A 10-nil regional semifinal win by the girls soccer team highlighted a busy Tuesday night for Norwalk athletics. The Warrior softball team opened their season with a 4-0 home win over Southeast Warren and the baseball team’s comeback fell one run short in a 7-6 loss to Waukee Northwest.
Girls Soccer advances to regional final
The 10th-ranked Norwalk soccer girls dominated Boone in a Class 2A, Region 2 semifinal, winning 10-0 in a match stopped by the mercy rule after 70 minutes. The Warriors led 4-0 at halftime and continued to pile up the goals after the break, sending 10 of their 12 shots on goal to the back of the net.
Freshman Pearl Brown scored two goals and seven teammates added one goal: Ellie Dueland, Braelyn Clark, Addison Burch, Tatum Miller, Reese Trebilcock, Kenna Moranville and Kenzie Hodge. Burch also had two assists. Goalies Katie Liedtke and Zoey Davenport both made one save.
Norwalk improved to 12-6 overall and will now face 2nd-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes (14-3) in Thursday’s 7:00 p.m. Region 2 final at DC-G. The Warriors will be looking to avenge a 4-1 loss to the Fillies on May 2. DC-G advanced with a 12-0 win over Perry on Tuesday.
Softball wins season opener
In a matchup of preseason top five-ranked softball teams, Norwalk broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and topped Southeast Warren 4-0. The Warriors, a Class 4A state qualifier last year, start the season ranked fifth while the defending state runner-up Warhawks are ranked No. 1 in Class 1A.
Maddie Gullion’s two-run triple highlighted the Norwalk scoring outburst. Lauren Black hit a double, Bailey Birmingham singled and scored a run, and Nyah Hulbert walked twice, stole two bases and scored as well. Zadie Wadle pitched six shutout innings in the circle, allowing just one hit and striking out eight. Olivia Dougherty worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning of relief.
The Warriors host Southeast Polk tonight at 7 p.m. Live coverage begins at 6:45 on kniakrls.com (KNIA3).
Baseball loses fifth straight
The Norwalk baseball team dropped to 1-5 in non-conference play following Tuesday’s 7-6 loss to Waukee Northwest – heard live on KNIA3. The 7-1 Wolves took advantage of three Warrior errors during their tie-breaking five-run third inning and were able to hold off a late rally.
CJ Davis, Jackson Campbell, DJ Harris and Caleb Ochanpaugh all had two-hit nights for Norwalk. Davis led off the first inning with a double and tied the game with a two-run single in the second. A three-run fifth pulled the Warriors within 7-6, but they finished hitless the rest of the way against Wolves’ relievers Carter Van Horn and Saahi Jetti.
Harris took the loss in relief of Aidan Harder before Josh Pins pitched four scoreless innings of relief. Norwalk returns to action Friday night, hosting Gilbert.