The Newton softball team is no stranger to playing ranked teams.
Playing another game against a ranked opponent for Monday, the Cardinals came within inches of another big conference victory.
The Class 4A No. 15 Cardinals out-hit the fourth-ranked Indians, 7-3, but Oskaloosa took advantage of two extra-base hits during a 2-1 Little Hawkeye Conference triumph.
“We are used to playing ranked teams,” Newton coach Kristina McNew said. “The further you get in the playoffs the more challenging it will get. We shouldn’t have any issues playing ranked teams in the postseason, because we have played them all year.”
The Indians’ win spoiled Newton’s Senior Night for four Cardinal seniors — Sydney Jenkins, Fran Lucas, Kari Adams and Lynae Doland.
The game was scoreless through five innings.
In the sixth, Oskaloosa got a double from Devan Welch. She went to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a groundout to second base.
The Indians added an important insurance run in the seventh when Alexis Westercamp blasted her fifth home run of the season.
The Cardinals had plenty of chances to break through.
Jenkins led off the game with a single, but she was stranded at third base.
Sophomore Taylor Ryan singled in the second, and then went to second following an Oskaloosa error. Both runners moved up a base following a wild pitch, but Kylee Silliman got out of the jam with a strikeout.
Silliman struck out the side in the second. She improved to 8-0 on the season, allowing one earned run on seven hits with five strikeouts.
The Cardinals (20-9 overall, 6-5 in the LHC) got another runner to second base with less than two outs in the fourth but couldn’t score.
In the seventh, sophomore Audrey Lucas singled to lead off the inning. She moved over to second on a groundout to third but was thrown out trying to score on Adams’ single.
Adams made it 2-1 when she scored on Fran Lucas’ RBI single. Jenkins reached on an error to put runners on first and second with two outs, but the Cardinals came up short when sophomore Karley Leiker grounded out to the pitcher.
Freshman Anna Coyle pitched well in the loss. Oskaloosa came into the game leading the conference in hitting at .359. Coyle though held down the Indians offense for much of the game.
Coyle allowed the double in the sixth, while freshman Peyton Maher gave up the home run in the seventh. The two extra base hits were too much to overcome.
“Anna has improved a lot. She has more confidence for sure,” McNew said. “Every game she plays, she gets more and more confidence, but her focus has been really good.”
The win for Oskaloosa (22-3, 9-2) was its ninth straight. The Indians have won 13 of their last 14 games and seven of those wins came against ranked opponents.
Ryan recorded two of the Cardinals’ seven hits. Jenkins, Maher, Audrey Lucas, Adams and Fran Lucas all had one hit. Adams scored the run, while Fran Lucas had the RBI.
Newton seniors Jenkins, Doland, Fran Lucas and Adams were all recognized before the game.
The Cardinals will host a playoff game against either 13th ranked Boone or Webster City on July 9. But the Cardinal foursome is approaching the end of their careers.
“It’s been cool to watch us grow this year. We have a lot of young players,” Adams said. “We have improved a lot this year and playing the tough competition that we have has helped with that.”
The Cardinals played their 12th game against teams currently in the state rankings Monday. They are now 6-6 in those games.
“We are used to the high level play, and it will benefit us in the regional tournament,” Jenkins said.
Doland and the rest of the seniors recognize that they could be a part of the state tournament in July if things work out in their favor. The urgency to win may not be present now with every member of the team, but come playoff time, the Cardinals will be ready.
“This is the best chance that we have had to get to state in several years so the urgency will definitely be there come playoff time,” Doland said.
Fran Lucas didn’t have a lot of emotions Monday because she knows her Cardinals get at least one more home game. For her, the hardest part about her high school career being almost over is that she won’t be able to play with her sister anymore.
“I have been playing with my sister for quite a few years and two years on the varsity team so it’s going to be hard to leave her,” Fran Lucas said.
The 15th-ranked Cardinals play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at 13th-ranked Boone.