Facing the No. 1 ranked team in Class 4A was going to be hard enough for the Newton softball team on Friday night.
But committing four errors made the challenge even more daunting, and Norwalk stayed unbeaten after a 13-1 road triumph in Little Hawkeye Conference action.
“You have to play mistake-free softball when you play any team, but when you play the No. 1 team there is no room for error,” Newton head softball coach Kory Leiker said.
Paige Benson hit her first career varsity home run, but that was all the Cardinals could muster against rival Norwalk.
The Warriors scored three times in the first and fourth frames and then plated five in the seventh to close out the win. Norwalk is outscoring opponents 48-4 this season.
Benson had two of the team’s three hits to lead Newton (4-3, 0-3 in the LHC) and her solo home run came in the second.
“The positive from the night was Paige Benson going 2-for-3 with her first varsity homer against one of the better pitchers in the conference and maybe even the state,” Leiker said.
Chloe Swank tallied the team’s other hit and Mack Sims, Kadance Ahn and Ava Williams each walked once. Sims’ on-base percentage is now a team-best .536.
Hailey Sumpter (4-2) pitched the first four innings and took the loss after allowing seven runs — three earned — on nine hits and two walks and she struck out four.
Lexi Frehse finished the game in the circle. She allowed six runs — five earned — on four hits and four walks and she fanned one.
Lauren Black led Norwalk (8-0, 3-0) with three home runs and nine RBIs. She now has five bombs this season.
Nyah Hulbert belted a solo shot, Jaylynn Brandt and Maddie Gullion each tallied two hits and Olivia Doughtery (4-0) struck out 10 and allowed one run on three hits in the circle.