Newton baseball routs 2A No. 6 Chariton

Derek Wermager tossed a little more than eight innings on the mound for the Newton baseball team last season.

And prior to Thursday night’s home game against Chariton, Skyler Milheiser had never thrown a pitch in a varsity game.

Both Cardinal seniors know they will be needed in that role this summer, and the duo combined to hold the Chargers to two hits during an 11-1 non-conference home win at H.A. Lynn Baseball Field.

“Everybody should be a pitcher, and we need more arms so I’m just doing my part,” Wermager said. “It’s not my usual spot, but I enjoy it. I just told the guys I was going to throw strikes. They had my back.”

Wermager registered his first career varsity pitching win after tossing the first four innings against Chariton, which was preseason ranked No. 6 in Class 2A by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Milheiser struck out two in his only inning of work as the game ended after five innings due to the mercy rule.

It helped that the Cardinals piled up the runs early in the contest. Newton scored three runs in the first, five in the second and three in the third. The Cardinals out-hit the Chargers 9-2.

“We come out and compete every day. We don’t care if the other team is ranked,” senior Cade Bauer said. “We are often the underdog anyway. To be able to come out fast was a big boost.”

Bauer led the Cardinals at the dish. He finished with three hits, three runs, four RBIs, one triple and one steal.

He leads Newton with 10 hits and eight runs so far this summer and has a team-best .476 batting average.

Milheiser led off the bottom of the first with a single on the first pitch he saw. He stole second and then went to third on a bunt single by Creighton Andrew.

Bauer’s first hit was an RBI single. Otto’s RBI ground out made it 2-0 and Wermager’s foul out down the first-base line allowed Bauer to score from third and pushed the margin to three runs after one inning.

Milheiser finished the game with two hits, two runs and two steals. He’s already swiped 11 bases this season after stealing 21 last summer.

“I tried to incorporate it last year, but I did put a lot of speed work in during the offseason,” Milheiser said. “It’s something we really need as a team. They’ve put a lot of emphasis on being aggressive on the bases. Being able to steal bases puts me in a better position to score and the guys in a better position to drive me in.”

The Cardinals scored five runs in the second with two outs. Lane Rozendaal got hit by a pitch to open the inning and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mason Mendez. Rozendaal eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Milheiser singled again on the first pitch he saw, stole second and then scored on Bauer’s two-out RBI single.

Bauer stole second and went to third on a passed ball. After Dakota Winkleman drew a walk, Otto and Wermager delivered RBI singles to push the lead to 8-1.

“It’s always good to score early. But what they did well tonight was play our brand of baseball,” Newton interim head baseball coach Colton Major said. “Part of that is not caring who’s on the other side of the diamond. We’re trying to be aggressive. When we do that, it makes it fun and makes it easy for the guys.”

Rozendaal and Mendez both were hit by pitches to lead off the third. With two outs, Bauer laced a two-run triple to extend the lead. He later scored on a wild pitch to make it 11-1.

“We can usually get up on teams, but if they come back we hang our heads,” Wermager said. “So keeping our foot on the gas was nice. It allowed us to get out of here early and go to bed sooner.”

Wermager finished with one hit, two RBIs and one steal. He leads the Cardinals with 11 RBIs through seven games.

He pitched four innings in his first career varsity start. Wermager (1-0) allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk and fanned one.

Chariton (3-2) scored its run in the second. Connor Shore walked and then scored on Grady Smyser’s RBI double that got over Kreytein Wickliffe’s head in center field.

That was the only run allowed by Wermager. Milheiser’s first career varsity pitching appearance included two strikeouts and a ground out in the fifth.

“It felt great. (Wermager) did a good job,” Milheiser said. “I just came in and cleaned it up. Give credit to him. He got us to that point.”

Rozendaal was hit by two pitches and scored two runs, Winkleman walked three times and scored one run and Otto added one hit, one run and one RBI. Winkleman leads Newton with six walks this summer.

Andrew tallied one hit and one run, Mendez was hit by a pitch and scored one run and Connor Swihart registered his first career varsity hit in the bottom of the fourth.

“All Glory to God,” Bauer said. “It was beautiful execution by all of the guys today. I felt like we were seeing it well. We’ve been locked in lately.”

