Metro Sports Report

No.2 J-Hawks enjoy 2-game lead

The Cedar Rapids Jefferson baseball club opened a two-game lead in the Valley Division standings Friday by sweeping a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader from Waterloo East, 14-0 and 12-2, at the Jefferson field.

Both games lasted only five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

The second-ranked J-Hawks raised their record in the Valley Division to 16-4, good for a two-game lead over Iowa City West (14-6) in the chase for the division title with six MVC games left for both teams. Kennedy (11-5) is three games behind Jefferson with 10 to play, including a pair against the J-Hawks.

Jared Eivins went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs for Jefferson in the first game. Lucas Larson was 3-for-3. Brayden Frazier scored three runs. Spencer VanScoyoc and Jacob Beaton scored twice. Cam Frazier had two RBIs.

Eivins tossed a three-hit shutout in the opener. He struck out four batters and walked none.

No.5 Prairie inches closer to title

The Cedar Rapids Prairie baseball team split a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader with Iowa City High Friday night and moved closer to clinching the first MVC title in school history.

City High won the first game, 12-2, in six innings. Prairie rebounded in the nightcap, 8-4.

Prairie raised its record in the Mississippi Division of the MVC to 18-4 with the split. Dubuque Hempstead split its doubleheader Friday with Linn-Mar and is 13-7 in the division, giving the Mustangs only a remote chance of catching the Hawks in the 26-game campaign.

Corbin Day went 3-for-3 with a double for Prairie in the 8-4 victory. Cal Clark was 3-for-4. Cooper Reittinger scored two runs and Ethan Copeland had two RBIs. Brody Alberts got the victory and Trey Beckman was credited with a save.

The fifth-ranked Prairie Hawks are 25-5 overall. Iowa City High is 10-10 in the conference and 18-11 overall.

Cougars clinch No.1 seed for substate

WATERLOO - The Kennedy Cougars rolled to a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference victories over Waterloo West Friday, 13-1 and 11-2, and clinched the No. 1 seed for their Class 4A substate tournament this month.

The eighth-ranked Cougars raised their records to 19-5 overall and 11-5 in the Valley Division in the conference.

Kyle Brewer went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBIs for Kennedy in the first game. Zach Daniels was 2-for-4 with two triples and three RBIs. Sammy Lizarraga, Jacob Henry and Mitchell Gaffey also had two hits. Gaffey drove in two runs.

Blake Hargens pitched a four-hitter in the 13-1 victory, which lasted only five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. He struck out five batters, walked none and allowed one earned run.

Tyler Dralle went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs in the nightcap. Brewer belted another triple and drove in three runs. Jackson Behn had two hits. Sawyer Neuhaus pitched four innings for the victory. He allowed two earned runs with four strikeouts and one walk.

Waterloo West fell to 3-17 in the conference and 3-21 overall.

Kernels stung by Burlington Bees

BURLINGTON - The Burlington Bees ended the Kernels' four-game winning streak Friday with a 4-1 victory before 2,391 fans at Community Field in Burlington.

The Kernels tallied just five hits and one extra-base hit.

Burlington (39-39) took a 3-0 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second. Natanael Delgado led off the frame with a single down the right field line. Zach Houchins followed with a double down the left field line, giving the Bees runners on second and third.

Wade Wass drew a walk, loading the bases for the Bees. Back-to-back bases loaded walks drawn by Trevor Gretzky and Nick Flair put the Bees in front of the Kernels, 2-0. Michael Hermosillo extended the Burlington lead to 3-0 with an RBI fielder's choice.

Cedar Rapids  (46-33) cut the Burlington lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the third. T.J. White recorded the Kernels' first hit of the game with a one-out single to left-center. White moved to second courtesy of a Burlington fielding error.