Metro Sports Report

Prairie makes 5A regional finals

Joe Yegge has injected new life into the Cedar Rapids Prairie softball program this season as their new head coach.

Now the Hawks are one win away from reaching the Class 5A state tournament, but they'll face a stiff challenge in the regional finals Tuesday night when they visit No.4 Pleasant Valley.

Prairie earned a trip to the regional finals Saturday night by spanking Linn-Mar, 8-2, at the Prairie field.

No.6 Saints ousted by No.15 Lancers

The Xavier Saints will host the girls regional softball finals for the first time in school history Tuesday night.

Unfortunately for the Saints, they won't be playing.

The 15th-ranked North Scott Lancers eliminated the sixth-ranked Saints from the postseason tournament, 8-4, Saturday night in the Class 4A regional semifinals at Bob Erusha Field.

North Scott will play the Washington Demons in the regional finals Tuesday at Xavier. The Saints will be the hosts, but they'll be spectators.

Inside-the-park HR highlights Kernels win

You don’t see many inside-the-park home runs. You see even fewer of them legged out by catchers.

But that’s what the 4,399 fans who attended the Cedar Rapids Kernels game saw Saturday evening when Kernels catcher Tyler Grimes hit a line drive off the high diagonal wall in left field at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Grimes sprinted around the bases as the ball caromed toward center field and his head-first slide at the plate was ahead of the wide throw home.

It was just one of many highlights for the home team in the Kernels 6-3 win over the visiting Bowling Green Hot Rods.

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 Saturday and was 0-for-2 (snapping his nine-game hit streak) with a sacrifice fly in the Quakes' 3-2 win over Bakersfield. Season stats: G - 80, Avg. - .315, AB - 302, H - 95, HR - 17, RBI - 56, SB - 9.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Did not play Saturday in the Lugnuts' 11-5 loss to Burlington. Season stats: G - 73, Avg. - .174, AB - 235, H - 41, HR - 3, RBI - 15, SB - 0.

ANDREW HANSE (Linn-Mar, Hudson Valley (Rays)) - Did not pitch Saturday in the Renegades' 7-6 win over State College. Season stats: W - 1. L - 1. Sv - 1. ERA - 5.54. G - 8. IP - 13. H - 12. BB - 6. SO - 10.

CHAD CHRISTENSEN (Washington, GCL Twins (Twins)) - Started at first base Saturday and hit his first home run as a professional, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, in the Twins' 3-1 win over the GCL Red Sox. Season stats: G - 13, Avg. - .295, AB - 44, H - 13, HR - 1, RBI - 7, SB - 0.