Metro Sports Report

Mustangs hosting Heart softball tournament

The Mount Mercy Mustangs have defeated every team in the Heart of America Conference softball tournament that's being conducted this week at least once this season.

On the flip side, the Mustangs have lost at least one game to nearly every team in the field (everyone except Benedictine).

Mount Mercy is hosting the league championships at Busse Field this Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. As luck would have it, the Mustangs (30-20) will be playing Culver-Stockton (30-19) in the very first game of the tournament Wednesday morning at 9:30.

“Honestly, it’s wide open,” Mount Mercy Coach Larry Yoder said Tuesday. “Anybody can win it.”

Baker University (41-7) is the No. 1 seed after winning the regular-season title. Grand View (41-8) is the No. 2 seed, putting them at the head of the class.

“Baker would be the favorite because they have the All-American pitcher, and she’s awfully tough,” said Yoder. “And they have a good offensive team, too.

“But they’ve been beaten five times this year (in conference games,” he said. “We actually beat them by the eight-run rule, but the All-American did not pitch that game. And she’s going to pitch every game of this tournament.”

Kuch honored by softball Hall of Fame

Lauren Kuch of Kirkwood has become the first two-time winner of a $1,000 scholarship from the Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame.

Kuch, a sophomore All-American for the Kirkwood Eagles, was honored during a ceremony Wednesday at Johnson Hall.

The $1,000 scholarship has been awarded annually since 2010 to a Kirkwood softball player who is from the Metro area. Kuch was an all-state selection at Cedar Rapids Prairie and was named a junior college All-American at Kirkwood last season.

Kuch, an outfielder and first baseman, has played in 113 games during her career at Kirkwood. She has scored 110 runs and also has drive in exactly 110 runs during that time. Her combined batting average is better than .400.

The Cedar Rapids Softball Hall of Fame has endowed the $1,000 scholarship by making a $20,000 donation to the Kirkwood Foundation.

Mustangs share lead at Heart golf tourney

SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. - Mount Mercy and Culver-Stockton are tied for first place after the first round of the Heart of America Conference men's golf tournament at The Club at Porto Cima.

Both teams finished the first 18 holes of the 54-hole tournament at 17-over-par 305. The event is scheduled to continue Tuesday and Wednesday.

Kaleb Hagge of Mount Mercy shot a 2-over-par 74 and is tied for second place. All five Mount Mercy golfers are in the top-20 with William Bruyeres shooting a 76, Philip Nelson 77, Nile Happel 78 and Thomas Schuhkraft 80.

Hunter Bettis of Culver-Stockton holds the lead at 1-under 71.

Youngquist helps Eagles gain split

Kal Youngquist belted a home run and drove in five runs Monday as the Kirkwood Eagles topped Northeast Community College, 9-1, in the second game of their ICCAC conference doubleheader at Kirkwood.

Northeast took the first game, 4-2.

Youngquist went 3-for-3 and socked his seventh homer in the nightcap. Carter Lawler (4-3, 3.43) pitched a complete game for the victory, allowing only four hits with six strikeouts and one walk.

Taylor Jackson was 2-for-3 and drove in two runs in Game 1. Zion Pettigrew scored three times. Joel Vaske drove in two runs. Brett Givens scored twice.