Newton senior right-hander Hailey Sumpter allowed just four hits and two unearned runs as the Cardinals captured a 7-2 victory over Marshalltown in the Bobcats’ season and home opener on Wednesday night.

Sumpter struck out five and walked one, holding Marshalltown (0-1) without a hit for more than three innings. Briley Danielson broke up the no-hitter with her one-out double in the bottom of the fourth, and a sacrifice bunt by Bella Avise drove in Laney Danielson as the Bobcats’ first run.

Newton led 3-1 by that point and put the Bobcats on the defensive with a three-run third that chased Briley from the pitcher’s circle. Karsyn Price inherited a pair of baserunners, both of which scored, but did well to dodge the Cardinals’ bats the rest of the way.

Briley got the loss, allowing six runs on six hits and two walks, but only one run was earned to the MHS freshman. Price allowed three hits and one earned run on a walk, a hit batter and four strikeouts.

“If we clean up the early errors and we have a couple really hard-hit balls that just went right to people fall in, it’s a ballgame,” said MHS head coach Jason Bowers. “A really close ballgame.

“Overall I’m really proud of the girls. I thought they played with good energy, good body language for the most part, just some little things that could have happened and it would have been a closer ballgame.”

All four Marshalltown errors were balls that Bowers would like to see caught the next time around. For his squad, that next time will be tonight’s Iowa Alliance Conference doubleheader at Mason City.

“The few errors that we had early I think were all on us,” he said. “We just lost a little focus and dropped a couple balls.”

Marshalltown’s bats made some noise, but the fireworks didn’t always accompany it. Emma Stupp hit a one-out double off the fence in the fifth and Laney followed with an infield single, but both runners were stranded.

Stupp, the Danielson sisters and Ava Kusserow accounted for the Bobcats’ only hits against Sumpter. Center fielder Gianna Baune had an outfield assist, throwing out Newton’s Haylie Ryan at the plate on a play to end the top of the second, and shortstop Kate Sandvick made a diving stop and throw to retire Ryan to end the fifth with runners on the corners.