Metro Sports Report

J-Hawks can clinch title at home

CEDAR FALLS - Whoever coined the phrase "You can't go home again" never met Kyle Rodenkirk.

Rodenkirk returned to his alma mater as the head baseball coach at Cedar Rapids Jefferson three years ago and has the J-Hawks on the verge of winning their first Mississippi Valley Conference title in 10 years.

The second-ranked J-Hawks split an MVC twinbill at Cedar Falls Friday and can clinch the Mississippi Division championship Monday night when they host Hempstead in the final conference games of the season.

Jefferson could have clinched a tie for the title Friday night by sweeping Cedar Falls, but the Hawks are still in good shape.

No.8 Cougars sweep Waterloo East

The eighth-ranked Kennedy baseball team raised its record to 23-9 Friday night by sweeping a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader from Waterloo East, 10-2 and 6-2, at Herkelman Field.

Tyler Dralle went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for Kennedy in the first game. Bryce Church, Mitchell Gaffey and Jackson Behn had two hits. Gaffey drove in two runs.

Zach Daniels and Kyle Brewer had two hits for the Cougars in the nightcap. Behn drove in two runs.

Kennedy raised its record in the MVC to 14-8. Waterloo East fell to 1-25 in the conference and 3-36 overall.

Kennedy hosts Xavier in a makeup doubleheader Saturday at 10 a.m. The Cougars also have a night game at Solon Saturday night for a triple-header.

GAME 1

Waterloo East  001 010 0 - 2 2 3
Kennedy        220 006 x - 10 10 2

W - Hargens. L - Even.

GAME 2

Waterloo East  100 100 0 - 2 6 1
Kennedy        004 011 x - 6 7 3

W - Behn. L - Ortman.

Saints sweep Waterloo West in baseball

WATERLOO - The Xavier Saints scored 20 runs Friday and swept a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader from Waterloo West, 10-6 and 10-0, in Waterloo.

The sweep lifted Xavier to 11-13 in the conference and 16-18 overall. Waterloo West fell to 3-21 in the conference and 3-27 overall.

Bryce Charipar socked a two-run homer and had three hits for the Saints in the 10-6 victory in the opener. Bryce Schulte, Connor Powers, Drake Wawro and Nick Stark had two hits. Schulte was the winning pitcher.

Schulte collected three hits with a double and two RBIs in the second game. Charipar had two hits. Max Hammerberg pitched six shutout innings for the victory.

Kuhn stars as Marion tops Williamsburg

WILLIAMSBURG - David Kuhn went 5-for-5 and scored three runs Friday as the Marion Indians defeated Williamsburg, 10-3, in the first game of a Wamac Conference doubleheader in Williamsburg.

Williamsburg took the nightcap, 10-0, in five innings.

Kuhn pitched the final three innings of the opener in addition to his heroics at the plate. Bobby Vanderlind and Baylor Fish had two RBIs. Owen Carstensen was the winning pitcher.

Marion collected only three hits in the nightcap.

The split left Marion at 22-15.