The Indianola and Newton softball teams split a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader in Indianola on Friday. Newton won the first game 12-3, while the Indians took the nightcap 13-0 in four innings, and game two was heard live on 94.3 KNIA and on the KRLS3 stream.

In the opener, the Cardinals got the scoring started with a lead off home run from Mack Sims, before scoring five runs in the third inning to take a 6-0 lead. In total, the Newton offense scored their twelve runs in game one on fourteen hits, with Sims leading the way by going 5-5 at the plate. Chloe Swank had four runs batted in for the Cardinals, with three of those runs coming in on a home run in the third inning. Leileigh Hammonds also hit a 7th inning pitch over the fence for a solo homer. Sam Gripp had a solo blast in the 5th inning for the Indians, who had seven hits in game one. Indianola’s other two RBIs in the opener came from the bats of Sully Downey and Ava Tichy. 

In game two, the Indians had seven home runs, two singles, and a double. Sam Gripp homered in all  three of her at-bats, including  a two run shot in the first inning  and solo homers in the second and third innings. Tessa Gripp led the game off with a solo home run, while Sully Downey added a two run blast in the first inning. Dana Blake also contributed two solo home runs in the win. Newton had one hit in the second game from Makenzley Brant. 

The Indianola softball team is now 3-4 overall and 2-3 in the Little Hawkeye Conference while the Newton softball team is 4-6 on the season and 2-6 in conference play. The Cardinals play Mount Vernon at 9:15 this morning in the Oskaloosa Tournament, while the Indians play Waukee Northwest at 9 a.m. today at Valley High School followed by Des Moines Lincoln at 1 p.m.