March 29, 2024

Cardinal baseball takes down Bluejays

BONDURANT — A season-high 13 hits helped the Newton baseball team end an eight-game losing streak Monday as the Cardinals traveled to Bondurant-Farrar and downed the Bluejays 9-6 in non-conference action.

The Cardinals (6-13) built an early lead and then held on after allowing four runs in the fifth inning.

“We hit the ball tonight,” Newton coach Dustin Brisel said. “That has been something we just haven’t done enough of this year. Tonight, we got the big hits when we needed them.”

Senior Duncan Lee had three hits to lead the Newton offense, while Drew Stout, Brennan Dodd, Tyler Stanton and Garrett Sturtz all had two hits apiece.

Stanton and Sturtz both had two RBIs, walked once and scored a run, while Stout had one run and one RBI.

Sturtz earned the win on the mound despite allowing three home runs.

Sturtz tossed the first six innings, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs. Connor Gholson earned the save by striking out two and allowing one hit in the seventh inning.

“It was a great team effort,” Brisel said. “We had a solid night.”

Jarrid Clark, Hunter Kennedy and Tyler Flannery all homered for the Bluejays (10-8) in the loss.

Flannery had three hits, Kennedy finished with two hits and two RBIs.

Newton plated four runs in the first inning and then went up 5-1 with another run in the third inning.

The Cardinals scored four runs in the fifth to take a 9-1 lead. Bondurant-Farrar scored one in the fifth and four in the sixth to close within three, but the Gholson shut the door in the seventh.

The Bluejays finished with 11 hits and both teams committed three errors.

The Cardinals are off until 7:30 p.m. Friday when they play at Little Hawkeye Conference rival Grinnell. The junior varsity game starts at 5:30 p.m.