Notes: Major said the message to Wermager was to simply throw strikes. He also was happy to see Milheiser shut down the Chargers in the fifth despite the 11-1 lead. “Him showing that he can throw multiple pitches for a strike and him being a little bit more mature as a senior, that’s going to open some doors for him,” Major said about Wermager. “(Milheiser) being our starting catcher limits his innings. We wanted to see him under the lights in that spot. It was a 10-run game, but we didn’t want him to give up another run. He struck out two guys when we were purposely throwing off-speed pitches. We wanted to see how comfortable he was with being uncomfortable, and he did a good job.” … Major is serving as interim head coach until head coach Darin Tisdale’s early-season suspension is over. Tisdale is due back on Monday when the Cardinals host Pella in a LHC doubleheader starting at 5 p.m. at H.A. Lynn Baseball Field.

Newton 8, Pella Christian 4

Both teams tallied six hits and committed two errors, but the Cardinals used a five-run sixth inning to down Pella Christian during Little Hawkeye Conference action on Friday.

The Eagles scored first and led 3-2 in the fifth before Newton rallied to tie it in the bottom of the fifth and took the lead for good with a big sixth during an 8-4 home victory.

Wermager doubled, was hit by a pitch and added one run and one RBI to lead the Cardinals, while Otto chipped in two walks and two runs.

Andrew finished with one hit, two RBIs and one walk, Milheiser and Drew Bauer tallied one hit, one run and one RBI and Cade Bauer collected one hit.

Winkleman walked once and had one RBI, Mendez was hit by a pitch and scored one run, Landry Rausch walked once and scored one run and Carter Lehrman finished with one hit and one run.

Andrew started the game on the mound and allowed one earned run on three hits in four innings. He struck out one, walked two and hit one batter but took the no decision.

Otto (2-1) earned the win after surrendering three runs — two earned — on three hits, two walks and one hit batter in two innings. He struck out three.

Rausch struck out two in his 2/3 innings on the mound and Milheiser got one out.

Newton (3-4, 1-2 in the conference) has won four of the past five games in the series against the Eagles, who were led by Grant Kelderman’s two hits, two runs, one RBI and one walk. He also struck out five and allowed one earned run in three innings.

Phineas Spronk took the loss on the mound. The Eagles fell to 1-5 and 0-3 in the conference.

Norwalk sweeps Newton in LHC doubleheader

NORWALK — Newton scored first and led 4-2 after its first two at-bats, but Norwalk tied the game in the second and won it with a three-run fourth during a 7-4 home win on Wednesday.

The Cardinals lost both games of the LHC doubleheader after falling 4-3 in the nightcap.

The Warriors, who have won six straight over Newton, led 3-0 in the second game but needed a run in the eighth inning to complete the sweep.

Bauer led the Cardinals in the opener with two hits, two RBIs and one run and Milheiser added one hit, one run, one walk and one steal.

Winkleman doubled and had two RBIs, Rausch walked twice and scored one run and Lehrman scored one run and stole one base.

Mendez collected two of the team’s six hits and Andrew drew a walk.

Lehrman (0-2) took the pitching loss after allowing seven runs — four earned — on seven hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out three.

Rausch tossed one inning of relief and hit one batter.

Konnor Holtorf led the Norwalk offense with one hit, one run and two RBIs.

Cole Wardlow earned the pitching win after striking out six batters over six innings and Garrett Geurink grabbed the save after striking out three in the seventh.

Newton led 2-0 after the top of the first and 4-2 after the top of the second. But Norwalk, which has won three of its last four games after starting 0-3, tied the game both times with a pair of runs in each frame.

The Warriors out-hit Newton 8-6 and both teams committed three errors.

Norwalk led the nightcap 2-0 after two and 3-0 after three, but Newton forced extra innings with one in the fifth and two in the seventh.

The Warriors out-hit the Cardinals 6-4 and both teams committed an error.

Wermager had two hits, one double and three RBIs to lead the Cardinals. Otto had one hit, one run and two steals and Cade Bauer tallied one hit and one walk.

Drew Bauer finished with one hit, Milheiser walked once, Rozendaal scored one run and Mendez walked once and scored one run.

Winkleman took the pitching loss after surrendering three earned runs on five hits, three walks and one hit batter in 2 1/3 innings.

Drew Bauer pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run on no hits and four walks and struck out one.

Cade Bauer surrendered no runs on two hits and three walks and struck out two in two innings.

Rausch’s first varsity pitching appearance resulted in one out and he allowed one hit.

Rhylee Schmidt led Norwalk (3-4, 2-0) with three hits and two RBIs and Ryan Jones walked three times.

Briley Purcell struck out 12 and allowed one earned run over six innings but took the no decision.