Cardinals rally with big sixth inning
By TROY HYDE NDN Sports Writer
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| NHS junior Amanda Jones records an out at first base during the Cardinals’ victory over Norwalk on Thursday. The Cardinals trailed 3-0 through five innings but scored eight runs in the sixth to win 8-3. (Troy Hyde/Daily News) |
Norwalk had first-place Newton right where it wanted them. The Warriors led the Cardinals by a comfortable three runs heading into the Cardinals’ final two at-bats.
Newton had put runners on base but didn’t get the big hit in the first five frames.
Then, momentum shifted in a big way.
The Cardinals used four Norwalk errors and collected five of their 10 hits in the sixth inning, sent 12 batters to the plate and scored all eight of their runs in an 8-3 come-from-behind victory at Berg Middle School.
“The kids were patient and just waited for good pitches,” Newton coach Gary Grimes said about the eight-run frame. “We just had faith.”
Before the offense exploded in the sixth, Norwalk had all the momentum and looked well on its way to an upset win after plating three runs in the fourth inning.
Then things just seemed to click for the home team. And Norwalk began to fold.
“They got the breaks in their inning, and we got some in our big inning,” Grimes said. “I told the girls we would eventually catch a break. This win was big for us, real big.”
The Cardinals honored a pair of five-year players for senior night before the game. Caitlyn Meyer, the team’s starting catcher for the past five years, is leading the team in hitting this season. She walked twice in the game and laced a two-run double down the third-base line in the deciding sixth inning.
Mallory Sturtz also was honored. It has been sort of a rough season at the plate this year for the senior shortstop. But Sturtz delivered on her night Thursday, finishing with three hits and two RBIs.
“Her and I talked before the game about what she might be doing wrong,” Grimes said. “She had a breakout game tonight. She got on track.”
The Cardinals sent 12 batters to the plate in the sixth inning, and things began with a five-pitch walk to Meyer. Sturtz knocked in the first run with an RBI hit. Junior Amanda Jones then laid down a perfect bases-loaded suicide squeeze bunt one batter later that plated another run. Junior Val Humke, who had two hits on the night, added an RBI single while sophomore Nicole George and Meyer later collected two-run hits to cap off the frame.
Freshman Courtney Meyer allowed six hits in the game and four of them came in Norwalk’s three-run fourth. She face minimal trouble in the other six innings and retired the side twice. She eventually earned the win after surrendering just two earned runs and fanning seven.
“She was a little upset about her performance early in the game, but she really took control those last three innings,” Grimes said. “She really came back for us.”
The Warriors sent nine batters to the plate in their big inning but left them loaded after three runs.
Prior to Newton’s eight-run sixth, the Cardinals got on base but couldn’t get home. They stranded two in the first and two in the fourth. The only inning they did not record a hit in was the fifth.
Notes: Newton is now 20-10 on the season and 11-3 in conference play. ... Norwalk scored its runs immediately following a Newton at-bat that appeared to have the Cardinals crack the scoreboard. Humke was on base in the third when Caitlyn Meyer hit a ground ball to third. The throw to first was high and Meyer was originally called safe. However, Norwalk’s players thought she was going to be called out and threw the ball to the circle. When nobody went to recover the ball, Humke sprinted home. However, the run did not count in the end as an appeal allowed the officials to overrule the call, thus calling Meyer out to retire the side ... Newton next plays this weekend in the Mid-Prairie Tournament both Friday and Saturday.
Newton 8, Norwalk 3
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Norwalk 000 300 0 — 3 6 5
