The crowd was buzzing Wednesday when Prairie took the home field for the first time this season.

The Hawks did not disappoint. They crushed Clinton 11-1 in five innings in a nonconference battle.

The Hawks pounded out 30 hits and 26 runs in two games Tuesday night at Jefferson and they did not slow down against Clinton. Prairie pounded 10 hits in scoring 11 runs to support a trio of pitchers. Starter Bryce Alberts got the win. He was followed to the hill by Drew Pond and Chaz Boots.

Prairie jumped out to an early lead, scoring five runs in the second inning. Anthony Gagliardi's bases-clearing double highlighted the frame. Gagliardi was the batting star, going 4-for-4 with three doubles and a single.

“I finally broke through and did what I know I can do,” Gagliardi said.

Dylan Pond's pinch-hit, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth ended the game by the 10-run rule.

“He puts in the hard work and deserved his chance to get out there,” Prairie Coach Matt Thede said. “I am proud of all of these guys, but I’m most proud of guys like Dylan, who put in all the hard work and don’t really know when they will get their shot."

Prairie (4-2, 2-0 MVC) is idle Thursday. The Hawks travel to Xavier on Friday night for a conference doubleheader.

CLINTON (1)
Collender, 2b, 3 1 2 1, Driscoll, cf, 3 0 0 0, Roggendorf, c, 1 0 0 0, Pennock, rf, 3 0 0 0, Atkinson, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Parker, p, 0 0 0 0, Stumbough, ss, 0 0 0 0, Olalde, dh, 1 0 0 0, Hovey, p, 0 0 0 0, Judge, lf, 0 0 0 0, Edensberger, ph, 1 0 0 0, Morehead, 3b, 1 0 0 0.  Totals, 17 1 2 1

PRAIRIE (11)
Velvick, cf, 3 1 0 1, Boots, lf, 3 1 0 0, Gagliardi, rf, 4 3 4 2, Utley, 1b, 2 1 2 0, Hammer, ph, 0 0 0 0, D Carlson, c, 4 1 0 0, B Carlson, 2b, 3 1 1 0, Dy Pond, ph, 1 0 1 2, Alberts, p, 0 1 0 0, Dr Pond, p, 1 0 0 0, Whitters, dh, 2 1 2 2, Mougin, ss, 2 1 0 1.  Totals, 25, 11, 10, 8

Clinton   000 01---1
Prairie    051 32---11

Hovey, Pennock (3), Harvey (5) and Roggendorf.  Alberts, Pond (3), Boots (5) and D.Carlson. W-Alberts L-Hovey.  
2B-Gagliardi 3.  3B-B.Carlson.  HR-Collender.