Metro Sports Report

Lee gives Kernels big lift on mound

Brett Lee put all of the Cedar Rapids Kernels in a good mood Friday night.

Lee tossed the first complete game for Cedar Rapids all season as the Kernels tamed the Dayton Dragons, 7-1, before 3,234 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Lee needed only 92 pitches in the nine-inning ballgame and gave the weary Kernels bullpen a much-needed rest after Dayton had scored 25 runs in the first two games of the series.

Adam Brett Walker belted a three-run homer and drove in four runs and the Cedar Rapids infielders turned two snappy double plays to keep things moving along.

Prairie salvages split with City High

It wasn’t as if there was a full moon Friday night.

In fact, the moon was but a sliver as the Prairie and Iowa City High baseball teams played for more than three hours in one of the wackiest games you’d ever see.

The second game of their Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader had everything, in abundance: Passed balls and wild pitches, overthrown bases, a crucial balk, hit batters, lots or errors and hits galore.

Prairie finally won it, 11-10, after doing its best to give it away.

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 Friday and was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the Quakes' 7-5 win over High Desert. Season stats: G - 79, Avg. - .317, AB - 300, H - 95, HR - 17, RBI - 55, SB - 9.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Lansing (Blue Jays)) - Started at third base Friday and was 0-for-3 in the Lugnuts' 4-3 win over Peoria. 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 Friday in the Renegades' 2-1 win over Jamestown. 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)) - Did not play Friday in the Twins' 8-7 loss to the GCL Red Sox. Season stats: G - 12, Avg. - .286, AB - 42, H - 12, HR - 0, RBI - 6, SB - 0.

Hammerin' Hansen an RBI machine

Muscle-bound Maddie Hansen is one tough cookie, both at the plate and behind it.

While the Jefferson sophomore catcher has been fast racking up extra base hits and runs batted in this season, her defensive skills are just as impressive.

At a crucial point in a critical game Monday against Iowa City West, a runner attempted  to score from second on a sharp hit to deep left center.  The J-Hawks were nursing a 2-0 lead in a game they had to win to stay alive in the conference championship race.

Center fielder Dani Stomert threw a strike to third baseman Erin Kuba, who whirled and zinged the ball to Hansen at home.

It was a bang-bang play, but the rock-solid catcher stood her ground as the runner tried the barrel past her. She gave up her body to protect the plate.