Merfeld receives All-State honors

by Marianne Gasaway

Julia Merfeld, member of the Clear Lake Lions varsity softball team, has received All-State honors.

Merfeld, a junior, has been named to the Iowa Girls Coaches Association’s Class 3A All-State Team. Merfeld was selected as a member of the Class 3A Second Team.

Merfeld finished the 2019 season with the second highest batting average among players in the North Central Conference.  She recorded 23 hits in 48 at-bats for a .479 hitting average in the NCC.  Overall, she batted .538 (49 hits in 91 at-bats) in 25 games for the Lions this year.    Her slugging percentage was .560 and on-base percentage was .563.

In the field, Merfeld was a reliable glove.  She posted a fielding percentage of .926 in 25 games plated.  She made 47 put outs and committed just nine errors.

“Julia was a leader of our team, both defensively and offensively,” said Clear Lake Head Coach Austin Peterson.  “She led our team in batting average and during two tournament games she went a combined six-for-nine with three runs scored.”

Merfeld joined three other NCC players on the All-State list.  The others were Kameryn Etherington, Algona, First Team; Ellie Jacobson, Humboldt, First Team; and Nicole Smidt, Algona, Third Team.