Metro Sports Report

No. 1 Eagles soar into national title game

DANVILLE, Ill. - The Kirkwood Eagles played like national champions in  the first half against Erie Community College Friday night in the  semifinals of the NJCAA Division II tournament.

Now the Eagles (30-4) will try to finish the job when they face  Johnson County Community College of Kansas (31-4) for the national  title Saturday night at 7:30.

The Eagles took most of the suspense out of their semifinal date with  Erie with a sensational first half when they made 18 of 23 shots for  an incredible 78.3 percent, paving the way for an 84-70 victory that  lifted Kirkwood into the national finals.

All-American Doug Wilson and guard Allante Pickens were unstoppable in  the stanza as Kirkwood build an early 38-9 lead on its way to a 50-29  cushion at halftime.

The Eagles did nothing wrong in the first 12 minutes of the game.

"It was pretty incredible," said Kirkwood Coach Bryan Petersen. "And I  thought our defense was pretty locked in as well.

Irwin, Mustangs blank No. 19 Baker

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - Madelyn Irwin tossed a one-hit shutout Friday as  the Mount Mercy softball team blanked 19th-ranked Baker, 8-0, in the  second game of their Heart of America Conference doubleheader.

Baker won the first game, 14-2, on a combined one-hitter by two of its  pitchers.

Mount Mercy jumped to a 5-0 lead in the nightcap and Irwin did the  rest in the five-inning contest. She allowed only one single with two  strikeouts and one walk.

Tawny Menster and Jolona Shield belted home runs for the Mustangs in  the 8-0 victory. Jess Heick was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Shield and  Emily Oler also had two hits. Menster drove in two runs.

No. 8 Mustangs spiked by St. Xavier

CHICAGO - The eighth-ranked Mount Mercy men's volleyball team was  trimmed by St. Xavier, 3-2, in a non-conference match Friday night in  Chicago.

The Mustangs won the first two sets, but ended up falling 28-30,  20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-10. The outcome dropped Mount Mercy to 16-7  for the season and raised St. Xavier's mark to 15-5.

New radio ads promote Donor Wall

The Rotary Donor Wall is shaped like a giant map of Iowa. Its  patriotic colors are red, white and blue. It's got stars and stripes,  just like an American flag. And there are 600 replica baseballs for  your name to be inscribed for all eternity.

The only thing missing is a slice of apple pie.

Prospect Meadows has begun a major radio advertising campaign to  continue selling spots on the wall to individuals, families and  companies who would like to become part of history by having their  names placed on the new iconic structure.

The ads will be airing locally on Cedar Rapids radio stations KHAK,  WMT and KGYM as Prospect Meadows continues to raise money for the new  baseball and softball complex that opens this spring.

Tens of thousands of people will be coming to Prospect Meadows each  year and one of the first things they'll see when they walk through  the gate is the eye-catching Donor Wall.

You can become a part of history at Prospect Meadows by having your  name on that wall. At the same time, you'll be making a valuable  contribution to the project.

For $500, you can have your name on one of the 600 baseballs on the  Rotary Donor Wall. And for $2,000, you can have your name on one of  the stars on the unique structure.