Metro Sports Report

Van Oort excited about Mustang men's volleyball

Mary Kay Van Oort does not consider herself a pioneer for female coaches in America, but she'll be stepping into an unusual role as the first head coach of the brand-new men's volleyball program at Mount Mercy University.

Van Oort will begin her new duties Aug. 10, building a program from scratch for the 2016-17 school year. She has no players, no team and no schedule at this point, but she's eager to get started.

Van Oort has an extensive background in women's volleyball as a player and coach, including the past two years as the head coach of the girls volleyball program at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. She's leaving the J-Hawks now for new full-time duties at Mount Mercy, where she'll also serve as an assistant coach with the women's volleyball team.

Mount Mercy decided to add men's volleyball to its list of varsity programs and needed someone with experience to tackle the job.

"I'm really excited about it," Van Oort said Saturday. "It wasn't something I was out searching for, because I really planned to coach at Jefferson again. I was very excited about that and happy about that.

Gibbons tosses shutout for Kernels

GENEVA, Ill. - Sam Gibbons painted a masterpiece on the mound for the Cedar Rapids Kernels Saturday night.

Gibbons tossed a four-hit shutout with nine strikeouts as the Kernels blanked Kane County, 7-0, in a Midwest League game before 9,181 fans at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva, Ill.

Gibbons pitched all nine innings and threw 110 pitches, including 76 for strikes. He walked only one batter and did not allow any extra-base hits.

Gibbons, 21, from Australia, has tossed 20 consecutive scoreless innings in his last three starts for Cedar Rapids. He raised his record to 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA.

Kennedy falls to IC West in semis

DES MOINES - The 30 Herkelmans on the Kennedy baseball team walked slowly out of Principal Park in Des Moines Friday night with a whole bunch of crazy mixed-up emotions running through their souls.

There was sadness and disappointment, naturally, but also a great deal of pride for surviving a traumatic week that included the sudden death of assistant coach Bill "Herk" Herkelman.

The sixth-ranked Cougars made too many errors and too many mistakes and lost to eighth-ranked Iowa City West, 5-2, in the semifinals of the Class 4A state tournament.

Lizarraga has D-I coaches buzzing

Sammy Lizarraga's phone has been ringing following his sensational performance at the Class 4A state baseball tournament Wednesday night in Des Moines.

Lizarraga struck out 14 batters with a 94 mph fastball and a crackling curveball as the sixth-ranked Kennedy Cougars trimmed Davenport North, 3-2, in the quarterfinals at Principal Park.