Metro Sports Report

Hoffmann helps Coe split with Luther

DECORAH - Jack Hoffmann pitched five strong innings in relief Friday to help Coe trim Luther, 6-4, in the second game of an Iowa Conference doubleheader in Decorah.

Luther won the first game, 5-3.

Hoffmann began the second game as the designated hitter, but he took the mound in the bottom of the third inning with the Kohawks clinging to a 2-1 lead. He pitched five straight shutout innings and left the game after the seventh inning with Coe holding a 3-1 lead.

Hoffmann (3-1) allowed only three hits with one strikeout and no walks.

The Kohawks scored three runs in the top of the ninth for a 6-1 lead. Luther responded with three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Coe relief pitcher Tony Becker got the final out to end the game.

Kirkwood golfers slip to 2nd place

ANKENY - The Kirkwood men's golf team finished in second place at the Iowa Central Invitational at Otter Creek Friday in Ankeny.

The Eagles had a three-stroke lead over DMACC entering the final 18 holes, but DMACC turned in the best round Friday and trimmed Kirkwood by two shots in the final standings, 598 to 600.

Hunter VanVeen of DMACC ran away with the individual title with a 36-hole score of 2-under-par 140 with consecutive rounds of 70.

Dylan Daxon and Ben Jones finished at 8-over 150 for Kirkwood. Blaine Buhr actually led Kirkwood with a 149, but he competed as an individual and not with the team. If Buhr's scored had counted in the team standings, the Eagles would have won the championship by two strokes.

Heart of America says 'yes' to Mustangs

Mount Mercy University has found a new home for its sports teams in the Heart of America Conference, but membership comes with a kicker.

The Mustangs can participate in the league for the next three years, but they must have a varsity football team by the 2018 season to stay in the conference at that point.

Scot Reisinger, the athletic director at Mount Mercy, said the Mustangs will happily accept the offer from the Heart of America and begin working on a decision about football.

The presidents from the Heart of America schools voted Wednesday to invite Mount Mercy and Clarke University of Dubuque into their league. Clarke has announced plans to add football by 2018 and the Heart of America commissioner expects Mount Mercy to follow suit.

Mount Mercy officials have discussed adding football, but no decisions have been made.

"We will begin our process to ensure it (football) is a good fit for all of us on our campus and hopefully be able to commit to that 2018 deadline," Reisinger said Thursday.

Reisinger said Mount Mercy plans to make a final decision about football by the end of the 2015 calendar year.

Czerwiec tosses 2-hitter for Mustangs

Austin Czerwiec pitched a two-hitter Thursday as Mount Mercy trimmed AIB, 3-1, in the first game of a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Ken Charipar Field.

AIB won the nightcap, 7-4.

Czerwiec was touched for a single in the fifth inning and another single in the sixth inning, the only hits off him all day. AIB scored its only run in the fourth inning with two walks, a sacrifice bunt and an infield grounder.

Mount Mercy took a 1-0 lead in the opener on an RBI single by Cody Bell in the first inning. The Mustangs made it 3-0 in the third inning on a two-run double by Patrick Haney. Bell and Cody Williams had two hits in the game.