Metro Sports Report

Former Metro preps in pro baseball

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Oakland Athletics) -- Started in left field Friday and was 1-for-4 in the Athletics' 8-5 loss to the Rangers.
Year-to-date: Batting avg. -- .284 (42-148), HR -- 0, RBI -- 10, 2B -- 5, 3B -- 1, R -- 15, SB -- 1.

MATT HOLLAND (Marion, GCL Phillies) -- Started at designated hitter and was 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored Friday in the Phillies' 6-2 win over the GCL Pirates.
Year-to-date: Batting avg. -- .313 (10-32), HR -- 1, RBI -- 5, 2B -- 4, 3B -- 0, R -- 11, SB -- 0.

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Ogden (Dodgers)) -- Started in right field and was 1-for-3 with a double and RBI Friday in Ogden's 8-3 win over Casper.
Year-to-date: Batting avg. -- .360 (32-89), HR -- 4, RBI -- 22, 2B -- 7, 3B -- 3, R -- 15, SB -- 0.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Bluefield (Blue Jays)) -- Did not play Friday in Bluefield's 3-2 win over Johnson City.
Year-to-date: Batting avg. -- .114 (4-35), HR -- 0, RBI -- 1, 2B -- 1, 3B -- 0, R -- 4, SB -- 0.

NATE WOODS (Xavier, GCL Marlins) -- Started at third base and was 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored Friday in the Marlins' 6-5 win over the GCL Mets.
Year-to-date: Batting avg. -- .304 (14-46), HR -- 0, RBI -- 6, 2B -- 4, 3B -- 0, R -- 10, SB -- 0.

Alumni gridders ready to bang heads

Forget the notion that the first-ever local high school alumni football games Saturday night at Kingston Stadium are going to be like sandlot free-for-alls with a bunch of out-of-shape, has-been ex-jocks.

These guys are dead serious.

Oh, most were in better condition during their prime playing days. And there are a few never-weres.

But pride and bragging rights will be on the line when alums from Linn-Mar and Marion High School square off at 5:30 Saturday, followed at 8 by fellows from Kennedy and Jefferson.

The trash talking has already started.

"I just hope those Jeff guys got their medical waivers signed," said Kameron "Freight Train" Beets, who at 19 is the youngest former Cougar on the Kennedy squad. "'Cause I plan to lay some of 'em out."

One-time Jefferson defensive tackle stalwart Nelson Evans, the second-oldest on his team at age 36, scoffed at such insolence.

"Cute nickname," said the former Truman State star. "I've known Kameron since he was a small boy. I remember being young, dumb and loud, too."

J-Hawks' sweep delivers Valley crown

WATERLOO - The Jefferson J-Hawks softball team needed a sweep Thursday night at Waterloo East to hold off Dubuque Hempstead for the Valley Division title.

They got it.

After a thrilling 2-1, 10-inning win in the opener, the No. 7 J-Hawks (31-7, 22-3) sewed up the Valley title with a 6-1 win in the nightcap behind a strong performance from senior Katie Naber.

“It feels great to win our conference, but I was pitching well and enjoying it since it is possibly the last game I may play in,” said Naber, who likely will not pitch in the regional tournament series. “My main goal was to finish strong.”

Naber finished strong in game two, but the real excitement came in the J-Hawks' victory in the opener. The game was a preview of what could be a regional semifinal matchup on Monday at Jefferson.  Waterloo East (18-20, 13-12) hosts Cedar Rapids Washington (5-31, 3-23) in a first-round game Saturday. The winner of that game plays at Jefferson on Monday.

“They are a good team and we will just have to play J-Hawk softball on Monday,” Jefferson junior pitcher Hannah Petersen said.

Petersen went 10 strong innings for the J-Hawks in the opener, giving up just one run on six hits for the win. Trojans ace junior Alyson Netty went the complete 10 innings, giving up two unearned runs on six hits.

“It was not that tough (to go 10 innings) because early in the season I was pitching two games,” Petersen said. Naber was suspended for the first third of the season and Petersen pitched both ends of doubleheaders during her absence.

Charipar helps Marion sweep West Delaware

Andrew Charipar knew he needed a triple to hit for the cycle Thursday night, but he simply hit the ball too well.

He had to settle for a walk-off home run instead.

Charipar went 4-for-4 and socked two homers as the Marion Indians dumped West Delaware, 14-3, in five innings in the first game of a Wamac Conference doubleheader at Marion.

The Indians won the nightcap, 10-0, in six innings to complete the sweep.

Charipar already had a single, double and home run when he came to the plate in the fifth inning with Marion holding a 12-3 lead and a runner on base. He knew he needed a three-bagger to finish the cycle, which is a rare feat in baseball.

"I actually talked to a teammate about it," he said. "He mentioned something in the dugout about getting a triple."

Charipar crushed the ball to left-center, and for a few seconds it looked like he might get that triple.

"Off the bat, I didn't think it was going out, so I was hustling toward first and then I guess it kept going," he said with a smile. "I was happy either way."

The ball sailed over the fence for a two-run homer, stopping the game by the 10-run rule.