Cardinals lose twice to Norwalk in LHC doubleheader

Turner Williams pitched six strong innings and the Newton baseball team was leading rival Norwalk at home during the opening game of a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader on Monday.

The Warriors rallied though in the seventh inning and Norwalk claimed a 3-1 victory at Eversman Field inside Woodland Park.

Three of Norwalk’s six hits came in the deciding seventh frame. The Warriors trailed Newton 1-0 after six.

Norwalk’s momentum at the end of the opener carried into the nightcap as Ian Fisher pitched six innings and two Warriors combined to no-hit the Cardinals during a 6-0 win.

Four of Newton’s six hits in the opener came in the first four innings and two were in the run-scoring third frame.

In that inning, Turner Williams led off with a single. Brody Bauer’s sacrifice bunt moved Williams into scoring position and Braydon Chance delivered a single. Williams scored on the play after the left fielder misplayed the ball.

Vinny Mauro got better for Norwalk (11-6 overall, 4-3 in the LHC) as the game went along. He earned the complete-game win after allowing no earned runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts. He needed just 79 pitches to get through seven innings.

Newton went down in order in the fourth, fifth and seventh. The Cardinals stranded two in the first and four total for the game.

Chance had two hits, while Williams tallied one hit and one run. Bauer and Drew Thompson each singled and Eli Stewart was hit by a pitch.

Williams allowed no earned runs on three hits and had six strikeouts and three walks in six innings.

Chance pitched the seventh and took the loss after surrendering three runs on three hits with one hit batter.

In the nightcap, Kael Swarts and Tade Vanderlaan each walked once. Vanderlaan also started on the mound and took the loss after allowing five runs — three earned — on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks in six innings.

Kacey Sommars tossed the final inning and allowed one earned run on no hits with three walks and one hit batter.

Ian Fisher got the win in game two for Norwalk. He struck out nine and allowed no runs and no hits with two walks.

Tucker Beving had two hits, three runs and two walks in the second game, while Dylan Christensen registered two hits, three RBIs, three walks and one run in the doubleheader.