Cardinals knock off Eagles

NEWTON — It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but a win is a win. Newton’s Cardinals struck early and added runs when they needed to Friday night to hand visiting Saydel Eagles their eighth loss of the season.

Newton scored three runs in the first inning on its way to a 6-3 victory on NHS Military Appreciation Night at Eversman Field in Woodland Park. The Cardinals honored former NHS player, Levi Michener, and retired and active members of the military before the game.

Michener, who is a 2014 Newton graduate, decided to forgo his senior season of Cardinal baseball for the U.S. Marines. Michener threw out the ceremonial pitch.

“If the decision of going into the Marine Corp was more uncertain for me, missing this season would be harder,” Michener said before the game. “Being a marine has been something I’ve focused on since sixth grade. That is when I found out my grandfather was a marine. It’s all I wanted to be.”

Michener said what he has missed the most this summer is not being with his teammates every day. He said he had played baseball with most of the Cardinal players since middle school.

Michener has been in the delayed entry program for the U.S. Marines for a year. He said he reports to boot camp July 21 in San Diego. Calif.

Saydel came into the non-conference game at 20-7 and just out of the top 10 rankings in Class 3A. Senior left-hander Michael Miller had a 7-2 record on the mound for the Eagles.

Miller was greeted with a sharp single to right field by Newton senior shortstop Chandler Sturtz to open the first inning. Junior pitcher Tyler Wood followed with a base hit and the Eagles made an errant throw allowing Sturtz and Wood to advance to third and second base.

With one out and two on, the Cardinals got back-to-back RBI doubles to left field by senior catcher Evan Shimon and junior right fielder Jordan Travis. Drew Stout, a sophomore courtesy runner for Shimon, scored a third run on a passed ball.

Wood, who struggled with his control throughout the game, found ways to work out of trouble.

In the first inning, the Cardinal defense turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning. After the Eagles scored twice in the third inning to make it 3-2, Wood coaxed another ground ball for a double play as Sturtz gathered in the ball, stepped on second base and threw to senior Derek Wrage at first.

The Cardinals responded by producing a run in their half of the third. Travis singled to center field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior second baseman Mike McCormick. Travis advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a two-out single by sophomore left fielder Bryce Tish.

Leading 4-2 after four innings, Newton added two insurance runs in the fifth. McCormick smashed a base hit to right field with one gone. Michael Barr, the Cardinals’ junior third baseman, delivered an RBI double to left field. Barr came around to scored on a two-out single by junior center fielderJeff Stanton.

“It helped shift the momentum back to us. It was the first ball I’ve hit in a couple of games,” Barr said. “Our defense and pitching were solid. They (Saydel) hit the ball, but we worked hard to get out of tough situations. We didn’t get complacent which helped us win the game at the end.”

Each team stranded nine base runners in the game. Wood issued five walks while giving up five hits in six innings of work. He struck out three. Wood improved to 5-3 on the season.

Travis pitched the seventh, allowed one run on two hits and had a strikeout.

Travis had a single and a double in the game while Wood and Stanton each connected for two singles. Barr and Shimon had a double apiece. Hitting a single each were McCormick, Tish and Sturtz.

Newton (13-18) hosts South Tama Tuesday for Senior Night. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. at Woodland Park. The Cardinals conclude regular-season play Wednesday at home against Boone at 7:30 p.m. at Woodland Park.

The Cardinals open Iowa Class 4A Substate 7 action Friday. They play Ankeny Centennial in a first-round game at 7 p.m. at Northview Middle School in Ankeny.

Other first-round games in the substate tournament are Des Moines North at Urbandale and Des Moines Roosevelt at Johnston.