Newton softball edges Fort Madison in Iowa City

IOWA CITY — Six different Cardinals registered at least one hit, Kenzly Brant collected two RBIs and Mack Sims scored two runs during the Newton softball team’s come-from-behind win over Fort Madison on Tuesday.

The Cardinals lost a five-run lead but scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the non-conference game, 7-6, at Pearl Field on the campus of the University of Iowa.

“Fort Madison gave us a heck of a fight,” Newton head softball coach Kory Leiker said. “We had a good lead, but that lead wasn’t enough, and we had to dig deep.”

Newton led 1-0 after one inning, went in front 4-0 after two and extended the margin to 5-0 through five.

Fort Madison scored six runs in the top of the sixth to take a narrow lead, but Brant tripled and scored on an RBI by Chloe Swank and Ava Williams drove in the winning run with an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth.

“That is the type of win we need late in the year to get some momentum going into regional play,” Leiker said.

Fort Madison (9-12) was plagued by six errors. Both teams had seven hits, and the Cardinals committed two errors.

Brant led Newton with two hits, one triple, one run and two RBIs. Mack Sims added one hit, two runs, one RBI and one steal and Swank chipped in one hit, one run and one RBI and she was hit by one pitch.

Sims leads the Cardinals with a batting average of .456 and she has a team-best 30 runs, 53 total bases and 13 steals. Swank registered her team-leading 22nd RBI.

Williams doubled, had one RBI and walked once, Leileigh Hammons totaled one hit, one RBI and one walk and Viana Vasseau collected the other hit.

Paige Benson scored one run and had one RBI, Sloan Brodersen scored one run and BrookLynn Britton scored one run and stole one base.

Hammons (8-11) earned the win in the circle. She allowed six runs — three earned — on seven hits and four walks with four strikeouts in seven innings.

Indianola 18, Newton 6

The Cardinals matched Indianola’s first inning with a five-run frame of their own, but Newton couldn’t keep up with the Indians the rest of the way during an 18-6 home loss at H.A. Lynn Softball Field.

The Little Hawkeye Conference game started on June 23 but was finished Monday after being suspended due to rain and lightning.

The Indians (17-12, 10-7 in the conference) led 13-6 when play resumed and the visitors had runners on second and third with only one out in the top of the fourth.

“When you play softball, you should show up like it’s the last time you’ll ever play,” Leiker said. “I show up to win. I don’t care what the deficit is. I expect 100 percent effort.

“We just weren’t ready to go when we restarted the game.”

Indianola plated five runs on Monday and ended things early due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Brodersen got her second hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Cardinals (8-18, 2-16) couldn’t extend the game.

Brodersen also laced a bases-loaded, three-run double in the first to lead a five-run frame.

Sims, Swank and Williams all walked once and scored one run, Vasseau walked once, scored one run and had one RBI, Emerson Ray was hit by a pitch and scored one run, Hammons walked and Mackenzie Cupples scored one run.

Sims leads the Cardinals with 17 walks and Ray has been hit by a team-most four pitches.

Newton was out-hit 16-2, and the Cardinals committed two errors.

“We need to get deeper in counts and be more patient,” Leiker said. “We have too many girls who already think they’ve failed before they get into the box. We need to get them in a more positive space. You can’t go up there hoping to hit the ball.”

Hammons took the loss in the circle after allowing 18 runs — 17 earned — on 16 hits, three walks and two hit batters in four innings.