You can make an argument that one of the best stories from the recently concluded varsity softball season in Iowa was the overall improvement of the Adel-Desoto-Minburn Tigers. The Tigers made a 16 win change this summer after graduating four players from the 2017 squad that finished 19-17 overall. This summer’s Tiger softball squad showed noticeable improvements in multiple offensive stats including a 32 point change in team batting average (up to .326 from .294), 45 more walks forced (151 opposed to 106), 24 more doubles (74 compared to 50), five more triples (zero in 2017), and 14 more home runs (28 opposed to 14). Despite playing seven more games in 2018, ADM’s defense committed 22 less fielding errors this summer compared to last. On Monday’s Around the Bases season finale, ADM head softball coach Rick Dillinger said constant work on fundamentals is at the foundation of the Tigers’ improved season. “The year before, we worked fundamentals very really hard with them,” Dillinger said, “They continued that process of (working fundamentals) over and over, all of a sudden you’ll see improvement. It takes a lot of reps to become a great club, and we were young the year before, and we’re still young this year. Because of all the extra reps, I believe we became a great club.”

ADM’s 35-8 overall record this summer is the best finish the Tigers have posted in the five seasons Dillinger’s led the softball program. The Tigers finished as the runner-up of the Class 4A State Softball tournament last Friday, falling 8-3 to the Des Moines Hoover Huskies in the championship game. The future appears bright for the Tigers softball team as they only graduate catcher Ashley Tennant from the program. Tennant plans to continue her softball career this fall at Des Moines Area Community College in Boone.