March 29, 2024

Newton softball upends 4A No. 14 Norwalk in LHC action

NORWALK — Playing on the road against a ranked opponent, Newton High’s Cardinals knew they had to have a quick start.

The Cardinal softball team pushed out to a 3-0 lead after two innings in Wednesday’s Little Hawkeye Conference game against Class 4A 14th-ranked Norwalk. The Cardinals made it hold up.

They handed the Warriors their first loss in LHC play by the count of 3-0. The Cardinal win also snapped a seven-game win streak by the Warriors.

Newton improved to 3-5 in conference play. It is 7-7 overall.

The Cardinals go to Pella Christian on Friday. It’s a LHC doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m. in Pella.

On Saturday, Newton is slated to play in West Marshall’s Rose Festival Softball Tournament in State Center.

Newton opened the game at Norwalk with senior Lakin Jenkins reaching on a one-out error. Sophomore Chassidy Henwood singled followed by an RBI single by senior Peyton Maher.

In the second inning, with two gone, freshman Kya Butler was hit by a pitch then she stole second base. Mac Brown, a senior, tripled to center field.

Butler scored and Brown scored on a Jenkins’ base hit to right field.

That was all the scoring in the game.

Maher was the winning pitcher. She got out of a bases-loaded situation in the first inning.

Two walks and a single put Warrior batters on base but Maher struck out the next two batters. She got a third to end the inning on a popup to her.

Maher worked a 1-2-3 second inning. Norwalk was able to get one on in four of the last five innings but the Cardinals worked around the runner.

Maher (5-4) got the win in the circle. She allowed three hits, walked three and hit a batter. Maher racked up 13 strikeouts.

Norwalk’s pitcher Haley Downe had 14 strikeouts and gave up six hits.

Brown had two triples in the game for Newton. Jenkins, Henwood, Maher and junior Kameron Johnston each had a single.

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