Top-ranked Indianola too much for Newton softball

All four of Newton’s runs came in the first inning of its Little Hawkeye Conference softball doubleheader against Indianola on Wednesday.

But the Class 4A No. 1 Indians were too much for the Cardinals as they hit five homers in the two games and swept Newton 16-1 and 17-3.

The opener lasted four innings as Indianola scored five in the first, two in the third and nine in the fourth.

The Indians out-hit Newton 16-2 and the Cardinals committed four errors.

In the nightcap, Hailey Sumpter belted a homer in the bottom of the first, but Indianola answered with seven runs in the second, six in the fourth and four in the fifth to end the game in five innings.

The Indians hit four home runs in game two and had a 15-8 advantage in hits.

Chloe Swank doubled and scored Newton’s run in the opener and Peyton Durr collected one hit and one RBI.

Sumpter (6-7) started in the circle and took the loss after allowing 14 runs — 13 earned — on 14 hits, four walks and one hit batter in 3 2/3 innings.

Sloan Brodersen got the final out but not before surrendering two unearned runs on one hit and one walk.

Dana Blake had three hits, three runs and two RBIs to lead Indianola (17-6 overall, 10-1 in the conference) and Brynn Ortlund registered two hits, one homer and five RBIs.

Izzy Sloan got the pitching win after allowing one earned run on two hits with six strikeouts.

Newton plated three runs in the first inning of game two.

Kadance Ahn led the offense with two hits, while Mack Sims doubled and scored one run and Katelyn Lambert added one hit, one run and one RBI. Swank, Durr and Haylie Ryan had the other hits.

Sumpter’s second homer of the season was a two-run blast in the first.

The Cardinals (8-9, 4-7) used four pitchers in the game.

Tallyn Seitz (1-1) started in the circle and allowed seven runs — six earned — on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings. She walked three and hit one batter.

Brodersen pitched 1 2/3 innings and surrendered two earned runs on one hit and two walks. Ava Williams also threw 1 2/3 innings and allowed six earned runs on six hits and two hit batters.

Ahn entered the circle after Brodersen and before Williams and pitched for the first time since her eighth-grade season. She allowed two earned runs on one hit and one walk in 1/3 of an inning.