T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown junior center fielder Gianna Baune fires the ball back to the infield during a game against BCLUW on June 13 in Conrad. Baune was named to the all-Iowa Alliance Conference North Division first team in a vote of the league’s coaches.

The Marshalltown High School softball team climbed to third place in the final Iowa Alliance Conference North Division standings — its highest finish in three seasons in the league — and the Bobcats got the hardware to prove it.

Five members of the MHS softball squad received all-conference accolades at the conclusion of the regular season, led by junior Gianna Baune. Baune, who played center field and catcher, was named to the Alliance North first team for the first time in her career in a vote of the conference coaches.

Baune was an honorable mention selection as an eighth-grader and a two-time second-team pick before this year’s promotion. The left-hander batted .409 in North Division play with five doubles, a triple, five RBIs and 14 runs scored. She walked or was hit by the pitch 11 times, struck out just five times, and had an on-base percentage of .527.

Defensively, Baune threw out three would-be base-stealers as a catcher, and she had nine outfield assists — the most among dedicated outfielders. She also stole a team-leading seven bases in conference play.

Three more Bobcats were named to the all-conference second team: senior first baseman Laney Danielson, sophomore infielder Kate Sandvick and sophomore utility Briley Danielson. It’s the third all-conference honor for each.

Sandvick hit a team-leading .429 during conference play with three doubles, four RBIs and six runs scored. She did not strike out this entire season, earning second-team honors for the second year in a row.

Both Danielsons were promoted to the second team after having earned honorable mention status twice previously. Laney batted .381 in conference play with three doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored. She had a .989 fielding percentage, committing just one error in league play.

Briley was Marshalltown’s top pitcher this season, finishing with 36 strikeouts in 43 innings. She had a 5.37 earned run average and went 3-5 in the circle. Offensively, she hit .227 with two doubles, three home runs, 11 RBIs and seven runs scored, and defensively she had a team-leading 30 assists.

Senior right fielder Aubree Mundt was named Marshalltown’s honorable mention selection after batting .244 in league play with two doubles, one triple, one home run, seven RBIs and eight runs scored. She was also second on the team with four stolen bases.

All-Iowa Alliance Conference North Division Softball Teams

(* unanimous selection)

FIRST TEAM

*Lucy Porter, sr., P, Fort Dodge

*Sydney Smalley, sr., P, Ames

Kaylee Mescher, sr., C, Ames

*Mya Geffre, so., 1B, Ames

*Hope Alstott, so., INF, Fort Dodge

Josie Theilen, sr., INF, Ames

Ashlyn Wills, sr., INF, Fort Dodge

Gianna Baune, jr., OF, Marshalltown

Jaya Theilen, fr., OF, Ames

Cadence Touney, sr., OF, Fort Dodge

*Ellie Doster, so., UT, Fort Dodge

Brogan Evans, jr., UT, Mason City

Camryn Johnson, sr., UT, Ames

SECOND TEAM

Aubrey Alstott, fr., P, Fort Dodge

Kiley Sodahl, fr., P, Ames

Pyper Koch, so., C, Mason City

Laney Danielson, sr., 1B, Marshalltown

Kate Nigh, so., INF, Ames

Kate Sandvick, so., INF, Marshalltown

Meah McCaleb, sr., INF, Fort Dodge

Graysyn Downing, jr., OF, Waterloo East

Kylie Johnson, jr., OF, Mason City

Mae Meyer, jr., OF, Fort Dodge

Macy Wills, 8th, UT, Fort Dodge

Hailey Craig, fr., UT, Ames

Briley Danielson, so., UT, Marshalltown

HONORABLE MENTION

AMES — Meredith Frandsen, jr., OF.

FORT DODGE — Calleigh Zimmermann, so., 1B.

MARSHALLTOWN — Aubree Mundt, sr., OF

MASON CITY — Zaria Falls, sr., INF; Daelyn Genzler, jr., INF; Lexi Payne, 8th, INF.

WATERLOO EAST — Kassidy Bauler, jr., INF; Siyanna Cody, jr., OF.

Final Conference Standings

Ames 14-2

Fort Dodge 14-2

Marshalltown 6-10

Mason City 3-11

Waterloo East 1-13