Metro Sports Report

J-Hawks split with No. 1 Hempstead

Fri - 20 Jun Written by Metro Sports Report

DUBUQUE - Spencer VanScoyoc hit a home run and drove in three runs Friday as the Jefferson J-Hawks tripped top-ranked Dubuque Hempstead, 10-5 in nine innings, in the second game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader in Dubuque.

Hempstead won the first game, 9-6.

Jefferson trailed 4-0 heading into the top of the seventh inning in the nightcap, but the J-Hawks rallied for five runs to take a 5-4 lead. Hempstead responded with one run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.

Jefferson put another 5-spot on the board in the top of the ninth inning. VanScoyoc came in to pitch in the bottom of the ninth and struck out the side to preserve the victory.

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No. 2 Cougars sweep Dubuque Wahlert

Fri - 20 Jun Written by Metro Sports Report

DUBUQUE - Sammy Lizarraga and Zach Daniels pitched strong games Friday as No.2 Kennedy swept a Mississippi Valley Conference twinbill from Dubuque Wahlert, 4-0 and 6-1.

Lizarraga tossed a three-hit shutout with five strikeouts in the first game. Derek Jacobus, Matt Stevens and Ben Sass had RBIs.

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Xavier's Adam Pick is greeted at home by teammates Jake Robinson (2) and Logan Clarahan (20) after hitting a home run in Friday's game against Dubuque Senior. (MSR photo by Ken Gilchrist)

Flaherty tosses two-hitter for Saints

Fri - 20 Jun Written by Metro Sports Report

The Xavier Saints rallied in the seventh inning and rallied again in the eighth inning to stay alive against Dubuque Senior Friday night, but their final rally fell a run short in the bottom of the 12th inning.

The Rams tripped the Saints, 7-6, in 12 innings in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Ken Charipar Field.

Xavier won the second game, 7-0, on a two-hitter by Ryan Flaherty.

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Kernels fall, 7-0, in 5 innings

Thu - 19 Jun Written by Metro Sports Report

GENEVA, Ill. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels began the second half of the Midwest League season with a soggy loss in Illinois Thursday night.

The Kane County Cougars blanked the Kernels, 7-0, before 6,365 fans at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in a game stopped in the bottom of the fifth inning due to rain.

The Kernels (31-40) collected only three singles in the contest.

The game was tied, 0-0, heading into the bottom of the third inning, but the Cougars erupted for seven runs on eight hits against Kernels starter Aaron Slegers (5-4).

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Will St. Paul lure Twins away from C.R.?

Wed - 18 Jun Written by S.D. Buhr

In September of 2012, the Minnesota Twins announced a four-year affiliation agreement with the Cedar Rapids Kernels with Twins then-Senior Director of Minor Leagues Jim Rantz telling the media, “We are confident that this relationship will grow into one of the strongest affiliations in minor league baseball.”

Less than two years later, the Twins organization appears to be flirting with another minor league ownership group with a possible eye toward moving their Class A Midwest League affiliation to nearby St. Paul, Minn.

Potentially, that could force the Kernels to shop for another new Major League affiliate when their current Player Development Contract with the Twins expires following the 2016 season.

According to a story Tuesday in the Business Journal, Minnesota Twins President Dave St. Peter and Derek Sharrer, the General Manager of the St. Paul Saints, an independent minor league team, expressed mutual interest in a future affiliation agreement between the two teams.

Their comments were made at the Business Journal’s Business of Sports Power Breakfast Tuesday morning.

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