Metro Sports Report

Maddie Koolbeck will play ball at Coe

It pays to be smart, talented and energetic.

Maddie Koolbeck is a prime example.

Koolbeck has been an all-state basketball player during her career at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, but she's been much more than that.

She carries a 4.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale with numerous Advanced Placement classes, serves as editor of the school newspaper, is vice president of the senior class, vice president of the National Honor Society, a member of the Service Club and plays softball.

Colleges drool over student/athletes like that.

These guys could catch on with Kernels

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This article about catchers is the first in a series of position-by-position looks at the 2013 Cedar Rapids Kernels. Next: Corner infielders.)

On April 4, the Cedar Rapids Kernels will begin the first year of their four-year player development agreement with the Minnesota Twins. In the final weeks leading up to Opening Day, we'll be helping Kernels fans get acquainted with most, if not all, of the Twins' minor league prospects that may be donning Kernels uniforms this summer.

While there’s no way of knowing with certainty who will actually be on the Kernels’ roster to open the season, we can make some educated guesses.

The Opening Day roster will be limited to 25 players, but it's easy to assemble a list of at least 35 to 40 players in the Twins organization that look like reasonable bets to spend some time in Cedar Rapids this summer.

Jefferson gets Kernels scoreboard

Players and fans shouldn't have any trouble knowing the score at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School baseball games this season.

The J-Hawks have purchased a scoreboard from the Cedar Rapids Kernels and the city of Cedar Rapids and plan to install it in right-center field for everyone to see.

The scoreboard is 36 feet long and 9 feet high, much bigger than the current board at the high school field in southwest Cedar Rapids.

Krack slugs 5 homers as Eagles win 3

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- Haylee Krack slugged five home runs Saturday as the Kirkwood Eagles won all three of their games at the Crowder Tournament in Carthage, Mo.

Krack, a sophomore from Silvis, Ill., hit two homers and drove in four runs as Kirkwood belted Carl Albert, 12-2, in five innings.

Krack walloped three homers and drove in 10 runs as the Eagles dumped Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, 13-3, in five innings.