Columbus North’s Maddi Rutan is The Republic Softball Player of the Year. She is pictured in the studio at The Republic in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday, June 7, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Every softball team that Columbus North has faced must be relieved that Maddi Rutan has graduated.
Rutan has shattered nearly every school hitting and pitching record for a season and for a career. She’ll likely go down as the most decorated and versatile player to come through the Bull Dog program.
A two-way threat at the plate and in the circle, Rutan is The Republic Softball Player of the Year for the third consecutive year.
Rutan holds North’s career records in nearly every offensive category, including home runs with 35, which shattered 2019 graduate Bailey Lofton’s record of 19. She finished her career pitching with 620 strikeouts in 353 innings pitched. The scary part about her numbers is that Rutan accomplished that in three years since the onset of COVID wiped away her freshman season.
Even though Rutan hoped for a better result to end her senior year after a disappointing loss in the sectional final to Shelbyville, she was pleased with her career with the Bull Dogs.
“It was a good experience,” Rutan said. “It was a good three years because I didn’t get to play the first year because of COVID. That was sad that I didn’t have the opportunity to play with Sierra Norman and Brooke (Bruin), but I’m glad I got the rest of the three years. I think I did pretty well, being able to play for my school and be able to play for my hometown.”
Rutan began playing softball when she was 5 years old. It wasn’t until she was 8 that she became a more dangerous player when she added pitching to her arsenal. North coach Ron McDonald’s son Ron Jr. has been her pitching coach for her entire career.
That led to Rutan meeting the elder McDonald when she was 10. Rutan began practicing with the high school team when she was in middle school. It was then when McDonald knew that Rutan was going to be a very special player.
When McDonald took over the program in 2017, Rutan was in middle school and had the opportunity to hit with the girls on the high school varsity team at the time. Rutan showed her future ability when she was hitting off the main pitchers on the high school team during that span.
“She looked natural in her ability. She did it without really any effort at all,” McDonald said. “She was just so good at what she did, and you could see her grow through the years.”
This season, Rutan led the Bull Dogs with a .551 average, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBIs. In the circle, she went 19-1 with a 1.47 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 133 innings pitched.
Rutan received many postseason accolades, including All-Conference Indiana. She was named First Team All-State by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana and was the highest vote-getter in District 4. She’ll participate in the North/South All-Star game on Saturday at Indiana University, where she will be one of five candidates for Indiana Miss Softball.
“Looking at the records and what she has done and talking to several coaches around here, they think she is one of the best to ever come out of Columbus, and I think so, too,” McDonald said. “I’ll miss her as a person. You won’t meet a better person than Maddi. As good as Maddi was, she was just as kind, too. She was somebody that the young girls could look up to, and I know she always treated the younger girls that we had come out and work with us. They thought that was neat how she’d go out of the way and be nice to them. She’s a great person. A player like her only comes along once in awhile, and I was fortunate enough to be at that position when she came along. She made me a better coach.”
Rutan isn’t finished with softball. She’ll wrap up her travel ball schedule in late July before heading to Eastern Kentucky to play for the Colonels. She will move in on Aug. 9 for the fall semester.
Rutan will certainly miss her teammates, coaches and the camaraderie she experienced the past three years in high school, as well as the summers of travel ball, but she is excited to move on to the next phase of her career and thankful for all the support she’s received.
“The support system from my coaches has been awesome. The support system for my team has been pretty good, as well,” Rutan said. “Knowing that my team could play together and knowing each player has each other’s back.
“This was a good chapter. Obviously, it has been just amazing,” she added. “I’m definitely ready for the next chapter. It’s going to be filled with endless amounts of memories, and the hard part will be leaving everyone, but I know it’s going to be a good chapter ahead.”
The Republic All-Area Softball team:
Maddi Rutan, Columbus North: The senior led the Bull Dogs with a .551 average, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 42 RBIs and went 19-1 with a 1.47 ERA and 239 strikeouts.
Kelsey Lovelace, Columbus North: The junior batted .430 with nine doubles, one home run, 29 RBIs and 35 runs scored.
Kirsten Danford, Columbus North: The senior batted .402 with five doubles, three home runs and 38 RBIs.
Josie Lemmons, Columbus North: The senior batted .381 with one home run and 21 RBIs and led the Bull Dogs with three triples, 25 stolen bases and 45 runs scored.
Payton Morris, Columbus North: The freshman batted .310 with eight doubles, six home runs and 20 RBIs and went 5-0 with a 2.14 ERA.
Kenzie Foster, Columbus East: The senior led the Olympians with a .516 average, three triples, nine home runs, 32 stolen bases and 45 runs scored and had 19 RBIs.
Kaylee Cole, Columbus East: The senior batted .422 with one home run, 23 stolen bases and 29 runs scored and led the Olympians with eight doubles and 29 RBIs.
Hannah Taylor, Hauser: The senior batted .438 with 32 runs scored and led the Jets with 13 doubles, four home runs and 33 RBIs.
Kyra Meister, Hauser: The senior led the Jets with a .543 average and had seven doubles, one home run, 27 RBIs and 32 runs scored.
Paige McDaniel, Hauser: The junior led the Jets with four home runs, batted .481 with 29 RBIs and 21 runs scored and went 20-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 159 strikeouts.
Izzy Brunner, Hauser: The sophomore batted .516 with four doubles, 21 RBIs and 34 runs scored and led the Jets with four triples.
Lucie Asher, Hauser: The sophomore batted .471 with five doubles, three triples, one home run and 20 RBIs and led the Jets with 36 runs scored.
Kenzie Matern, Jennings County: The junior batted .333 with two home runs and 10 RBIs, led the Panthers with 20 runs scored and was the team’s top pitcher.
Jillian Brauer, Jennings County: The freshman led the Panthers with a .451 average, eight doubles and 15 RBIs and had one home run and 13 runs scored.
MacKenzie Bieker, Edinburgh: The junior batted .552, led the Lancers with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs and struck out 225 in 127 1/3 innings pitched.
Kenna Streeval, Edinburgh: The sophomore led the Lancers with a .623 average, 11 doubles, two triples, 21 stolen bases and 39 runs scored and had three home runs and 13 RBIs.
Gracie Crawhorn, Edinburgh: The senior batted .594 with two home runs, 34 RBIs and 36 runs scored and led the Lancers with 18 doubles.
Molly Eden, South Decatur: The junior led the Cougars with a .569 average, eight triples, two home runs, 19 RBIs and 29 runs scored.
Bailey Tabeling, Trinity Lutheran: The senior led the Cougars with a .570 average, seven doubles, six triples, four home runs, 30 stolen bases and 45 runs scored and had 23 RBIs.
Madison Keith, Trinity Lutheran: The sophomore batted .443 with six doubles, four triples, one home run and 23 runs scored and led the Cougars with 24 RBIs.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Lexie Austin, Savannah Oden, Ava Sanders, Ava Stogsdill. Columbus Christian: Mara Nickerson, Jaryn Shuler. Columbus East: Hermione Robinson, Addy Ross, Savanna Sullivan. Columbus North: Bailey King, Miley McClellan. Edinburgh: Alix Streeval. Hauser: Haylin Campbell, Reagan Johnson, Maley Jordan, Kylie Mack. Jennings County: Alexis Carson, Riley Byford. South Decatur: Lydia Witkemper. Trinity Lutheran: Grace Lance.
