June 13, 2025

Lady Dutch pushes past Cardinals

By Jocelyn Sheets

Newton High first baseman Kealey Manning gets the throw to record the out as the ball beats Pella’s Thea Wisse (4) in the fifth inning of Wednesday’s home game. The visiting Lady Dutch beat Newton 9-4. (Jocelyn Sheets)

Two winless teams met Wednesday night on the Newton Softball Field. Something had to give.

“The kids need to come to play and that’s not happening,” Newton head coach Casey Price said after a 9-4 loss to visiting Pella’s Lady Dutch.

“We’re going to keep coaching them up but they’ve got to perform.”

Pella came into the game 0-7 and Newton was 0-3.

The Lady Dutch got things rolling with two runs in the first inning. They added four in the third.

Newton was able to plate a run in its half of the third inning.

Taylor Lust singled and stole second base. Jazzlyn Copper’s groundout moved Lust to third. Lust scored on a fielder’s choice.

The Cardinals and Lady Dutch played three scoreless innings. Pella pushed across three runs in the seventh to expand its lead to 9-1.

Grace Brown cranked out a long single to the center field fence. She just missed a home run by inches.

Lust put down a sacrifice bunt to move pinch runner Peyton Durr. Cooper reached on a fielder’s choice.

With two gone and pinch runner Hailey Catron at first base, Vanessa Vasseau came up as a pinch hitter.

Vasseau drove a line drive down the right field line for an RBI double. Catron was able to avoid a tag on a close play at home plate.

Kya Butler went the opposite direction. She hit a two-run home run over the left field fence.

That was all Newton got in its rally.

“We’re under performing right now. That’s pretty much it in a nutshell what’s going on,” Price said. “We have some potential but you can’t wait until the sixth and seventh inning to get on it.”

Cooper took the pitching loss for Newton. She allowed seven hits, walked four and struck out two. Newton committed five errors in the game.

Butler had the home run and Vasseau a double. Lust, Makayla Johnson, Malarie Zach and Brown each had a single.

Newton was right back at it on Thursday. The Cardinals had a makeup varsity doubleheader at home against Class 4A No. 3 Oskaloosa.

Newton (0-4) plays a varsity doubleheader at Norwalk on Friday. The Cardinals are back home Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for a varsity makeup game against Grinnell.

Action continues next week with two road games on Monday at Pella Christian and at Boone on Tuesday.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at

641-792-3121 ext. 6535

or jsheets@newtondailynews.com