Metro Sports Report

Late rally foils Prairie Hawks

Bettendorf scored twice in the top of the seventh inning and beat Prairie, 2-1, Monday night in a non-conference baseball game at Prairie.

Bettendorf (18-17) scored both of its runs with two outs. With two out and two on, the Bulldogs plated a run on a fielder’s choice that was not in time to retire a man, and then scored again on an error.

Just like that the victory slipped through the Hawks' fingers.

Sloppy Indians swept by Maquoketa

On Youth Night at the Marion High School doubleheader Monday, veteran Indians skipper Steve Fish may have wished some of the excited tykes recognized between games could have suited up on his own team.

For a seasoned squad trying to tie the school record for victories, the listless home team instead played like a bunch of Little Leaguers in losing to Maquoketa, 4-3 and 10-2.

The frustrated Fish had no excuses and no explanation.

Metro all-stars will play team from Japan

The Japan vs. Metro All-Star Baseball Classic will be held at Kennedy High School on Tuesday, Aug. 14, featuring a touring high school team from Yamanishi, Japan, against many of the top players from Cedar Rapids and Marion.

The game is being organized by the Metro Sports Report, in cooperation with the Kennedy Baseball Support Group and the Iowa Amateur Athletic Union.

The Metro All-Star team will feature players from Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Marion, Prairie, Xavier, Jefferson and Washington. Bret Hoyer, who led Kennedy to the 2010 state title, will be the head coach of the Metro squad with help from his staff.

The Metro Sports Report will select the All-Star team, based on recommendations from the Metro coaches. Anyone who played for his high school team this season is eligible for the All-Star club, including graduated seniors.

No. 4 J-Hawks escape Cedar Falls

On a senior-dominated Jefferson softball squad, it took two juniors Saturday night for the fourth-ranked team in the state to narrowly escape an upset.

Without a solo home run from Maddie Koolbeck and heads-up baserunning by Amber Grimm, the J-Hawks wouldn’t have advanced to Tuesday’s Class 5A regional finals, much less kept their dream alive of a state championship.

It was Grimm in the fourth inning who scored what would be the winning run in a 6-5 squeaker over Cedar Falls by smartly tagging up from third base on a high popup behind the plate.