Tallman headlines five Central softball all-conference picks

Central Dutch Athletics

PELLA—Record-setting Central College center fielder Sara Tallman (sophomore, Pella) received first-team all-Iowa Conference softball honors for the second straight year.

Central landed five all-conference picks overall, matching Coe College for the league high. Gaining second-team recognition were pitcher Annie DeVries (senior, Eldridge, North Scott HS), catcher Emily Walton (senior, Cedar Rapids, Jefferson HS), shortstop Daria Parchert (freshman, Illinois City, Ill., Rockridge HS) and designated player Kaitlyn Andresen (sophomore, Davenport, Assumption HS).

Tallman led the league in stolen bases, with 18 in 16 conference games, and runs scored, with 20. She hit .383 in conference play. Tallman has a school-record 43 stolen bases overall, ranking fourth in the NCAA Division III, and is hitting .413.

DeVries was 7-1 in conference action with a 2.43 earned run average, walking 17 batters and striking out 10 in 49.0 innings. Walton hit .400 with 17 RBIs in 16 games while Parchert hit a team-high .422 in her rookie conference season with five doubles and 11 RBIs. Andresen batted .343 with eight RBIs.

Coe College’s Haley Jones was named the league’s position player of the year while her teammate, Alyssa Olson, was the pitcher of the year.

Central, 27-10 overall, posted a 12-4 conference mark, good for second place.