Metro Sports Report

Saints belt Lions in Metro tourney

Adam Pick and Connor Powers hit home runs Wednesday night as the Xavier Saints defeated Linn-Mar, 10-2, in the consolation game for third place in the Bob Vrbicek Metro Baseball Tournament at Xavier.

Pick belted a two-run homer and Powers socked a three-run shot as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning to finish the scoring.

Bryce Grimm, Mitch Keller and Nolan Arp had two hits for the Saints (2-1). Ben Larson had two hits for Linn-Mar (1-2).

Xavier      200 500 3 - 10 13 0
Linn-Mar    100 010 0 - 2 5 1

Drahozal, Grimm (4), Even (7) and Arp. Bogart, A.Bradley (4), Homwood (6), Gassmann (7) and Ollinger. W - Grimm. L - Bogert. 2B - Grimm, Keller, Robinson. HR - Pick, Powers. SB - Grimm, Stolley, Niemeyer.)

Cougars stun Jeff with 14-run inning for title

It took about 15 minutes after their crazy game Tuesday night, but Jefferson Coach Kyle Rodenkirk finally got his guys to laugh after they lost to Kennedy 20-10 in the finals of the Bob Vrbicek Metro Baseball Tournament at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The J-Hawks led 10-6 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, needing just six outs for the title, but the stubborn Cougars poured across 14 runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the game by the mercy rule.

Kennedy celebrated and felt great. The J-Hawks walked slowly onto the right field after shaking hands with the Cougars and felt absolutely miserable, a golden opportunity squandered.

Finally, Rodenkirk said something that broke the tension and made them chuckle.

"I said, 'It's almost like golf," he related. "Baseball is such a weird sport. I said, 'If I had my clubs, I'd be chucking them.' It's just one of those things. It's baseball."

Kernels enjoy feast in 16-5 victory

BELOIT, Wis. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels scored a season-high 16 runs on 16 hits as they smashed the Beloit Snappers, 16-5, Tuesday afternoon before 1,580 fans at Pohlman Field to take the series.

The teams were scoreless through the first four innings before the Kernels exploded for seven runs and eight hits in the fifth inning.

Fifteen of the Kernels' 16 hits were singles. The final hit of the game - an Ivory Thomas three-run home run in the eighth inning - was the only extra-base hit for Cedar Rapids.

Kamin takes 5A regional golf title

BETTENDORF - Cedar Rapids Washington senior MJ Kamin fired a 2-over-par 74 Tuesday to win the medalist title by seven shots at the Class 5A regional golf tournament at Palmer Hills in Bettendorf.

Kamin advanced to the state meet at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown June 2-3.

Washington missed qualifying for the state tournament as a team by one shot. Pleasant Valley won the crown at 338 and Iowa City West placed second at 364. The Warriors finished third at 365, but only the top two teams advance to state.

Cedar Rapids Prairie finished sixth out of 10 teams in the standings. Emily Machula led the Hawks with a 95.

TEAM STANDINGS

1. Pleasant Valley 338, 2. Iowa City West 364, 3. Washington 365, 4. Muscatine 408, 5. Burlington 417, 6. Prairie 424, 7. Bettendorf 428, 8. Clinton 444, 9. Davenport West 447, 10. Davenport Central (incomplete).