Five-run fifth pushes Knoxville past Newton softball

Chloe Swank and Sloan Brodersen each had two hits, but Newton’s softball team couldn’t hold a three-run lead during an 8-4 home loss to Knoxville on Friday night.

The Cardinals led 3-0 after two innings, but the Panthers plated three in the third and five in the fifth to take the lead for good.

“It was a hard-fought battle tonight,” Newton head softball coach Kory Leiker said. “We came up short, but we learned a lot about ourselves as a team. With it being our second game, we showed great character and grit and this is the moment I have been waiting to see.”

Brodersen, an eighth-grader, led Newton’s offense with two hits, one run, one hit by pitch and two stolen bases. Swank added two hits, a double and one RBI.

Vanessa Vasseau finished with one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk and one steal, Taylor Lust added one hit and one RBI and Grace Benson chipped in one run and one stolen base.

Kadance Ahn doubled, Mackynna Sims had one hit and Katelyn Lambert scored one run as a courtesy runner.

The Cardinals (1-1) finished with eight hits and committed four errors. Their fourth run was scored in the bottom of the fifth.

“We are never out of a game until the final out,” Leiker said. “We have things to work on, but to be where we are now compared to a year ago is miles a part. Knoxville has a great pitching staff, and we held our own and we will definitely get better because of this loss.”

Kallie Van Kley started in the circle and took the loss. She allowed seven runs — four earned — on six hits and struck out five, walked one and hit one in 4 1/3 innings.

Hailey Sumpter made her first appearance of the season and surrendered one earned run on four hits and had three strikeouts and one walk in 2 2/3 innings.

“The defensive highlights of the game were Vanessa Vasseau’s two amazing catches in left field,” Leiker said. “Sloan Brodersen and Chloe Swank are two youngsters who came through with a couple of clutch hits each.”