The Norwalk girls soccer team advanced in regional play Wednesday night while the baseball and softball teams both swept conference doubleheaders vs. Newton.
Girls Soccer wins 8-0
The Class 2A sixth-ranked Warrior soccer girls handled Oskaloosa 8-0 in a regional semifinal match at Mineart Field. They improved to 11-3-3 overall, beating the Indians 8-0 for the second time this season.
Avery Drymon, Pearl Brown and Addy Wood scored two goals apiece for Norwalk and Wood added two assists. Tatum Miller and Alayna O’Connor both scored one goal while Brown, Olivia Welch and Bella Moede each had one assist. It was the 11th defensive shutout of the year for the Warriors as Katie Liedtke and Elisa Laman shared goalkeeper duties on the night.
Norwalk advances to Friday’s Region 7 championship final and will host 11th-ranked Bondurant-Farrar at 7:00 p.m. The two teams battled to a scoreless tie on April 4. The Bluejays defeated Carlisle 2-1 on Wednesday night, improving to 7-5-5.
Baseball wins a pair
The Norwalk baseball team opened Little Hawkeye Conference play with a sweep of the Newton Cardinals, winning 7-4 and 4-3 in eight innings.
The night cap, heard live on the KRLS3 stream, featured late dramatics. Down 3-1, Newton tied the game in the top of the seventh with a two-out, two-run double and forced extra frames. In the bottom of the eighth, a pair of walks set up Rhylee Schmidt’s two-out, walk-off RBI single for the Warriors. Schmidt finished 3-for-5 with a triple. Briley Purcell pitched six quality innings with 12 strikeouts for Norwalk and Eli Benschoter earned the win in relief.
Cole Wardlow was the winning pitcher for Norwalk in game one, allowing one earned run in six innings and striking out six. Garrett Geurink struck out the side in the seventh for the save. Brady Wilkening went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored to lead the offense.
The Warriors improved to 2-3 overall and will play a 7:00 p.m. game tonight at North Polk.
Softball sweeps Cardinals
The Class 4A seventh-ranked Norwalk softball team also swept Newton on Wednesday’s opening night of Little Hawkeye Conference play. The Warriors won game one 10-0 in four innings and took the night cap 7-4, heard live on KNIA3.
Maddie Gullion blasted a home run and a double for four RBI in the first game while Carly Brewer and Allie Williams combined on a four-inning no-hitter. Hadley Michael went 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Warriors, who totaled 13 hits – six for extra bases.
Norwalk added three homers in game two, including a pair of solo shots by leadoff batter Nyah Hulbert in the first and fourth frames. Warrior shortstop Bailey Birmingham was never retired, going 3-for-3 with an RBI triple, a three-run homer and a single. Leah Crick and Lillian Garvey combined to pitch a four-hitter, both allowing two hits and two runs. Newton’s Mack Sims hit a two-run homer in the first, but Crick retired the final 10 batters she faced.
Norwalk improved to 3-0 overall and will host Southeast Polk tonight at 7:00.
Girls State Golf
The Norwalk girls golf team opens Class 4A State Tournament play today at the Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Iowa City. One of 10 teams in the 4A state field, the Warriors will play 18 holes today – starting at 9:00 a.m. – and another 18 tomorrow. This is the program’s first-ever state tournament appearance.
Norwalk qualified by placing second at last week’s 4A Regional meet in West Des Moines.
Boys Soccer Substate Final
The Norwalk boys soccer team hosts Bondurant-Farrar tonight in the Class 3A Substate 5 championship game at 7:00 p.m. The third-ranked Warriors are 9-7-2 overall while the Bluejays bring an 8-9-1 record into the contest. Norwalk won the regular-season matchup 6-0 on April 4. The Warriors are seeking a third consecutive trip to the state tournament.