Newton splits two games in Pella

PELLA — The Newton softball team had a chance to get its overall record to .500 this weekend, but a 1-1 finish at the Pella Christian Invitational kept the Cardinals a few games under Saturday.

The Cardinals fell short against Class 3A Albia in the opener, losing 2-1, before blasting 1A Belle Plaine, 10-0, in six innings.

Newton is 4-4 in its last eight games and will take a 12-14 record into this week’s Little Hawkeye Conference action.

In the opener, Albia (11-19) plated an early run in the first and then won the game with a second run in the sixth. Newton’s run came in the fourth and was scored Mackenzie Johnson.

Taylor Ryan drove in Johnson for the Newton’s only run. Ryan was 1-for-3 with a double, RBI and a stolen base.

Karley Leiker had two hits to lead the offense, while Bailey Davis, Sydney Jenkins and Peyton Maher all had one hit, too. Jenkins also walked.

Ryan took the loss in the circle. She allowed four hits and no earned runs in five innings. Leiker threw the final inning, allowing three hits and one earned run.

The Cardinals scored at least one run in every inning but the fourth against Belle Plaine. They scored two in the first, one each in the second, third and sixth and pulled away for good with a five-run fifth.

Four players had more than one hit. Jenkins had three hits, four runs, two stolen bases and a walk, while Ryan had four hits, two runs and four RBIs and Leiker had two hits, one run and four RBIs.

Maher was 2-for-2 with a run at the plate and earned the five-inning win after allowing just two hits with seven strikeouts.

Davis had one hit at the plate and Frances Lucas had one hit, two runs, three stolen bases and one walk. The Cardinals had nine steals in the game.

Newton returns to action Monday when it travels to 4A No. 2 Oskaloosa. The varsity game begins at 7:30 p.m. The Cardinals play at home against Boone at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.