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Newton High’s softball team chalked up a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader sweep at home Friday against Grinnell’s Tigers. The Cardinals hung two shutouts on the Tigers.
Anna Coyle threw a three-hitter in the opener, which went eight innings. The Cardinals produced the winning run in the bottom of the eighth for a 1-0 victory.
In the nightcap, Peyton Maher had control from the pitching circle for Newton. She racked up 10 strikeouts while limiting the Tigers to two hits in a 5-0 victory.
Newton improved its LHC mark to 2-1. The Cardinals took a 5-3 overall mark into Saturday’s Oskaloosa tournament.
The Cardinals pulled out a 5-1 win in eight innings against Ottumwa. They lost 15-0 to Class 2A second-ranked Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont. There were no statistics or details available on the two tournament games by presstime.
On Friday at home, the Cardinals and Tigers battled in a scoreless contest to begin the night. Newton rallied with two gone in the eighth.
Maher and Emily Valtman had back-to-back singles. Taylor Ryan had the walk-off RBI base hit for the Cardinals for the 1-0 win.
Coyle issued two walks and struck out five batters in the first game. Ryan was 3-for-4 with three singles.
Karley Leiker produced two base hits. Hitting a single each were Maher, Valtman, Kennedy Leiker and Audrey Lucas.
In the second contest, Maher did walk one Grinnell batter. Newton had an error, but the Tigers never were allowed to threaten to score.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the third inning and added two more runs in the fourth inning.
Harlie Durr led off the third with a base hit and Karley Leiker reached on a Tiger error. Both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt by Bailey Davis.
Maher connected for a two-run single. Valtman drove in Maher with a double.
With one gone in the fourth, Audey Lucas and Durr had singles. Lucas came around to score on a throwing error by a Grinnell outfielder. Durr ended up at third and scored on a groundout by Karley Leiker.
Ryan, Durr and Maher each had two singles in the game. Valtman doubled. Davis and Lucas each singled.
The Cardinals (6-4) host Class 4A top-ranked Oskaloosa at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Berg Middle School softball field.
Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com