Metro Sports Report

Linn-Mar nets 2nd at state tennis

ANKENY - The Linn-Mar Lions and Iowa City West Trojans took their boys tennis rivalry all the way to the championship match of the Class 2A state team tournament in Ankeny Tuesday.

Iowa City West won the state title, 5-2, even though Linn-Mar prevailed at the top of the singles matches.

Brady Anderson of Linn-Mar defeated Blake Oetting of Iowa City West, 6-4, 6-4, at No.1 singles. Tim Paulson of Linn-Mar rallied to defeat Jiung Jung of Iowa City West, 1-6, 7-6, 6-0 at No.2 singles.

Trevor McCann of Linn-Mar won his first set at No.3 singles against Trent Schneider, but Schneider rallied for a three-set victory.

Olson gives J-Hawks some muscle

The mouthful of braces have come out. The wispy thin arms from last year are now guns with bulging biceps.

What looked then to be a frail frame is now solidly broad-shouldered.

Jefferson junior softball pitcher Alyssa Olson, who came out of nowhere a year ago to make first-team all-state, is all grown up.

She’s much more muscular. And while once it was mostly the motion of her rising fastball that fooled hitters, she’s added momentum to blow the ball past batters.

The crafty right-hander raised her record to 4-0 Tuesday night as the Class 5A fifth-ranked J-Hawks (7-0) scored twice in the sixth inning and topped ninth-ranked Prairie (4-1) at Larry Niemeyer Field, 3-1.

The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was halted in the first inning by lightning and will be resumed Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. In case of rain, it will be reset to next Monday at 5 p.m.

Olson’s five-hit, nine-strikeout showing against the visiting Hawks was not without controversy.

Cougars sweep No.2 Trojans at 'Herk' Field

Bill Herkelman did not want to make any fancy speeches Monday night. In fact, he was afraid all the fuss being made about the newly christened "Herk Field" at Kennedy would detract from the games being played between the Cougars and Iowa City West.

Hundreds of his friends, former Kennedy players and admirers were delighted to honor the loveable "Herk," the man who spent 52 years in a classroom and a major portion of his life as a Kennedy head coach and now an assistant.

Kennedy renamed the field in Herkelman's honor Monday as a lasting tribute to his contributions to the Cougars and the game he loves.

Kernels cut 2 pitchers after loss

Cedar Rapids Kernels Manager Jake Mauer thought pitching would be the strength of his ballclub this season, but it has not turned out that way.

The Kernels rank 14th out of 16 teams in the Midwest League in earned run average, a prime reason the club is languishing with a 27-31 record and near the bottom of the standings.

The Kernels lost to Burlington, 6-4, before 3,003 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium Monday afternoon, and after the game Mauer told pitchers Derrick Penilla and Felix Jorge they are being shipped back to Extended Spring Training in Florida.

Penilla (1-2) was the starting pitcher in Monday's game and allowed 10 hits, three home runs and six runs in five innings, putting his ERA at 5.64.

Jorge did not pitch Monday, but he's struggled with a 2-5 record and 9.00 ERA in 12 games.

Mauer said the Minnesota Twins will send two new starting pitchers, but was not sure who they will be or when they will arrive.