Metro Sports Report

Halvorson helps Hawks split with Jeff

Natalie Halvorson was just an eighth grader when Prairie softball coach Joe Yegge put her into the game as a relief pitcher at the Class 5A state tournament in Fort Dodge two years ago.

Halvorson is still only a sophomore, but she's developed into one of the top pitchers in the Mississippi Valley Conference after that early indoctrination in a pressure-packed situation.

Halvorson pitched a complete game Wednesday night in a showdown with Jefferson all-stater Alyssa Olson as Prairie trimmed the sixth-ranked J-Hawks, 3-1, in the first game of an MVC doubleheader at the Prairie field.

Jefferson rebounded and took the nightcap, 7-6.

Halvorson pitched out of trouble all night against the J-Hawks, stranding 11 runners and surviving a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning when Jefferson scored its only run.

Mildren stars in return to Kernels

Ethan Mildren made 13 starts for the Cedar Rapids Kernels a year ago before earning a promotion to Class High-A Fort Myers in July. On Wednesday, Mildren found himself back on the mound for the Kernels after coming off the Disabled List for Fort Myers and being assigned to Cedar Rapids earlier in the day.

On the mound, he looked like a man intent on making his stay in Cedar Rapids a short one.

In his return to Veterans Memorial Stadium, the tall right-hander struck out eight Burlington Bees and surrendered just two hits in 5 2/3 innings of shutout work as Cedar Rapids topped the Burlington Bees, 2-0, before 2,811 fans.

Mildren, who had struggled this season to a record of 1-4 with a 5.45 ERA for Fort Myers before hitting the Disabled List in late May with a left hamstring issue, said he was not disappointed to get the word he was headed back here.

Kernels clinch with Mauer's 200th win

Jake Mauer admitted after his Cedar Rapids Kernels defeated Burlington, 2-1, that he did not know about either bit of information passed his way as he sat in his office Tuesday night.

When told the win over the Bees was his 200th as the Kernels' manager, his comment was simply, "Really? To win it like that is pretty fun."

Then he was told the win also secured a playoff berth for the team. His comment: "Are you sure?"

Once assured the playoff spot was secured, Mauer joined the player celebration in the clubhouse that spilled into the shower room and resulted in players and coaches alike coming out soaking wet.

Cedar Rapids (39-26) sent a crowd of 3,070 home from Veterans Memorial Stadium happy after a gritty effort resulted in a comeback win.

J-Hawks, Saints split baseball twinbill

The Xavier Saints and Jefferson J-Hawks split a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader Thursday night at Ken Charipar Field.

The Saints won the first game, 10-5. The fourth-ranked J-Hawks rebounded with a 14-10 victory in a slugfest in the nightcap.

The split left Jefferson at 14-4 overall and Xavier at 7-10.

Nolan Arp went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two runs scored for Xavier in the first game. Bryce Schulte, Bryce Charipar and Nick Stark had two RBIs for the Saints. Charipar was 2-for-3 and was the winning pitcher.

Lucas Larson went 3-for-3 for Jefferson in the opener. Brayden Frazier had two RBIs.