Metro Sports Report

Kernels fan 13 times in loss

GENEVA, Ill. – Josh Taylor pitched a complete game with no walks and 13 strikeouts as the Kane County Cougars topped the Cedar Rapids Kernels 5-1 in front of 8,244 fans Friday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

The Kernels managed nine hits, but Taylor (2-1) minimized the damage and lowered his ERA to 1.67.

Nick Gordon singled in the first inning for Cedar Rapids, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a single by Edgar Corcino and scored on a single by Zack Larson to give the Kernels a 1-0 lead early. But it was all Cougars for the rest of the night.

Elvin Soto hit a solo home run for Kane County (63-40), and Colin Bray, Ryan Gebhardt and Quinnton Mack each had two hits.

Tanner English doubled for Cedar Rapids (61-44), and Corcino and Brett Doe each hit 2-for-4.

Randy Rosario (1-2) pitched six innings for the loss with nine hits, four earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts.

The series continues at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

10 Metro girls make all-state softball

Ten players from Metro high schools have been named to the all-state softball teams by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

Maddie Hansen and Hannah Towns of Jefferson were first-team selections on the Class 5A squad. Erin Drahozal of Xavier was named to the first unit in Class 4A.

Ashley Hamilton of Kennedy, Alyssa Olson of Jefferson, Jessi Puk of Washington and Tianna Drahn of Kennedy were second-team selections in Class 5A.

Natalie Halvorson of Prairie, Maddy Ryan of Linn-Mar and Avery Guy of Jefferson were third-team picks in Class 5A.

Hansen hit .492 with 11 home runs and 46 RBIs. Towns hit .474 with nine homers and 36 RBIs. Drahozal hit .402 with nine home runs and 32 RBIs. She also compiled a 9-7 record and 1.68 ERA as a pitcher.

Hamilton hit .434 with two homers and 28 RBIs. Olson went 19-6 with a 1.56 ERA. Puk hit .523 with two homers and 22 RBIs. She also went 21-for-21 in stolen bases. Drahn hit .472 with 15 RBIs and was 51-for-54 in stolen bases.

Drake makes U.S. Trials in 100 fly

Kelsey Drake has reached another major milestone in her remarkable swimming career.

Drake turned in an impressive performance at the Iowa state swimming long course championships in Iowa City Saturday and has qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100 meter butterfly.

Drake was timed in 1:01.17 in the preliminaries of the 100-meter butterfly Saturday morning to meet the qualifying time for the U.S. Trials of 1:01.19, making the standard by 2-hundredths of a second. She placed second in the finals of the 100 fly Saturday night.

Kernels take series from Clinton

CLINTON - The Cedar Rapids Kernels claimed their third straight series with a 9-5 win over the Clinton LumberKings on Thursday night before 2,086 fans at Ashford University Field.

Every Kernels hitter except one recorded at least one hit in the series finale.

Ethan Mildren (4-1) earned the win in relief. Mildren allowed three runs on five hits and one walk while striking out two in 2 2/3 innings.

Jared Wilson recorded the save. The right-hander yielded one hit and two walks while striking out a pair in 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

Zack Tillery finished with a no-decision in his start for Cedar Rapids. The right-hander did not allow a hit through the first three innings and allowed two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five over 3 2/3 innings.

Tyler Herb (4-8) suffered the loss for Clinton. The right-hander allowed six runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out a pair in six innings.

Cedar Rapids (61-43) struck first with a two-out run in the top of the first. Nick Gordon recorded the first hit of the evening with a two-out double down the left field line.

Zack Larson followed Gordon with an RBI single down the right field line, plating Gordon from second. The RBI for Larson was his team-leading 47th of the year.