Second-ranked Winterset beats Newton in 4A regional semifinal

WINTERSET — Newton High’s Cardinals kept the Class 4A second-ranked Winterset Huskies scoreless for three innings. The Cardinals led 1-0 in the 4A Region 8 semifinal Saturday.

The Huskies broke loose in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. They built from there for an 8-1 victory to advance to the regional title game on Tuesday.

Newton’s 2017 season came to a close Saturday on the Huskies’ field. The Cardinals finished 17-19 overall.

The Cardinals were the home team Saturday and scored first in the first inning. Lakin Jenkins had a leadoff single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Karley Leiker. Emily Valtman delivered an RBI double.

Newton’s 1-0 lead held for two more innings.

In the fourth, Winterset got its offense going. Emma Lowden drew a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Grace McDonald reached on an error and Mia Olson was safe on a fielder’s choice as a run scored.

Natalie Hansen’s sacrifice bunt moved the Huskie runners. Corry Pickering and Macy Johnson had back-to-back RBI singles. An error by Newton on the play allowed a fourth run to cross the plate.

Winterset captured a 4-1 lead and stayed in charge. The Huskies produced a run in fifth inning on two singles, a base-on-balls and a ground-out.

Newton’s Kennedy Leiker opened its half of the fifth inning with a double. The Huskies retired the next three batters leaving Leiker at second base. Newton stranded seven base runners in the game.

The Huskies took advantage of two consecutive walks to begin the top of the sixth inning. Ally Pickering had an RBI base hit followed by a two-run single from Lowden. Winterset stretched its lead to 8-1.

Newton had a runner on base in the sixth and in the seventh, but was unable to rally for runs.

Valtman had two doubles for Newton. Kennedy Leiker hit a single and a double. Rilee Slycord had two base hits and Jenkins had a single.

Anna Coyle (10-9) took the loss in the pitching circle for the Cardinals. She allowed 10 hits, walked four and hit one battler. She notched four strikeouts.

Winterset’s Sophie Stover was the winning pitcher, giving up seven hits, walking one and striking out seven.

Johnson went 3-for-4 for the Huskies with two singles and a double. Ally Pickering had a single and a double. Lowden hit two singles. McDonald doubled. Jessie Nicholson and Corry Pickering each had a single.

Winterset (31-7) hosts 12th-ranked Boone, which beat 13th-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes 5-4 on Saturday, for the 4A Region 8 championship game at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. The winner advances to the state tournament, July 17-21, in Fort Dodge.

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