March 19, 2024

Ninth-ranked Norwalk halts Newton’s momentum

NORWALK — The Class 4A No. 13 Newton softball team had its four-game win streak halted on Thursday evening.

The Cardinals traveled to Norwalk for a make-up game and lost 5-3 to the ninth-ranked Warriors during Little Hawkeye Conference play.

Norwalk (13-11 overall, 6-4 in LHC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead after two innings, led 4-1 after a three-run fifth inning and then held off a late Newton rally with one more run in the sixth.

Miranda Hughes doubled and Shelbi Stogdill brought her home to give Norwalk a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Newton’s Sydney Jenkins tripled with two outs in the fifth, and she scored on a Karley Leiker’s RBI single. Leiker finished with two hits on the day.

Norwalk’s Taylor Goode laced an RBI double, and Shelby Nelson made it 4-1 with a two-run single in the fifth.

The Cardinals’ Kennedy Leiker brought Newton to within a run with a two-run single, but Norwalk extended the lead to 5-3 in the sixth.

Karley Leiker had two hits in the loss for Newton.

Kennedy Leiker and Jenkins also walked in the game. Audrey Lucas and Peyton Maher also had a hit apiece for the Cardinals.

Newton dropped to 17-8 overall and 4-4 in conference play.