Newton softball edged by pair of LHC rivals

A slow start plagued the Newton softball team in the opener of a doubleheader against Oskaloosa on Friday.

And the Cardinals couldn’t hold a lead in the nightcap as the Indians completed the season sweep of their rivals with a pair of Little Hawkeye Conference road wins.

Oskaloosa led 5-0 after one inning in the first game and held on to win 7-4.

In the second game, the Indians rallied from an early 2-0 hole and a pair of crooked numbers pushed the visitors to an 8-6 victory.

Newton lost three times to the Indians this summer by a total of six runs. The Cardinals lost 3-2 on the road earlier this season, and Oskaloosa is 27-14 in the series since 2009.

Newton scored three runs in the third inning of the opener to get within 6-3 but only managed one more run the rest of the way.

Mack Sims hit her team-leading fifth dinger in the fifth, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.

Sims, Ava Williams and Sloan Brodersen all had two hits to lead the offense. Williams doubled and scored a run in the third and Brodersen also scored in the three-run third.

Viana Vasseau and Chloe Swank had the other hits, Makenzly Brant walked once and BrookLynn Britton had one RBI and scored one run in the third.

Sims leads the Cardinals (6-15, 2-13 in the LHC) with 45 total bases and has a team-best .463 batting average.

Leileigh Hammons (6-9) took the pitching loss after allowing seven runs — six earned — on 10 hits, three walks and two hit batters in seven innings. She fanned three.

Newton was out-hit 10-8, and the Cardinals committed two errors.

Aracelli Pilcher led the Indians with three hits and three RBIs and Jillian Parks totaled two hits and two runs.

Shannon VanRheenen struck out six and allowed one earned run over seven innings.

The Cardinals led the second game 2-0 after one, but fell behind after Oskaloosa (8-14, 4-9) scored three runs in the third and four in the fourth. Newton, which was out-hit 13-9, plated two in the fourth and added one in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough.

Williams led the Cardinals with three hits, one run and one RBI.

Sims had two hits, doubled, scored two runs and walked twice, Brant finished with two hits and Swank and Hammons had the other hits.

Swank totaled three RBIs, Hammons hit a solo homer and Britton had one walk, two runs and two steals. Brodersen also walked once.

Sims leads the Cardinals with 24 runs and 15 walks and sports an on-base percentage of .586. Swank has a team-best 18 RBIs and Hammons’ dinger was her fourth of the season.

Lexi Frehse (0-6) took the loss in the circle after surrendering eight runs — seven earned — on 13 hits and one walk. She struck out two in 3 2/3 innings.

Hammons spun the final 3 1/3 innings and gave up only three hits.

Pilcher and Ireland McGraw homered and had two hits to lead the Indians at the plate. McGraw drove in four runs and Haylee Parker finished with three hits and two steals.

The Indians had three errors in the second game after committing one error in the opener.

Pella 5, Newton 4

PELLA — Hammons finished with three hits, and Newton had a lead through four innings, but the Lady Dutch rallied for a 5-4 win during LHC play on Thursday.

The Cardinals scored twice in the third to take a 2-1 lead, tied the game at 3-all with a run in the third and then took the lead with another run in the seventh.

Pella though scored twice in the bottom half of the seventh and scored the walk-off win.

The Cardinals, who out-hit Pella 8-7, are 22-21 against the Lady Dutch since 2009, but Pella (11-10, 7-8) has won eight straight in the series.

Hammons added one RBI to her team-best three hits, and Sims, Swank, Ray, Williams and Brant all had one hit.

Sims finished with one run, one RBI and two walks, Swank had two RBIs, Ray scored one run and walked once and Williams doubled and walked once. Britton and Myla Sanders scored one run each.

Hammons took the loss in the circle after allowing five earned runs on seven hits, four walks and one hit batter in 6 1/3 innings. She struck out two.