The Newton Cardinals concluded their regular season with a 3‑0 defeat at home against Des Moines Christian, slipping to 13‑18 overall.
Two runs crossed the plate in the third inning and a single run in the fifth gave the Christian Lions a clean sheet, while Newton failed to find the back of the net.
The Cardinals’ best chance arrived in the opening frame, when they loaded the bases but could not convert, leaving the game still scoreless.
Drew Bauer sparked the offense with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a Lane Rozendaal single, but a subsequent strikeout and a short fly ball ended the rally.
Aaden Grimm’s walk moved Rozendaal to second, yet Mason Mendez struck out and Landry Rausch’s fly out sealed the third out, preserving the shutout.
Pitching Duel and Defensive Missteps
Newton’s batters struck out seven times, while the four Christian pitchers combined for nine strikeouts of the Lions.
Two Cardinal errors contributed to an unearned run, and the team logged five walks, a hit batter and a single error on the score sheet.
Des Moines Christian recorded eight hits, two hit batters and benefited from the errors, finishing with a modest offensive edge.
Looking Ahead to the Substate First Round
The 13‑18 Cardinals will open postseason play on Friday at 7 p.m. in Saydel, Iowa, facing the 22‑9 Eagles in a Class 3A Substate 6 first‑round contest.
Coach and players alike are hopeful that the experience gained from the regular‑season finale will translate into a competitive showing against a strong Eagle squad.