Tommy Birch

1 week ago | desmoinesregister.com | Tommy Birch

A few days before Iowa Cubs pitcher Cade Horton’s April start in Louisville, the prized prospect began tinkering with a new pitch. Horton, who already owns an electric fastball and strong slider, adopted a sinker to give opposing hitters something else to think about. “Just having that in my back pocket, just throwing a different fastball is going to be really good,” Horton said. The new pitch has already helped produce some positive results for Horton.

1 week ago | desmoinesregister.com | Tommy Birch

The Iowa State women’s basketball team has landed the Southern Conference’s top player from the 2024-25 season. Wofford’s Evangelia Paulk, the league’s conference player of the year and defensive player of the year, is transferring to Iowa State. A source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed the move to the Register on May 3. On3sports was first to report the news. The addition is a significant pick-up for Iowa State, which gets some experience, scoring and defense.

1 week ago | desmoinesregister.com | Tommy Birch

During a road trip to Louisville in late April, Iowa Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw walked back to the dugout following an out and found co-hitting coach Rick Strickland. As they made eye contact, Shaw, early in his trip back to the minors, held up his pointer finger near his thumb to signify how he was barely off with his swing. “He could almost predict that he was coming out of this thing,” Strickland said. “Like really fast.”Shaw was right. He was on the verge of breaking through with his swing.

1 week ago | desmoinesregister.com | Tommy Birch

Kristin Rotert is leaving the Northwestern College women’s basketball program in Orange City. But she isn’t going far. Rotert, who spent four seasons as the head coach at the Iowa NAIA school, was named an assistant coach for the Drake women’s basketball team. “I am beyond exited and grateful to be joining such an incredible staff and program here at Drake,” Rotert said in a May 1 statement announcing the news.

2 weeks ago | desmoinesregister.com | Tommy Birch

Dowling Catholic boys soccer player John Foth walks off the field following an April practice on the team's West Des Moines campus and grabs a backpack and packs up his gear. Foth tosses the bag's black and maroon straps around his shoulders and gets ready to head home. “We played a couple of days ago,” Foth says. “So it was kind of a recovery day.”Not the most exciting workout at this stage of the season. Still, Foth is making the most of every opportunity he has on the field with his teammates.