Wolves’ Gross signs with BVU

 MANNING -- IKM-Manning senior Peyton Gross has signed a letter of intent to play softball at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. Peyton is the daughter of Paul and Joy Gross, rural Manilla. Joy Gross, who is the head softball coach at IKM-M, also played college softball at BVU. Above, Peyton is joined by her parents and older sister, Taylor, for signing day.
 Gross has been a model of consistency during her four-year varsity pitching career thus far, sustaining an earned run average between 1.26 and 2.09 each season while compiling a win-loss record of 86-25. She has struck out 858 batters while walking 163 in 695 and one-third innings. Gross established career highs with 24 wins and 255 strikeouts as a freshman, leading the Wolves to a fourth-place finish in the Class 2A state tournament. As a junior this past summer, she finished 22-7 with a 1.67 ERA and a career-best strikeout-to-walk ratio of 6.9-to-1 (247 Ks, 36 BBs) in 175 and two-thirds innings. She also led the Wolves with a .446 batting average while posting career highs with 33 runs scored, 24 RBI and 11 extra-base hits.