Bats come alive, Cardinals sweep Grinnell

Newton broke out of its funk in a big way Thursday night against Grinnell.

The Cardinals swept a doubleheader in convincing fashion by beating the Tigers, 11-3 and 14-4.

The Cardinals snapped a four-game losing streak with the pair of wins and won their first back-to-back games since June 6 and 7. The 25 runs scored by Newton were more than the team had posted in its previous seven games combined.

Newton scored early and often in both games. Kaytlin Ahn ignited Newton’s offense in the opener with a two-out single that scored two runs in the first inning. That hit was the start of a big game for the freshman designated hitter. Ahn finished the game 2-for-4 with a team-high three RBI.

Her teammates followed suit as the Cardinals scored in each of the first four innings.

Senior pitcher Ashton Hoffman delivered one of her best performances of the season in the opener. She retired seven in a row from the third through the fifth innings while her team built a 9-0 advantage. The right hander struck out six, a season high. She also allowed five hits, which was the fewest Hoffman has given up since June 23.

Lizzie Stock and Alex Hutchinson both had three hits for Newton in the opener. Frances Lucas contributed two RBI.

The Cardinals continued their offensive outburst from the get-go in the night cap and scored three times in the first inning. Sydney Jenkins doubled in the game’s first run, and Hoffman and Lucas followed later in the inning with RBI singles.

Newton did most of its damage in the final two innings as it built upon a 6-4 lead at the start of the sixth. The Cardinals added two runs in the inning before scoring six runs in the seventh.

Newton showed resiliency at the plate throughout as the Cardinals scored seven of their 14 runs with two outs.

Stock and Lucas each had three of their team’s 15 hits. The 14 runs scored were a season high for the Cardinals, and the 15 hits were the most Newton has had since totalling 16 against Albia on June 7.

Hoffman again earned the win in the circle, this time pitching 3 2/3 innings and giving up six hits. She escaped trouble multiple times. Hoffman held Grinnell scoreless in the second after the Tigers’ first two batters reached second and third with no outs. She then pitched her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the third without giving up a run.

Stock pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief and held Grinnell to only two hits during her time in the circle.

The Cardinals (8-21) are in action again tonight in a doubleheader at Pella (8-18).