Metro Sports Report

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - The Cubs were idle Thursday. Ryan is 4-for-12 with a home run and two RBI in four games since being activated from the disabled list on Sept. 1. Season stats: G - 48, Avg. - .298, AB - 124, H - 37, HR - 5, RBI - 17, SB - 1.

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)) - Started in right field Thursday and 1-for-3 with two runs scored in the Quakes' 8-5 playoff win over Inland Empire that evened their series at a game apiece. Season stats: G - 125, Avg. - .296, AB - 477, H - 141, HR - 27, RBI - 91, SB - 15.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Season completed. Season stats: G - 109, Avg. - .185, AB - 352, H - 65, HR - 5, RBI - 32, SB - 1.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Bowling Green (Rays)) - Allowed five hit and five runs (two earned) in two innings Thursday in the Hot Rods' 9-5 playoff loss to Fort Wayne. Season stats: W - 1. L - 0. Sv - 3. ERA - 0.49. G - 10. IP - 18.1. H - 13. BB - 2. SO - 21.

CHAD CHRISTENSEN (Washington, GCL Twins (Twins)) - Season completed. Season stats: G - 47, Avg. - .235, AB - 162, H - 38, HR - 3, RBI - 21, SB - 4.

JON KELLER (Xavier, Aberdeen (Orioles)) - Season completed. Season stats: W - 1. L - 0. Sv - 0. ERA - 3.00. G - 1. IP - 3. H - 1. BB - 1. SO - 2.

DAKOTA FREESE (Washington, Oakland) - Signed with A's out of June draft, but spent summer on disabled list with shoulder injury.

'Big brother' helped Scholer with Saints

New Cedar Rapids Xavier High School quarterback Quinton Scholer had a "big brother" on the football team the past 12 months or so, but they were not actually related by birth or family ties.

Scholer's "big brother" was Reggie Schulte, the all-state quarterback who led the Saints to the Class 4A championship game last year before leaving this summer for his new duties at the University of Northern Iowa.

Xavier has a "Big Brother/Little Brother" program, where older players adopt a younger player at their position and show them the ropes. Scholer had Schulte as his big brother and is mighty glad he did.

Scholer, a 6-foot-3 senior, looked good in his debut as top-ranked Xavier's new starting quarterback in a 35-7 victory at Dubuque Hempstead last Friday. He completed 8 of 10 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns and carried the ball eight times for 99 yards and two more TDs.

Scholer's relationship with Schulte began last season, when Scholer was the No.2 quarterback for the Mississippi Valley Conference champs. It continued during the winter, spring and into the summer until Schulte left for Cedar Falls.

Kernels drop opener, must win Thursday

DAVENPORT — The Cedar Rapids Kernels compiled the best record in the Midwest League this year, but if they don't win Thursday night their season will be over.

The Kernels lost to the Quad Cities River Bandits, 2-1, Wednesday night before 2,417 fans at Modern Woodmen Park in Davenport in the opening round of the playoffs.

This is a best-of-3 series, so the Kernels will face a "must-win" predicament when they meet the River Bandits on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids.

"We're going home. We'll have a packed house, I'm sure," said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer. "The crowd will be fired up. And hopefully these boys will be fired up. We'll see what we get."

Cedar Rapids has to win Thursday night and again Friday night at home to reach the semifinals of the MWL playoffs.

"I definitely feel like we can go home and win two," said Kernels right fielder Adam Brett Walker, the league's home run and RBI king. "We're still a good ballclub. Just go back home, get some life, get some energy and just try to convert on the opportunities we're given."

RoughRiders expect bigger crowds this year

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders missed the USHL playoffs last year and saw their attendance decline by 8.3 percent from the previous campaign.

They plan to do something about it this year with a veteran team and an aggressive marketing approach.

Jeff Jauch, the team's president and CEO, said group sales, suites and business sponsors have increased compared with last year at this time.

"They're going very well," he said Tuesday. "That's been a real positive."

The RoughRiders averaged 2,905 fans during the 2011-12 season, but that number dipped to 2,663 last year. Jauch is confident the numbers will turn in the right direction this year.

"I anticipate we're going to be higher," he said. "I anticipate we're going to do much better."

Season ticket sales and individual game sales will begin next week. Tickets may be ordered online at www.RoughRidersHockey.com, by phone at (319) 247-0340 or in person at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena on Rockford Road SW from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.