Metro Sports Report

Prairie's Jason Velvick stands on second base after banging out one of his two doubles Saturday in the Hawks' 13-9 win over Marion. Prairie also beat Burlington, 9-4. Velvick was 6-for-6 in the two games. (Photo by Ken Gilchrist)

Velvick sparks Prairie to title

Sat - 23 Jun Written by Jim Ecker

Jason Velvick missed most of the 2011 baseball season after breaking his collarbone in a horrible car accident, but he's making up for lost time now.

The talented center fielder has become an on-base machine for Cedar Rapids Prairie, virtually living on those white pillows on the diamond.

Velvick went 6-for-6 and reached base nine straight times Saturday as the Hawks won both of their games at the Heald-Jackson Baseball Classic at Marion High School.

Prairie topped Marion, 13-9, in the championship game after dispensing with Burlington, 9-4, in the opening round.

Velvick scored seven runs and hit for the cycle with two singles, two doubles, a triple, a homer, three walks, one RBI and a stolen base. The prolific performance raised his batting average to .471 and lifted his on-base percentage well over .600.

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Kennedy's Alex Hayden rears back to fire a pitch during Friday night's game against Washington at Kennedy. Hayden worked a complete game and the Cougars won, 6-1. (Photo by Ken Gilchrist)

Hayden makes pitch as Kennedy's MVP

Fri - 22 Jun Written by Jim Ecker

Alex Hayden was an all-state pitcher at Cedar Rapids Kennedy last year when the Cougars won 31 games and reached the Class 4A state tournament.

This year he could be their MVP.

"He'd be in the conversation in a lot of ways," Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer said Friday night.

Hayden tossed a complete game as the top-ranked Cougars defeated Washington, 6-1, in a Mississippi Valley Conference game that left the senior right-hander with a 6-1 record and a sparkling 0.53 earned run average.

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Iowa basketball will be very good

Thu - 21 Jun Written by Bob Brooks

I led off a column a few weeks ago about how enthused Iowa football fans were for the start of the year, having been stopped several times with the person saying, "I can't wait until Iowa football."

And now the scene shifts to the little gym in North Liberty, where the fans are getting excited about Iowa basketball. Of course, Fran McCaffery and his staff have done such a good job of compiling talent for the upcoming season that it should make the Hawk roundball fans excited to see the team the Hawks will put on the floor.

With that in mind, a packed house this week went to the North Liberty Community Center to see the now-Hawks and the future Hawks, and nothing happened in North Liberty to take away their enthusiasm. This Iowa team, my friends, is going to be very, very good. And it's going to be under the radar with regards to preseason hype outside of the state.

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Xavier's Corbin Woods fires a pitch during the opener of Friday night's doubleheader at Jefferson. The Saints swept the J-Hawks, 5-3 and 3-1. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Saints pick off J-Hawks twice

Fri - 22 Jun Written by Mike Koolbeck

Xavier got a pick me up when it needed it most Friday night.

Adam Pick singled home two insurance runs in the opener, then fanned five of the six batters he faced for a save in the nightcap, leading the Saints to a doubleheader sweep of Jefferson at the J-Hawk diamond.

Xavier won the opener, 5-3, then took the nightcap, 3-1.

The teams came into the doubleheader tied for second place in the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division with 8-6 marks.

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Prairie trimmed by Iowa City West, 8-7

Fri - 22 Jun Written by Don Taylor

Prairie scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday night to grab a 7-3 lead, only to learn it wasn’t quite enough to put the game away.

Iowa City West used five walks and three hits in the top of the seventh to grab an 8-7 advantage and that's how the Mississippi Valley Conference baseball game ended at Prairie.

Tyus Adkins, in relief of Sam Scott, made it stand up in the bottom of the seventh and the Trojans (20-7, 12-4) came away with the win. Nick Grimsman had a key two-run double to give West the lead.

Mitch Adams started for the Hawks and went five innings, giving up three runs on four hits.

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