Metro Sports Report

Kernels rally for 4th straight win

LANSING, Mich. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels won their fourth straight game Saturday afternoon with a 5-3 comeback victory against the Lansing Lugnuts before 3,693 fans in a Midwest League game at Cooley Law School Stadium.

Tanner Vavra collected three RBIs and drove in two runs with a single to tie the game in the eighth inning.

The Kernels' offense was quiet through the first five innings, having recorded only a double by Joel Licon to lead off the third inning. Trailing 3-0, Engelb Vielma and Jeremias Pineda started the sixth inning with consecutive hits to put runners on the corners. With one out, Vavra plated Vielma with an RBI groundout to make the score 3-1.

The Kernels went ahead 4-3 in the eighth inning by scoring three runs. Logan Wade singled to start the inning and spark the rally.

Eagles take series from No. 11 Tritons

Matt Paciello went 4-for-4 and led a 15-hit attack as Kirkwood dumped Iowa Central, 12-4, in the second game of an ICCAC conference doubleheader at Kirkwood Saturday afternoon.

Iowa Central won the first game, 12-0, in five innings.

Kirkwood took three-of-four games in the weekend series from the 11th-ranked Tritons. The Eagles raised their records to 18-10 overall and 5-7 in the league. Iowa Central fell to 25-13 overall and 10-6 in the conference.

Angel Merced hit his fourth home run and drove in two runs for Kirkwood in the second game. Shane Kemp went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs. Randy Perez and Austin Schmitt collected two RBIS. Nick Jones went 2-for-3 and scored three runs.

Jeffrey Castillo pitched six innings for the victory.

No. 5 Eagles raise mark to 40-5

The fifth-ranked Kirkwood softball team dispatched two more opponents Saturday at its own tournament, raising its record to 40-5 for the season.

The Eagles blanked Mineral Area Community College, 8-0, in five innings behind a two-hit shutout by Sam Belz (20-4, 1.07 ERA).

Jenna Schulte hit a home run and drove in two runs. Natalie Clark went 3-for-3 and had two RBIs. Erin Weno went 2-for-3.

Kirkwood trimmed Dakota County, 8-5, in the second game.

Schulte went 4-for-4 for the Eagles. Chasney Jenkins went 3-for-4. Clark was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, making the freshman shortstop 5-for-7 in the two games.

Belz and Shy Saladino (17-0, 1.38) shared the pitching against Dakota County.

RoughRiders denied by Dubuque, 2-1

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders battled for six months to win the home-ice advantage for the first round of the USHL playoffs, but it slipped away in less than 2 1/2 hours Friday night.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints trimmed the RoughRiders, 2-1, in the opening round of the playoffs before 1,753 fans at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

The RoughRiders will host Dubuque again Saturday at 7:05 p.m., looking to tie the best-of-5 series at one game apiece before the series shifts to Dubuque next weekend.

Cedar Rapids took a 1-0 lead with 12:42 left in the first period when Dylan Steman scored with an assist from Alec Marsh, but the RoughRiders were frustrated the rest of the night. The Fighting Saints effectively blocked shots with their bodies and sticks before the puck ever reached goalie Kevin Reich, who had to make only 17 saves.