Prairie Baseball

No. 3 Cougars thrive with young hurlers

The Kennedy Cougars and their "Kiddie Corps" struck again Tuesday night.

Coach Bret Hoyer used three more underclassmen on the mound as the third-ranked Cougars defeated Prairie, 6-2, at the Prairie diamond to sweep the two-game series.

Junior Sawyer Neuhaus gave Kennedy four strong innings, sophomore Tyler Dralle tossed two frames and junior Blake Hargens sealed the deal in the seventh inning.

Kennedy raised its records to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Mississippi Valley Conference with a rotation built entirely of kids.

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Keller sits as Prairie sweeps Saints

Mitch Keller wore his Xavier High School uniform at the ballpark Friday night, but his playing days for the Saints apparently are over.

Prairie swept the Saints, 11-1 in five innings and 5-2, in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at the Prairie diamond.

Keller was selected in the second round of the Major League draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday night. He wants to sign a pro contract with the Pirates and does not plan to play for the Saints while a deal is hammered out.

Keller is the top pitcher and shortstop for the Saints and one of the best hitters, so the club will suffer in many ways without him on the field.

Trey Beckman drove in three runs for Prairie in the first game. Jared Cadena went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Jalen Rima went 2-for-3 with two doubles and scored twice. Keenan Kilpatrick scored three runs and had two RBIs.

Drew Yanecek pitched the first four innings for the victory in the opener. He allowed only three hits and one run.

Beckman drove in two more runs in the second game for the Hawks. Bryce Grimm had two hits for Xavier. Ben Milks pitched five shutout innings in relief for the victory.

Game 1

Xavier     001 00 - 1 3 5
Prairie    024 14 - 11 8 0

Drahozal, O'Connell (5) and Arp. Yanecek, Havel-Pisarik (5) and Day. W - Yanecek. L - Drahozal. 2B - Cadena, Day, Rima 2, Hook.

Game 2

Xavier     200 000 0 - 2 5 0
Prairie     040 001 x - 5 7 0

Callahan, Freese (4) and Arp. Mougin, Milks (3) and Day. W - Milks. L - Callahan. 2B - Drahozal, Yanecek. 3B - Grimm. SB - Day, Rima.

Prairie tops Jeff on 1-hitter

Nic Mougin and Ben Milks combined on a one-hitter Tuesday night as Cedar Rapids Prairie blanked Jefferson, 7-0, in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Prairie.

The second game was suspended in the bottom of the fifth inning due to rain and lightning with the score tied, 2-2.

Mougin pitched five innings and allowed the one hit. He struck out four batters and walked one. Milks tossed the last two innings with two strikouts and no hits.

Trey Beckman went 2-for-4 and scored two runs for Prairie. Jared Cadena was also 2-for-4.

Jefferson    000 000 0 - 0 1 2
Prairie      012 211 x - 7 8 2

Koering, Knox (5) and Tomkins. Mougin, Milks (6) and Day. W - Mougin. L - Koering. 2B - Beckman, Day. SB - Rima, Milks, Boldt.

Prairie nips PV in baseball

The Prairie Hawks scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday night and nipped Pleasant Valley, 4-3, in a prep baseball game at Prairie.

Trey Beckman and Corbin Day had two hits for Prairie. JP Havel-Pisarik picked up the victory in relief.

Pleasant Valley    001 002 0 - 3 8 1

Prairie            003 000 1 - 4 8 1

Kipper, Syverud (4). Yanecek, Milks (4), Hogan (6), Havel-Pisarik (7). W -

Havel-Pisarik. L - Syverud.