March 29, 2024

Cardinals fall to Warriors

NEWTON — Ten hits didn’t produce enough runs for Newton’s Cardinals Friday night. The Cardinals stranded 10 base runners in a 5-1 loss to visiting Norwalk in the first of two games at Woodland Park.

Newton lost 3-1 to the Warriors in the nightcap of the Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader. The Cardinals had four hits and again left runners on base — seven.

The Cardinals dropped to 5-7 in conference play.

Newton matched Norwalk’s single run in the first inning. With one gone, Tyler Wood singled and scored on a two-out double by Evan Shimon.

After that, the Cardinals hit the ball, but could not come up with the hit with runners on to drive in runs. Norwalk scored two runs in the third and two more in the seventh for the 5-1 win in the opener.

Wood struggled with his control, taking the pitching loss. He issued eight walks as he allowed three runs in five innings of work. Wood gave up five hits and struck our three. Newton’s defense committed four errors

Michael Barr pitched the final two innings for Newton. He was charged with two runs on one hit and two walks and he struck out one.

Shimon and Derek Wrage each had a single and a double. Wood was 3-for-4 with three singles. Hitting a single each were Chandler Sturtz, Jordan Travis, Bryce Tish and Mike McCormick.

In the second game, Sturtz pitched a complete game for Newton and struck out five Warriors. The Cardinal defense played an errorless seven innings.

Norwalk collected eight hits against Sturtz. The Warriors scored two runs in the first inning and one in the third for a 3-0 lead. They held on for a 3-1 win.

Newton produced its lone run in the fourth on a two-out rally. McCormick reached on an error followed by a double from Wrage. McCormick scored on an RBI single from Jeff Stanton.

The Cardinals only had two more hits in the game — another double by Wrage and a base hit by Wood.