April 25, 2024

Newton baseball drops home opener to Marshalltown

By Jocelyn Sheets
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Newton’s Tyler Wood dives back into first base safely during first-inning action of Tuesday’s season opener at home against Marshalltown. Wood and the Cardinals could not get things churning against the Bobcats, who defeated the Cardinals 6-3 at Woodland Park. (Jocelyn Sheets)

NEWTON — Missed opportunities at the plate, on the bases and in the field hampered Newton’s baseball Cardinals in the 2014 season opener Tuesday. The Cardinals stranded runners and committed errors in a 6-3 loss to visiting Marshalltown.

Newton left two runners on in the first inning, down 1-0. In the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals trailed 6-1, scored two runs then left the bases loaded when Bobcat relief pitcher Dylan Diveney struck out Jeff Stanton to end the game.

Derek Wrage took the pitching loss for Newton, going three innings and giving up two runs on two hits and one walk. He struck out two. Jordan Travis pitched three innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out one. Michael Barr gave up one run on two hits in one inning of work.

Marshalltown scored a run in the first inning on two-out walk and an error. It was the first of five errors committed by Newton in the game.

Tyler Wood singled to leadoff the Cardinal first and went to second on a balk. With one gone, Evan Shimon was hit by a pitch and another balk called on Marshalltown pitcher Colton Hanke moved the Newton runners to third and second. The Cardinals stranded both runners.

Down 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Wrage was hit by a pitch with one gone. Stanton singled to right field but was picked off first base. Blake Anderson delivered an RBI double for the Cardinals.

Marshalltown produced three runs on back-to-back base hits, a Cardinal error and a passed ball in the top of the fifth inning. The Bobcats took advantage of another fielding miscue by Newton for a run in the seventh.

Connor Gholson doubled to open the Cardinal seventh inning and moved to third on an error. Gholson scored on a balk call against Marshalltown. Wood drew a one-out walk and Barr singled.

Shimon’s ground-out advanced the runners to third and second base. Travis was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wrage worked the count for an RBI base-on-balls with two outs. Stanton struck out to end the rally and the game.

Barr finished with a single and a double for Newton. Anderson and Gholson each had a double. Wood and Stanton each hit a single.

Newton (0-1) travels to Boone today.