April 19, 2024

Cardinals win nightcap of LHC doubleheader

By Jocelyn Sheets

Getting dirty is Newton’s Fran Lucas sliding into third base safely at a home game earlier this season. Newton won its final regular-season game Monday at Pella and heads to Class 4A regional action Thursday. (Jocelyn Sheets)

PELLA — Newton’s Cardinal softball team has a little bounce to its step going into the Iowa Class 4A playoffs. The Cardinals have gone 3-1 in the final four games of the regular season after a split of a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader at Pella Monday.

Three was a lucky number for senior Lizzie Stock against Pella. Newton lost the opener 6-0 to the Lady Dutch, but in the night cap Stock started in the pitcher’s circle for the Cardinals, holding Pella to three hits.

The Cardinal offense doubled its output of hits from the first to second game, rolling to a 7-1 win. Stock recorded her third win of the season against seven losses. She issued two walks, hit one batter and struck out five.

“Our bats came alive in the second game,” Newton head coach Ashley Ryan said. “We ended the regular season on a positive note and move forward toward regional play Thursday.”

Newton ended with a 9-22 overall record. The Cardinals went 8-12 in Little Hawkeye Conference play for fifth place.

The Cardinals travel to Saydel Thursday in Class 4A Region 6 tournament play. The game begins at 7 p.m.

Newton scored four runs in the third inning of the second game against the Lady Dutch Monday. Stock helped herself with a leadoff single and scored on a one-out double by sophomore catcher Sydney Jenkins, who is hitting over .500 for the season.

Senior first baseman Madison Bagnall reached on an error allowing Jenkins to cross home plate. Ashton Hoffman connected for an RBI base hit. Freshman Kaytlin Ahn singled followed by a two-out base hit by sophomore Fran Lucas, which drove in a run.

Pella answered with a run in its half of the third. That was all the Lady Dutch could come up with against Stock and the Cardinals.

Newton added a run in sixth when freshman Bailey Davis singled and came home on two-out error by Pella on a ball hit by Stock. Jenkins and Bagnall drew back-to-back walks to open the seventh for the Cardinals. Jenkins scored on a sacrifice fly by Hoffman and Bagnall came in on a passed ball.

Lucas led the Cardinal offense, going 2-for-3 with two singles. Jenkins doubled. Hitting a single each were Stock, sophomore Alex Hutchinson, Hoffman, Ahn and Davis.

In the first game, Pella used the middle innings to score six runs for the victory. The Cardinals were limited to four singles — one each by Stock, Jenkins, Bagnall and Lucas.

Hoffman was tapped for 11 hits, plus the senior pitcher walked two batters and hit two batters. Hoffman finished with a 6-15 pitching record for the regular season.