Metro Sports Report

KCC softball swept by Indian Hills

The Kirkwood softball team was swept by Indian Hills Community College  in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at Kirkwood, 7-2 and 8-6.

Kirkwood, which is ranked No. 4 in NJCAA Division II softball, fell to  17-6 for the season. Indian Hills, which is not ranked in Division I,  raised its mark to 11-14.

Kirkwood got only two hits in the 7-2 loss in the opener. Both hits  were home runs, by London Jackson and Jayme Finn. The homer by Finn  was an inside-the-park shot when the left fielder dove for a line  drive and missed.

The first game was tied, 2-2, after five innings, but Indian Hills  scored five times in the top of the sixth to take command.

Babcock earns top spot at Eagle Spring Classic

Will Babcock of Kirkwood fired a 4-under-par 68 Monday to capture the  top prize at the Eagle Spring Classic at Hunters Ridge.

Babcock finished at 6-under 138 for the 36-hole event and topped  Philip Nelson of Mount Mercy by three shots. William Bruyeres of Mount  Mercy and Dawson Peters of Kirkwood tied for third at 1-under 143.

Mount Mercy trimmed Kirkwood by four strokes, 582 to 586, for the team  championship in the six-team field.

Pershing hired as assistant A.D. by Mustangs

Jason Pershing, a former basketball player at Mount Mercy University,  will be returning to his alma mater as the first assistant athletic  director in school history.

Pershing has resigned as the boys basketball coach at Solon High  School to accept his new post at Mount Mercy, according to The Gazette.

Pershing, a Cedar Rapids Washington grad, played basketball at Mount  Mercy from 2001 through 2003 when Paul Gavin was the school's head  coach. Gavin is now the athletic director and Pershing will be his top  assistant.

Mount Mercy has added men's volleyball and competitive dance as  varsity sports in recent years and is exploring the possibility of  adding more varsity teams in the future.

In addition, Mount Mercy opened the new Plaster Athletic Complex two  years ago for soccer, track, baseball and softball, with the  possibility of adding football and lacrosse.

Wilson leads Kirkwood to national title

DANVILLE, Ill. - Doug Wilson played like an All-American Saturday night. Better yet, he played like a national champion.

Wilson poured in 30 points and snared 15 rebounds for a monster double-double as Kirkwood topped Johnson County Community College, 64-58, in the championship game of the NJCAA Division II national tournament at the Mary Miller Center in Danville, Ill.

Wilson canned 13 of 23 shots, blocked five shots, handed out four assists and even banked in the first 3-pointer of his career to beat the shot clock at a critical point in the game.

For his efforts, the 6-foot-7 sophomore from Des Moines was honored as the MVP of the tournament. Two of his buddies, Devonte Thedford and Allante Pickens, joined Wilson on the all-tournament team.

Wilson was simply magnificent in the biggest game of the year on a national stage.

"He's the best I've ever coached," said Kirkwood Coach Bryan Petersen, who pocketed his second national title in four years. "He's a special winner. And how much he's grown.

"Tonight was another night where he just put us on his back for a few moments and got it done. I can't say enough about his leadership and how much he bought into our program.

"He's one of the best ones to ever wear an Eagle uniform."