Newton baseball earns split of Norwalk

The Newton baseball team cranked out 23 hits during its home doubleheader against Norwalk on Monday.

But a combined six errors in the two games plagued the Cardinals and allowed the Warriors to salvage a split for the night.

Newton jumped on Norwalk early in both games but only claimed a victory in the opener. The Cardinals downed the Warriors 11-5 but lost the nightcap 8-6 during Little Hawkeye Conference play.

Jake Ingle’s career night led the Cardinals in the victory, but three errors in the nightcap hindered Newton in the narrow loss.

Newton trailed 2-1 after one inning in the opener, but the Cardinals scored three in the second, two in both the third and fourth and plated three in the fifth to pull away.

The Warriors also scored three in the fifth, but it wasn’t enough.

Newton out-hit Norwalk 14-7 and took advantage of four Warrior errors. Newton had three errors.

Ingle finished with a career-best three hits and three RBIs and added two runs.

Kacey Sommars and Drew Thompson also had three hits, while Finn Martin and Riley Mouchka each collected two hits.

Sommars added three runs, one walk and one stolen base, Thompson chipped in one run, one RBI and one walk and Martin doubled, scored two runs and walked once.

Mouchka collected two RBIs and scored one run, Turner Williams tripled, scored one run and had one RBI and Eli Stewart walked once and had one RBI.

Brody Bauer scored one run and Skyler Milheiser walked once. It was Milheiser’s team-best 13th walk this summer.

Williams and Bauer split the pitching duties.

Williams (3-4) got the win on the mound after allowing two runs — one earned — on three hits and four walks in four innings. He struck out eight on 88 pitches.

Bauer earned his first career save. He tossed the final three frames and surrendered three runs — one earned — on four hits and two walks. He struck out three in 40 pitches.

The win gave Newton (9-13 overall, 5-10 in the LHC) the season series against the Warriors. The Cardinals defeated Norwalk on the road 6-2 on June 2.

The victory also snapped Newton’s five-game losing skid. The Cardinals have lost seven of their last eight games.

DJ Harris collected two hits, Joshua Pins scored two runs and Cole Wardlow registered two RBIs to lead Norwalk (7-17, 5-10) at the plate. Harris took the pitching loss.

In the nightcap, Newton led 3-0 and 4-2 but neither advantage held up after Norwalk plated three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.

The Cardinals out-hit the Warriors 9-8, but Norwalk took advantage of three Newton errors.

Sommars, Williams and Martin each had two hits to lead the Cardinal offense, while Stewart, Thompson and Bauer collected one hit.

Sommars scored two runs and was hit by one pitch, Martin collected two RBIs and Williams doubled and scored one run.

Stewart doubled, scored one run and was hit by one pitch, Thompson doubled, scored one run, had two RBIs and walked once and Bauer collected one RBI and stole one base. Milheiser walked once and scored one run.

Tade Vanderlaan (3-4) took the loss on the mound. He allowed six runs — four earned — on six hits and three walks. He struck out four in 86 pitches.

Bauer went back to the mound for the nightcap and surrendered two runs — none earned — on three hits in two innings and 36 pitches.

CJ Davis homered, collected three RBIs and scored two runs to lead the Warriors. Harris had three hits and Jackson Campbell scored two runs.

Briley Purcell got the pitching win after allowing four earned runs and striking out five in 5 2/3 innings.

Grinnell 3, Newton 2

GRINNELL — The Cardinals couldn’t hold a two-run lead against Grinnell on Wednesday.

The Tigers scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fifth and downed Newton 3-2 to score a season sweep in the final LHC meeting between the two programs.

The Cardinals led 1-0 after one and scored their second run in the top of the fifth. Grinnell (16-11, 9-6) out-hit Newton 7-5 and took advantage of two Cardinal errors.

Sommars led the Cardinals with two hits, one run, one walk and two steals and Williams doubled, walked once and scored one run.

The other hits came from Stewart and Ingle, Stewart and Thompson both had one RBI and Ingle and Thompson each walked once.

Martin drew two walks and stole one base and Mouchka walked once. The Cardinals stranded nine runners on base.

Sommars (2-3) took the loss on the mound after allowing three runs — one earned — on seven hits and three walks in six innings and 95 pitches. He struck out five and one of his walks was intentional.

Brooks Vosburg and Carson Penyich each had two hits at the plate and split the seven innings on the mound.

Vosburg tossed the final three frames and got the win after allowing no earned runs and striking out three.

Grinnell’s season sweep of Newton included wins of 7-0 and 15-3 at Eversman Field on June 5.