 batters with an ERA of 5.70. Peru State had a fielding percentage of .923.
 
Lanie Dreyer (Anniston, Ala.) and Kaelyn Hamblen (Papillion) led the way offensively for the Bobcats.
 
Dreyer scored 15 runs, 25 hits, seven doubles, one triple, one home run and 10 RBIs. She had a batting average of .281, an on base percentage of .326 and a slugging percentage of .416.
 
Hamblen scored nine runs, 29 hits, three doubles, a triple and had 11 RBIs. She had a batting average of .337, an on base percentage of .368 and a slugging percentage of .395.
 
Dreyer also led the way in the circle as she appeared in 20 games, starting 14 with a record of 4-11. She pitched six complete games, pitching 91 innings striking out 60 batters with an ERA of 4.69.
 
Cheyenne Leach (Wymore) appeared in 23 games in the circle starting in 15 with a win-loss record of 2-14. Leach had nine complete games pitching 109 innings striking out 51 batters with an ERA of 4.69.
 
Autumn Dixon (Stilwell, Kan.) had the best fielding percentage on the team with a fielding percentage of .986 with the majority of her reps coming at first base. Dixon had 134 putouts on 140 total chances, four assists, four double plays and only two errors on the year in 33 games.
 
Shortstop Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury) and catcher Carlye Rothschild (Eros, La.) were selected Heart All-Conference Honorable Mention.
 
Ohlde played in 44 games this season with 21 runs, 35 hits, six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 10 RBIs. She had a batting average of .263 an on base percentage of .347 and a slugging percentage of .383. She also stole three bases.
 
Ohlde had a fielding percentage of .882 and had five double plays on the year.
 
Rothschild played in 36 games with 10 runs, 20 hits, four doubles, one home run and four RBIs. Rothschild had a batting average of .235 an on base percentage of .316 and a slugging percentage of .318. She stole one base.
 
Rothschild in the field had a fielding percentage of .983 with 93 putouts, 11 runners caught stealing and only two errors all season.
 
The Bobcats got it done in the classroom this season. Five Bobcat softball players were selected to the 2023 CSC Academic All-District® Teams NAIA.
 
Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury), Maddie Howard (Council Bluffs, Iowa), Morgan Wilke (Bakersfield, Calif.), Bailey Bitz (Ravenna) and Cheyenne Leach (Wymore) were the five Bobcats selected for the honor.
 
Six Bobcat players were named Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes late last month.
 
The six players are Autumn Dixon (Stillwell, Kan.), Maddie Howard (Council Bluffs, Iowa), Ellie Ohlde (Fairbury), Cheyenne Leach (Wymore), Morgan Wilke (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Bailey Bitz (Ravenna).
 
Peru State Softball will be back next spring.