Norwalk’s summer sports teams lost two out of three games on Friday night. The softball team split a doubleheader at Ames and the baseball team lost 6-5 at Grinnell.

Softball splits twin bill

The Class 4A top-ranked Warrior softball team homered three times in game one and easily defeated Ames 9-0. The 5A 12th-ranked Little Cyclones won the night cap 4-2.

Norwalk started fast in both games, including a four-run first in game one. Addi Downe went 3-for-3 at the plate with a sacrifice fly and two RBI. Bailey Birmingham belted a pair of home runs and drove in three while Grace Dehmer also homered and had three RBI. Nyah Hulbert finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Olivia Dougherty pitched five innings of two-hit ball for the win before Downe completed the shutout with two perfect innings of relief.

The Warriors took a quick 2-0 lead in game two on Maddie Gullion’s two-run single, but this time Ames countered with a four-run third and held on for the win. Hulbert went 2-for-4 with a double and Downe added a pair of singles. Carly Brewer took the loss, allowing four hits and just one earned run in six innings as Norwalk committed three errors. She walked three, hit a batter and struck out nine.

Norwalk is now 12-2 overall while Ames is 10-3. The Warriors return to action Monday night at Pella Christian.

Baseball loses fifth straight

The Norwalk baseball team let one get away at Grinnell on Friday night as the Tigers scored four runs in the seventh to walk off with a 6-5 victory. Grinnell took advantage of three walks and a hit batsman in the final frame and also had three hits, extending their winning streak to nine games and improving to 11-6.

The Warriors, who scored all five of their runs in the fifth, finished the week 0-5 and are now 6-9 overall. Norwalk’s next game is Monday night at Pella Christian.