Ault, Warner have 2 RBIs each, but N. Newton rallies to beat Caston

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Softball

The Caston softball team suffered a season-ending 10-4 loss to North Newton in a Class 1A, Sectional 50 quarterfinal at North White Tuesday. The team finished 11-10. Front, from left – Alex Mersch, Wrigley DeBarge, Hadlie Coffing, Jordyn Middleton, Avery Baldwin, Mia Mersch. Middle – Lexie Field, Kylee Logan, Bella Girton, manager Ellie Zartman, Audrey Ault, Abigail Apperson, Emily Rodas. Back – assistant coach Brian Logan, Ava Russell, Natalie Warner, Myli Rude, coach Jon Burks, assistant coach Chanse Baldwin.

North Newton 10, Caston 4 (Tuesday): Audrey Ault had a single and a double and two RBIs, and Natalie Warner doubled and had two RBIs for the Lady Comets in a loss to defending state champion North Newton in a Class 1A, Sectional 50 quarterfinal at North White Tuesday.

Kylee Logan doubled, and Myli Rude singled for Caston, who finished 11-10. Caston won five games last year.

Logan, Rude, Avery Baldwin and Emily Rodas are the team’s four seniors.

Hadlie Coffing pitched the first six innings and allowed eight hits and 10 runs (seven earned) for the Lady Comets. She walked five and struck out six. Warner relieved and pitched one scoreless inning, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out one.

Caston committed four errors that led to three unearned runs for North Newton.

Rylynn Klemz had two hits, including a homer, and three RBIs for the Lady Spartans. Riley Higgins had a single, a triple and two RBIs. Maria Jones fanned eight in the circle.

Caston led 4-0 after two innings on Warner’s two-run double in the first and Ault’s two-run double in the second.

North Newton scored three runs in the third and tied it in the fifth on an error. Klemz’s three-run homer in the sixth gave the Lady Spartans the lead for good. Tatum Cahill had a two-run triple as part of a three-run seventh as North Newton tacked on to their lead.

North Newton 10, Caston 4

North Newton 003 013 3 – 10 9 2

Caston 220 000 0 – 4 5 4

WP – Jones (7 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)

LP – Hadlie Coffing (6 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 6 K)

2B – Kylee Logan (CAS), Natalie Warner (CAS), Audrey Ault (CAS)

3B – Cahill (NN), Higgins (NN)

HR – Klemz (NN)