Little Cyclones beat Cardinals

AMES — Back-to-back home games starting tonight could be the fuel to get the fire back in their play for Newton Senior High’s Cardinal girls.

“We didn’t play too bad (Friday night). I felt like we just played through the motions. I would have liked to see them have a little more fire,” said Ashley Ryan, Cardinal softball head coach, after Newton lost 5-3 at Ames Friday.

“We needed to have a little more confidence at the plate and in the field against Ames. I still feel like we are playing our best ball right now.”

The Cardinals (8-22) have two regular season dates at home this week before getting into Iowa Class 4A playoffs on Thursday.

Bringing the fire this week is what the Cardinals need as 4A ninth-ranked Norwalk (33-4) comes to Newton tonight for a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader.

It is senior night for NHS softball. Action begins at 6 o’clock with the junior varsity at Berg Field.

On Tuesday, Oskaloosa is in Newton for a junior varsity game and a varsity doubleheader as a makeup.

Against the Ames High Little Cyclones, the Cardinals struck first on Friday. Sydney Jenkins singled to lead off the game and scored on an RBI base hit by Ashton Hoffman.

The Cardinals added a run in the second frame. Fran Lucas drew a walk and scored when Jenkins reached on a two-out error.

Unfortunately, Newton gave up two runs in the third on two errors. The Little Cyclones capitalized on another error by the Cards in the fourth. Maddie Lynch hit an RBI double then Kate Crow cranked out a two-run home run to post a 5-2 lead for Ames.

Newton produced its third run in the sixth. Morgan Davros singled with one gone then came home on a two-out base hit by Jenkins.

Hoffman took the pitching loss going the distance for the Cardinals. She allowed six hits, walked two and struck out two.

Jenkins hit two singles in the game. Madison Bagnell doubled. Sarah Kalkhoff, Hoffman, Kaytlin Ahn and Davros had a single apiece.