The Cedar Rapids Prairie baseball team was looking to break the .500 barrier Saturday afternoon, but Davenport Central pitcher Kyle Franklin had other ideas.

Franklin and the sixth-ranked Blue Devils nipped the Hawks, 3-1, at Prairie.

The Hawks climbed to .500 Friday by sweeping Linn-Mar, but Saturday's loss dropped them to 9-and-10 as they seek their first winning season since the 1990s.

Franklin was a surprise starter for Davenport Central. At least it was a surprise for him.

“I had no clue I was going to start until we got to the ballpark,” said Franklin, who struck out seven batters in six innings and allowed Prairie's only run. “I had great command of my fastball and that made all of my other pitches even more effective."

Drew Pond had a good outing for Prairie, but he was saddled with the tough loss. He went the distance and took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning.

Blake Moe tied the game for Davenport Central in the sixth with a single, and the Blue Devils took the lead on a sacrifice fly to center by David Mampre. The fly ball was dropped for an error, but the runner would have scored from third anyway.

“Drew was very efficient today,” Prairie Coach Matt Thede said. “He did what he was supposed to do, throw strikes.”

Davenport Central added a run in the seventh on a home run by Bryan Christenson. Prairie was not able to respond.

“Coach Thede is doing some very good things with this Prairie team,” Davenport Central Coach Jay Ryan said. “They are only going to get better.”

The Hawks will take another shot at breaking the .500 mark Monday when they host Cedar Rapids Washington in a doubleheader at 5 p.m.

DAVENPORT CENTRAL (3)
Cartee, ss, 4 0 0 0, Cendrowski, rf, 4 1 2 0, Moe, dh, 4 0 1 1, Hofeldt, 1b, 0 0 0 0, Bakeris, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Mampre, c, 2 0 1 1, Franklin, p, 2 0 0 0, Meyer, p, 0 0 0 0, Rauch, cf, 3 0 0 0, Farrell, lf, 3 0 1 0, Christenson, 2b, 3 2 2 1. Totals, 27 3 7 3.

PRAIRIE (1)
Mougin, ss, 4 0 1 0, Butz, dh, 4 0 0 0, Joens, cf, 0 0 0 0, Utley, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Gagliardi, rf, 2 0 0 0, B.Carlson, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Alberts, 3b, 1 1 0 0, D.Carlson, c, 2 0 1 0, Pond, p, 2 0 0 0, Boots, lf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 24 1 2 0.

Davenport Central   000 002 1 - 3 7 1
Prairie                   000 100 0 - 1 2 2

Franklin, Meyer (7) and Mampre. Pond and D. Carlson. W - Franklin. L - ond. S - Meyer. 2B - Farrell, D. Carlson. HR - Christenson.