Norwalk softball coach Beau Livingston earned career win number 100 on Wednesday night as the Class 4A seventh-ranked Warriors stayed unbeaten with a 10-0 home victory over 4A No. 13 Pella. Heard live on 94.3 KNIA and the KNIA3 stream, the game was called by the run rule after three and a half innings.
Livingston reached the 100-win mark in just the seventh game of his fourth season at the helm. His first three years all ended with 30-plus wins and a trip to the State Softball Tournament. Livingston tells KNIA Sports that Norwalk’s players deserve the credit for any coaching milestones that he achieves.
“It just means that we have really good players… and have had really good players over the last three years,” he said. “Just really a lot of great memories. I didn’t know it, but when I heard a hundred [wins], you kind of instantly think back to a handful of them. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s just been a great joy for me to be a part of this program, and a privilege just to play a small part in what we’ve got going on here.”
Norwalk took command of Wednesday’s game by plating seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the first inning. Addie Fisher’s two-run single made it 3-0 and Kalli Henke followed with a two-RBI triple to deep right field. Fisher and Henke both went 2-for-2 and combined to drive in five runs. Nyah Hulbert ripped a pair of singles and had two RBI as the Warriors totaled 11 hits in three innings against Pella pitchers Emma Eekhoff and Saige DeJong.
Norwalk senior pitcher Carly Brewer was dominant in the circle, striking out seven batters in 3 ⅓ innings. Riley Parks and Elizabeth Thomas beat out bunt singles in the third to account for the only Dutch base runners. The game ended with a fantastic diving catch on the infield by Norwalk shortstop Bailey Birmingham.
The Warriors improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in Little Hawkeye Conference play. They will host 4A fifth-ranked ADM tonight in a make-up game from Tuesday. Pella is now 3-4 overall and 3-3 in the LHC. The Dutch host Pella Christian for a varsity twin bill on Friday.