The Bishop Garrigan softball team enters 2025 as defending champions in the Top of Iowa West, after ending last season with a 17-8 overall record and 14-2 mark in conference games to win the Top of Iowa West for the first time since 2020.
In order to repeat as conference champions, the Golden Bears will rely on a young team, with a handful of upperclassmen mixed in leading the way. Although the 2024 senior class left some big shoes to fill, current senior Hanna Merron is excited to continue the leadership tradition.
Merron and 2024 senior Abbie Capesius formed a fearsome middle of the batting order for Bishop Garrigan last season. Capesius, Bishop Garrigan’s all-time home run leader, capped off her career with a .506 average and 13 home runs last season, while Merron provided protection in the number four spot of the lineup with a .493 batting average, 6 homers, and 33 runs batted in. Even with pitchers likely turning their full focus to Merron this season, the Golden Bear senior isn’t overthinking her approach at the plate.
As a team, Bishop Garrigan produced a .358 batting average last season. Several .300 and .400 hitters return, with senior Zoe Montag, a .446 hitter last year, junior Alyssa Haugland, a .406 hitter, and sophomore Lillian Erpelding-Wickman, a .322 hitter, all expected to be key cogs in the lineup. Montag, who’s previous career best average prior to last season was .329, credits a more relaxed approach in the batters box to her production.
The Golden Bears look to be solid up the middle, with three-year starter Molly Peterson once again holding down the second base position. According to Head Coach Payge Purdy, Carley Nielsen and Lillian Erpelding-Wickman have both been vying for playing time at shortstop, hoping to assume the starting role from the now-graduated Capesius.
Peterson also credits a focus on fundamentals to becoming a tough out at the plate.
How the pitching looks will likely be one of the largest deciding factors of the season for Bishop Garrigan. Ella Schaaf became a fixture in the pitching circle for the past four seasons for the Golden Bears, capping off her senior season in 2024 with a 2.91 ERA and 109 strikeouts, as numerous young Bishop Garrigan pitchers will now vie for innings.
Bishop Garrigan is also filling in a couple of outfield spots, with Haugland returning, and two new starters from last season.
Purdy sees freshman Jenna Peterson filling a role in the outfield and also developing into a middle of the order bat.
The overall makeup of the roster will be very young this season for Bishop Garrigan, with just three seniors and two juniors on the team. Peterson says the three seniors have been close all throughout their career.
When it comes to leading the young players, there has been some tough love according to Peterson.
Montag felt the biggest strength of the team last year was how close they were as a group, something she wants to help continue in 2025.
For Purdy, the biggest focus coming into the season has been developing the team’s game IQ.
Bishop Garrigan opens the season at home on May 27th against Belmond-Klemme, before visiting Algona for the crosstown game on May 28th. Both games can be heard on KLGA 92.7 FM and seen on the Algona Radio YouTube stream.
