One bad inning plagues Newton softball against No. 6 Indianola

INDIANOLA — One bad inning doomed the Newton softball team on Thursday.

The Cardinals played even with Class 4A No. 6 Indianola for three innings and only trailed 2-1 in the fifth, but the Indians plated 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth and ended the Little Hawkeye Conference game early following a 12-1 home win.

Newton was doubled up in hits (12-6) and committed five errors in the conference loss.

“If you take away the fifth inning, we played a great game and gave them all they could handle,” Newton head softball coach Kory Leiker said. “It shows us if we play like we are capable of, we can compete with anyone.”

Indianola completed the season sweep of Newton (13-17 overall, 7-14 in the LHC) this summer. The Indians defeated the Cardinals 16-1 and 17-3 in Newton on June 14.

Mack Sims and Peyton Durr each had two hits to lead the Cardinal bats. Durr scored one run and stole one base and Sims doubled.

Ava Williams added one hit and two walks and Katelyn Lambert walked once and was hit by two pitches. Kadance Ahn had the other hit.

Hailey Sumpter spun all five innings in the circle and allowed 12 runs — seven earned — on 11 hits, one walk and one hit batter. She struck out one.

Kiley Kindelspire led the Indians (23-10, 16-5) with three hits, one homer and five RBIs and Katie Fosenberg homered and registered two hits, two runs and two RBIs.