Metro Sports Report

Hawks hold off Bobcats, 9-7

Even after taking the lead with a big six-run fifth inning, Prairie’s 9-7 nail-biting Class 4A substate semifinal win over Marshalltown Tuesday night didn’t come easy.

In a game that was suspended in the third inning Monday due to severe weather, the sixth-ranked Hawks had to hang on for dear life in order to advance to Wednesday’s 7 p.m. substate final against 10th-ranked Xavier on the Saints’ home diamond.

Trailing 8-3, Marshalltown scored twice in the sixth inning and then opened the seventh with two straight doubles and a single when Prairie center fielder Blake Stallman slipped.

Local players in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Chicago Cubs) - Placed on disabled list June 30 with fractured rib. Expected to miss at least six weeks. Season stats: G - 44, Avg. - .295, AB - 112, H - 33, HR - 4, RBI - 15, SB - 1.

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)) - Started in right field Tuesday and was 1-for-5 with a double in the Quakes' 10-7, 11-inning loss to Indland Empire. Season stats: G - 89, Avg. - .312, AB - 340, H - 106, HR - 21, RBI - 66, SB - 12.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - The Lugnuts were not scheduled to play Tuesday. Season stats: G - 81, Avg. - .184, AB - 261, H - 48, HR - 4, RBI - 19, SB - 0.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Hudson Valley (Rays)) - Did not pitch Tuesday in the Renegades' 4-3 win over Tri-City. Season stats: W - 1. L - 2. Sv - 2. ERA - 5.00. G - 13. IP - 18. H - 19. BB - 7. SO - 11.

CHAD CHRISTENSEN (Washington, GCL Twins (Twins)) - Started at first base Tuesday and was 0-for-4 in the Twins' 3-1 loss to the GCL Rays. Season stats: G - 18, Avg. - .297, AB - 64, H - 19, HR - 1, RBI - 7, SB - 1.

JON KELLER (Xavier, GCL Orioles (Orioles)) - Did not pitch Tuesday in the Orioles' 3-1 loss to the GCL Red Sox. Season stats: W - 0. L - 0. Sv - 0. ERA - 0.00. G - 1. IP - 1. H - 1. BB - 0. SO - 1.

Hansen, Kuch top players in MVC

Jefferson sophomore catcher Maddie Hansen and Prairie senior pitcher Katie Kuch have been named Mississippi Valley Conference Players of the Year in softball, the conference announced Monday.

Hansen is batting .496 with seven home runs and 67 RBIs. She is second in the state in RBIs and leads Class 5A.

Kuch is 21-7 with a 2.15 ERA. She has struck out 111 batters in 182 1/3 innings.

Both Jefferson and Prairie, along with Dubuque Senior, qualified for the Class 5A state tournament that starts Tuesday at Fort Dodge.

Kernels pound Tincaps, 11-4

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Cedar Rapids Kernels used two big innings to take the series finale from the Fort Wayne Tincaps by the score of 11-4 at Parkview Field on Monday night.

The Kernels scored five runs in the third inning, and added three more runs in the sixth.

Adam Brett Walker went 3-for-5 with a double, home run and three RBIs and Mike Gonzales was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. The home run was Walker’s 22nd of the season and he raised his RBI total to 88.