Newton softball falls twice to rival Pella

The Newton softball team gave up seven unearned runs in the first inning of the opening game of its doubleheader against Pella on Monday.

From that point on, the Cardinals struggled to slow down the Class 4A No. 13 Lady Dutch and Newton lost the Little Hawkeye Conference twin bill 11-0 and 10-5 at H.A. Lynn Softball Field.

“We just came out not ready to play,” Newton head softball coach Kory Leiker said. “We weren’t focused. From the first error, it went downhill from there. It was a tough night at the diamond.”

Pella led the opener 9-0 after one inning and ended the game after four following single runs in the second and third.

The Cardinals played better in the nightcap. The Lady Dutch led 1-0 after one and 4-0 in the second, but Newton rallied to tie the game at 5-all after three.

Pella though scored twice in the fifth and three more times in the seventh to pull away for good.

“We played better in the second game, but we still made way too many mistakes,” Leiker said. “Every team goes through it at some point. It’s going to be how we come back from it.”

Newton (3-4, 1-4 in the conference) was limited to three hits in the opener but committed four errors. Mack Sims, Makenzly Brant and Haleigh Bozarth had the hits and Viana Vasseau drew a walk.

Leileigh Hammons (3-2) started in the circle and took the loss after allowing 11 runs — four earned — on 11 hits, three walks and one hit batter. She struck out one in four innings.

The Lady Dutch cranked out 11 hits. Emma Eekhoff belted a homer and drove in four runs at the plate and struck out seven and allowed three hits in four innings.

Eekhoff improved to 2-3 in the circle and she leads Pella (3-3, 3-2) with two homers and seven RBIs.

Both teams finished with 10 hits in the nightcap. Newton committed three errors and Pella had two errors.

Chloe Swank and Sims each tallied two hits and one run, Brant doubled twice and registered two RBIs and Vasseau finished with two hits.

Sloan Brodersen’s lone hit drove in two runs, Paige Benson had one hit and one steal, Myla Sanders scored two runs and Bozarth came around to score once.

“The whole lineup feeds off the top,” Leiker said. “If the top goes, our bottom kind of follows suit. If one or two of the top hitters struggle, the younger players at the bottom of the lineup see them struggling. I don’t think we truly recovered from Game 1.”

Lexi Frehse (0-2) started in the circle and took the loss after surrendering 10 runs — eight earned — on 11 hits and five walks in seven innings.

Eekhoff homered in the second game, too, and drove in two runs. She got the pitching win in relief after striking out five in three innings.

Eekhoff’s change up gave the Cardinals fits all night.

“The girls have to recognize and be aware of the counts,” Leiker said. “We learned tonight she can throw a first-pitch change up to anybody. We need to see it right away and see it out of her hand. I think we should have let the first-pitch change up go and live to see another pitch.”

Notes: Sims and Brant each tallied three hits in the doubleheader. Sims leads Newton with six runs, 12 total bases and a .500 batting average. Brant leads the Cardinals with two doubles. “Mack Sims was a beast and Makenzly Brant did great behind the plate and hitting the ball,” Leiker said. “(Swank) hit the ball well and made some great plays, too.” … Newton’s non-conference contest at East Marshall scheduled for Tuesday was postponed due to rain.