Cardinals claim playoff win in final Berg game

Pounding out 17 hits, Newton High’s Cardinals said goodbye to the Berg Middle School softball field in style. The Cardinals brought down the curtain on the longtime home of Cardinal softball with an 11-1 run-rule victory over Knoxville on Thursday.

Newton has two seniors on its 2017 roster — Lizzy Coyle and Bailey Davis. Coyle didn’t get to play in the game but watched from the home dugout for the final time.

“It’s a little sad, but we’re looking forward to the new field for the program,” Coyle said.

“I’m glad our last game here was a huge win for us,” Davis said. “I’m excited for the girls next year with a new field. It’s bittersweet — our coach played on this field, too.”

Newton head coach Kristina McNew is a former Cardinal player who is in her third season at the helm of the Cardinal softball program.

“It’s emotional for me. I played here. This was my stomping grounds. To see us get a first-round playoff victory tonight for the final game is a great way to close the era here,” McNew said. “I like that we’re getting a new field. It’s nice our program is getting something it needs.”

The Cardinals win over Knoxville came in the first-round of Class 4A Region 8 tournament play. With the victory, Newton advances to the semifinals. The Cardinals play at 7 p.m. Saturday at 4A No. 2 Winterset (30-7).

“We know we have a challenge on Saturday We’ll go into that game like we did this game — play Winterset, as we did Knoxville, like any other opponent. We’ll prepare the same way. We know anyone can get beat on any day.”

Newton and Knoxville met in the season opener with the Cardinals winning 10-3. The Panthers (12-16) closed out their season the same way they started it with a loss to Newton.

The Cardinals built slowly with single runs in each of the first three innings. They added two in the fourth then had a four-run fifth inning. Newton was up 9-1 as Knoxville produced a run in the top of the fifth.

Lakin Jenkins reached on a Panther error with one gone in the bottom of the sixth inning. Karley Leiker singled then Emily Valtman delivered the final blow — a two run triple — to give Newton a 10-run margin.

Leiker and Valtman each went 4-for-5 in the game. Leiker had four base hits while Valtman had a single, two doubles and a triple. She drove in three runs. Jenkins and Rilee Slycord each had two singles.

Davis and Kennedy Leiker had a double apiece. Hitting a single each were Peyton Maher, Taylor Ryan and Harlie Durr.

“We were hitting the ball a lot better tonight. Anna’s pitching was pretty good also,” Lizzy Coyle said after watching her team win the game with her younger sister, Anna, going the distance in the circle.

Anna Coyle said she was comfortable in the circle all night, even when Knoxville had base runners. She said her off-speed, rise ball and screwball pitches were effective for her against the Panthers.

Anna Coyle scattered six hits across six innings of work. She issued one walk and chalked up eight strikeouts. She worked out of jams in several innings including the fifth when Knoxville had one run in and two base runners with no outs. Newton retired the next three batters.

In the sixth inning, the Panthers had back-to-back singles with one gone. Coyle got two pop-ups to get the Cardinals out of the inning.

“This was a great all-round victory for the girls tonight,” McNew said. “Everyone played well.”

Newton scored in the first inning when Jenkins singled, Valtman doubled and Maher had an RBI groundout. In the second inning, Slycord singled with one gone, Durr drew a walk and Kennedy Leiker had a fielder’s choice. Jenkins drove in the run with a base hit.

Maher walked to leadoff the third inning for the Cardinals, but was out on fielder’s choice by Ryan. Slycord and Durr had back-to-back base hits to produce the run.

In the fourth frame, Karley Leiker singled followed by a double by Valtman. Karley Leiker scored on a base hit by Maher and Valtman came across when Ryan reached on an error.

After the Panthers scored a run in the top of the fifth, Newton rolled up four runs on the scoreboard in its half of the inning. It started with a double by Kennedy Leiker. Karley Leiker had an infield single follow by consecutive RBI singles from Valtman, Maher and Ryan. Davis drove in the fourth run with a double.

Newton put the game on ice in the sixth inning to advance in the playoffs and say goodbye to Berg Middle School softball field. A new softball field is planned for 2018 near Newton’s football stadium.

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