March 19, 2024

Bobcats scratch out win over Cardinals

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Newton High’s Connor Gholson and Marshalltown’s Cole Keller staged a pitching duel Tuesday in Newton’s season-opening baseball game at Eversman Field at Woodland Park. Neither one of the starting pitchers figured in the decision of the contest.

Visiting Marshalltown (3-0) scored a run off Gholson in the fifth inning. Keller gave way to Sam Rogers in the bottom of the sixth inning as Newton manufactured the tying run. Gholson pitched seven innings, but the game moved into extra innings where Garrett Sturtz came in to pitch for the Cardinals.

In the top of the 10th inning, Jack Greene singled to right field and ended up at second on an error by Newton’s right fielder Trevor Ergenbright. With one gone, Wade Canaday hit the ball up the middle of the infield and Gholson, who had moved to shortstop, committed an error.

On the play, Greene moved to third and went home on a high, off-the-mark throw home by Newton center fielder Brennen Dodd. Canaday ended up at third base and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Smiley.

Smiley was tagged out in a rundown at first base. Newton got Keeler to ground out to first base to end the inning. The Cardinals faced a 3-1 deficit coming to bat in the bottom of the 10th.

Tyler Stanton connected for a leadoff single down the first-base line. Grant Nook struck out then Ergenbright reached on a Bobcat error. Newton had the tying runs on base with one out.

Ergenbright and Stanton moved up a base on a passed ball. Drew Stout struck out on a 3-2 pitch and Dodd fouled out to the right fielder to end the game.

“As I told the guys after the game, this is night one for us, but it felt like a mid-season or even a substate game,” Newton head coach Dustin Brisel said. “For the guys to come out — especially with several who’ve never played a varsity game — and compete at this high level against a good Marshalltown team is phenomenal.”

Brisel said Gholson and Sturtz had strong outings on the mound for the Cardinals in the opener.

Gholson threw a four-hitter in his seven innings of work, giving up one run. He walked six, hit a batter and struck out six. Sturtz, who took the loss, pitched three innings, allowing two runs on three hits and had one strikeout.

All the errors in the game came in the 10th innings — three by Newton and one by Marshalltown.

“Marshalltown executed offensively very well with their bunts and hit-and-runs at the right time. We tried to and executed well, but we couldn’t get the key hit in spots,” Brisel said.

Newton stranded seven base runners while Marshalltown left 11 on base. The Bobcats had seven singles in the game. Newton had five singles and a double.

A walk and a base hit set up the Bobcats first run in the fifth. Rogers’ sacrifice drove in the run to give his team a 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals finally broke through to score the first run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dodd drilled a double to deep left field to chase Keller from the mound. Trey Vanderlaan moved Dodd to third on a sacrifice bunt off Rogers. Gholson delivered an RBI single up the first-base line to tie the game.

“I’m very pleased where we are at this time. The defense and pitching were there tonight. It’s the hitting and that is going to come. I’m not worried about it,” Brisel said. “Hitting would have won the game tonight. We could have broken it open in several situations if we had the key hit. That will come.”

Dodd led the offense with a double and a single. Gholson connected for two singles. Stanton and Ergenbright had a single apiece.

Newton had Duncan Lee behind the plate for the full 10 innings. Lee has a foot injury suffered Monday in a Newton High playoff soccer victory. Brisel said Lee worked hard behind the plate in the contest.

The Cardinals lost Bryce Tish to a shoulder injury for the second straight season. Tish said he injured it playing in Newton’s spring baseball league.

“Man, I realized playing baseball was fun after sitting out last year and now this,” the senior said. Tish had shoulder surgery and is in rehab.

“My heart hurts for him, but we treat him like a coach. He’s out here and is still a huge part of this team. He is a great leader,” Brisel said.

Newton’s junior varsity lost 5-2 to Marshalltown.

Newton (0-1) travels to Boone Wednesday and hosts Chariton Thursday. Varsity games start at 7:30 p.m. both nights.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com