Youth powers 2020 Cardinal softball

Opening a new season against three preseason ranked teams in the first four dates on the schedule is tough normally. But it could be a big early test for the young Newton High Cardinal softball team in the 2020 season, which is shortened by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cardinals began the 2020 season Monday at Class 5A ninth-ranked Indianola, which is the defending Little Hawkeye Conference champion. They open a four-date homestand at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday with Class 4A seventh-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes in a varsity doubleheader.

“We are very young but the core of players we have, has been playing together for years. We have two great leaders in our two seniors Malarie Zach and Jenna Smith,” Newton head coach Casey Price said.

Price is in her third year at the helm of the Newton softball program. Price’s assistant coaches are Gary Grimes, Caitlyn Meyer and Amber Stryfler.

“We have a great chance of doing something big in this short season. The girls have been working on their own and are ready to go,” Price said. “We will have to put in a lot of extra time early in our short season to get where we want to be.”

Although there will be no 2020 LHC champion, there is plenty of conference action for all the teams. Newton, which went 10-11 in LHC play last year and 18-15 overall, has just two non-conference games this season of 16 games. It plays four varsity doubleheaders with LHC teams.

Indianola. DCG and Oskaloosa, which begins this season ranked No. 4 in Class 4A, played in 2019 state tournament action. Newton hosts Oskaloosa on June 22.

Newton returns four letter winners including Zach, Smith, junior Chassidy Henwood and sophomore Kya Butler. Zach was the Cardinals’ starting catcher in 2019 and Smith played in the outfield. The Cardinals’ have their returning middle infielders in Henwood at shortstop and Butler at second base.

Henwood garnered LHC honorable mention honors. Henwood led the LHC in hit by pitch as she reached base by getting hit seven times. She was hit by a pitch eight times for the season.

Henwood was a .293 hitter with 27 hits, two doubles and drove in nine runs. She scored 17 runs. She had 12 errors and an .864 field average. Henwood was 5-for-5 on stolen base attempts.

From behind the plate, Zach threw out 10 runners attempting to steal bases last year and had 11 errors with a fielding average of .956. At the plate, Zach hit 10 singles and one double with four RBIs and five runs scored.

Smith only had 35 at bats in 2019 with one single and four runs scored. She was 3-of-4 on stolen base attempts. She had six errors as a starting outfielder.

Butler went 11-of-12 on stolen base attempts and scored 17 runs. She had nine singles and three doubles while drawing nine walks. She drove in five runs with a .152 batting average. She had an .864 field average with eight errors at second base.

“We are working people at different spots right now to find out the right combinations for the infield and outfield,” Price said. “We have 34 kids out and we’ve got some depth.

“We have a deep and talented sophomore class. We’ve got some young players who are going to push for playing time which is what we’re looking for out of the kids.”

One of the questions to be answered this year comes in the pitching circle. Sophomore Kallie Van Kley is the only pitcher back with varsity experience. Van Kley had eight starts a year ago and was 1-5 with a 4.98 Earned Run Average.

Van Kley allowed 35 hits and 41 runs in 32 1/3 innings pitched. She walked 25 batters and hit 11. She recorded 18 strikeouts.

“We’ve got Kallie back and Jazzlyn Cooper is another sophomore who should get work on the mound. Jazzlyn threw some in the little bit of spring ball we got in before things were shut down,” Price said. “Another sophomore is Natalie Forck, who is a lefty, who is back out this year after not playing a year ago. She’s played travel ball and we could be seeing her throwing varsity innings also.”

Other players vying for varsity spots are juniors Grace Brown and Raj Mixon, sophomore Maggie Garrett, Taylor Lust, Vanessa Vasseau, Grace Benson, Emma Gonzales and Hailey Cantor and freshmen Mackayla Johnson and Delaney Cobbler. Also eighth-graders in the mix are Peyton Durr and Kadence Ahn.

Garrett saw some varsity play a year ago at first base. Lust and Benson had some limited varsity playing time also.

“Grace Brown has a big bat and Grace Benson has some wheels so we’ll see her in the outfield. Taylor Lust, and Mackayla Johnson can play in the infield or outfield for us. That’s a big factor for us this year — versatility,” Price said.

“Peyton Durr is a good athlete and could be helping us behind the plate and Kadence has great hands. We’re going to be young but I believe we’ll be tough defensively with all the options we have in combinations to play in the field.”

Price said the Cardinals will be just as aggressive as ever at the plate. She said they have a lot of speed on the base paths and will use it to put pressure on defenses.

“We have good mix in terms of being able to bunt, slap and hit the ball to move runners plus we have kids who are good contact hitters and a couple who can hit the long ball for us,” Price said. “I expect Mal Zach’s bat to really come alive this season and we have Grace Brown and Taylor Lust who can hit well.”

Price said Butler hits from the right side and does a great job of bunting and slap hitting as does Henwood. She said Henwood finds ways to get on base and has tremendous speed.

Haylie Ryan, a freshman, is a left-handed batter who hits the ball well, according to Price. Price said the Cardinals have a transfer player from Southeast Polk, Taylor Stiffler, who could help the varsity this season.

“It’s going to be an interesting season for us. You have to re-invent yourself every year with a different body of kids. Every one of our players has the opportunity to prove they should be out there on the varsity,” Price said. “Regardless of grade, I go off talent at a position and who is playing the best at the time so lineups can change throughout the season.”

Others on the 2020 team are Taylor Schilling, Emma Lopez, Skyler Gooden, Jacy Linahon, Chloe Rorabaugh, Hailey Sumpter, Kaitlyn Allspach, Libbie Keith, Carmen Faidley, and Graclynn Clayton.

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