The seasoned veterans looked the part, but the Bobcats are going to have to step up around them.

The Marshalltown softball team suffered a season-opening defeat to Newton on Tuesday night, falling 10-2 in six innings on the MHS diamond.

Newton pitcher Leileigh Hammons struck out 10 and allowed only two hits in the win, dealing the Bobcats (0-1) their 10th-straight loss in the series.

Back-to-back extra-base hits by Marshalltown’s Briley Danielson and Emma Stupp accounted for the team’s only hits and runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Danielson hit a two-out double and Stupp followed with a home run off the light pole in left-center field.

MHS had no other baserunners in the decisive season-opening defeat.

“It’s a slow start, but it’s a good starting point for our girls moving forward to Thursday,” said first-year head coach Madaline Dalke. “We’re trying a couple different things, seeing what’s gonna work best, and also going off what the pitcher is throwing so it is pretty fluid.”

Danielson took the loss in the pitcher’s circle for the Bobcats, allowing eight runs — six earned — on 10 hits and one walk while striking out four. Stupp surrendered two unearned runs on three hits in two innings, striking out two.

Newton accumulated five infield singles against Marshalltown’s new-look lineup on a roster that includes no seniors. Stupp and Danielson are two of six junior starters for Dalke’s debut season.

“I’m very proud of our pitchers,” she said. “Our two pitchers are the two girls that got our big hits of the game, so really moving forward (we’re) looking on how are we as a team going to support our pitchers at the plate.

“Emma’s hit was huge but Briley starting it off, having her own back in the circle was really good for her. Briley’s a fighter and it’s really starting to come through with some of the other girls.”

Newton (2-0) scored at least two runs in four of its six at-bats, highlighted by a four-run fourth. Lexi Frehse went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, four RBIs and two stolen bases, while Braleigh Slings and Hammons both finished 2-for-4.

The Cardinals totaled 13 hits to Marshalltown’s two.

“They way we played is not how we practice,” Dalke said, “and we touched on that after the game. I’ll never be disappointed in them for trying, but they did not play their game that I know they can play. They hit off our pitchers all the time … so I know they can do better and I’m hoping it was just first-game jitters and we can get that over with and out of the way.”

The Bobcats are back at home on Thursday night with a doubleheader against Waterloo East starting at 5 p.m.