Newton bats wake up late in Cardinal softball’s win over GVC

Senior Taylor Lust had two hits all of last season for Newton’s softball team. She’s already surpassed that number in 2022 and her two home runs helped power the Cardinals past Grand View Christian in the season opener on Monday.

Newton overcame a slow start against the Thunder with an eight-run sixth inning and downed Grand View Christian 13-5.

“It was a great opening night,” Newton softball coach Kory Leiker said. “The night started off a little slow, but in the fifth inning the bats came to life.

“We got the nerves out and hit the ball well in the later innings and Kallie Van Kley pitched a great game in the circle.”

Grand View Christian (0-1) plated two runs in the first inning to take an early lead. Newton answered with a pair in the third and a three-run fourth put the Cardinals in front 5-4 after five frames.

The most home runs any one player hit last year for Newton was two. Lust blasted two bombs in the first game of the season and had three hits to lead the offense.

Lust finished with three hits, two runs and five RBIs in the victory. No other Cardinal player had more than one hit.

Kallie Van Kley (1-0) earned the win in the circle. She surrendered no earned runs on seven hits and struck out seven while walking two in seven innings.

Newton had eight hits and six errors in the win. Grand View Christian (0-1) tallied seven hits and committed five errors.

Lust originally hit a walk-off grand slam in the sixth but a base-running blunder changed it to a three-run shot.

Vanessa Vasseau, Chloe Swank, Jaz Cooper, Kadance Ahn and Grace Benson all had one hit at the dish. Swank also tallied two RBIs and Ahn scored three runs.

Vasseau chipped in one run, one RBI and one stolen base, Ahn walked once and had one RBI and Cooper scored one run and walked once. Benson scored one run.

Mackynna Sims walked once, scored one run and stole one base and Sloan Brodersen tallied one run and was hit by a pitch in their varsity debuts.

“Mack Sims had a great diving play in center that saved some critical runs,” Leiker said. “That was the highlight of the night on the defensive side.”

Paige Benson, Madison Henwood and Katelyn Lambert all scored once as courtesy or pinch runners.