DUBUQUE - Todd Rima was not sure he wanted to become the new baseball coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie this year when the opportunity came along, but he's mighty glad he accepted the job.

The Hawks have become Mississippi Valley Conference champions for the first time in school history and Rima is proud of his guys.

Prairie clinched a tie for the Mississippi Division title in the MVC Thursday by splitting a doubleheader at Dubuque Senior, winning 5-4 and losing 10-9 in Dubuque.

The Hawks, who began competing in baseball in the Mississippi Valley Conference in 1987, can capture an outright division title when they host Dubuque Wahlert in another twinbill Friday.

"The guys have wanted to win the championship and they've put themselves in position to do that," Rima said after the Hawks and Rams traded one-run victories. "It's kind of exciting. Tomorrow night we get a chance to win it at home, and I think that will be neat. Our fans have been awesome all year.

"If we can go out and clinch it at home, I think that would be pretty special for these kids."

Prairie has a 19-5 record in the conference with two games left against Wahlert Friday. Hempstead stands in second place at 15-7 with four games left on its conference schedule. If the Hawks win their 20th game, they'll have the flag all to themselves.

Rima was intrigued by the possibilities at Prairie, but hesitated to take the job for several reasons. He's also the head baseball coach at Kirkwood Community College, which plays a demanding schedule in the spring, and he wasn't sure about the demands it would place on his family, especially with his son Jalen on the Prairie baseball team.

From all accounts, it's worked out well for everyone.

"I feel good right now because I coach guys who are excited about playing," said Rima. "And to see them being able to accomplish what they've been able to accomplish so far, that's why I coach. So I'm really happy about that.

"I'm happy for them. They deserve it," he said. "They bought into what we're trying to do and I can't wait for tomorrow. If they can win that thing at home, that would be pretty special."

The Hawks won 14 games last season. Now they have a 26-7 overall record with a shot at winning 30 games this year. And no matter what happens Friday against Dubuque Wahlert, they've got a piece of their first Mississippi Valley Conference title in 29 years of trying.

"It feels amazing. No-one's ever done it before," said senior Trey Beckman. "I've played on this team for four years and it's kind of ironic that our final year we get to go out like that (as MVC champs).

"We obviously have much bigger aspirations than just the conference title. We want the outright one and we're going to get it tomorrow at home."

Beckman said it's easy to pinpoint the change in the ballclub this year.

"I think it's just the attitude of the team," he said. "I don't know how many games we've won by battling back this year. That's probably been the biggest difference, the never-give-up attitude."

Beckman said Rima has preached mental toughness from Day 1. He also said Rima set the bar at a high level for the Hawks the first time he met with the team and talked to them about the 2015 campaign and what they could accomplish.

"He said we're going to Des Moines (for the state tournament)," Beckman recalled. "We have the talent, we have the personnel. We're going there. And right now we've put ourselves in a pretty good position to do that."

Rima wanted a team that hustled and a team that played the game the way it was meant to be played.

"We said we were going to be good at attitude and effort," Rima recalled. "We knew we had the talent to play, and if we could control those two things we felt we'd have a successful year."

Prairie rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh inning of the opener Thursday to erase a 4-3 deficit and take a 5-4 lead. Tyler Nunemaker delivered a clutch two-run single in the seventh to put his club ahead following a single by Jalen Rima, a double by Beckman and an intentional walk to Nic Mougin. Jared Street got the victory in relief of Nunemaker.

Prairie tied the nightcap, 9-9, in the top of the seventh inning, but Dubuque Senior on a bang-bang play at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the seventh for the victory. Rima made a perfect one-hop throw to the plate on a bloop single to center to try and nail the runner attempting to score from second base, but the Hawks did not get the call.

"I had full possession and tagged him and the ump said 'safe,'" said Prairie catcher Corbin Day. "It's not my call."

Beckman went 2-for-4 in the opener with two doubles. Nunemaker had two hits and his two-run single in the seventh. Cooper Reittinger also had two hits.

Beckman went 4-for-5 in the second game. Mougin was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Reittinger belted a two-run homer for the Hawks. Rima went 2-for-4 with a triple. Street was the hard-luck loser in relief in the nightcap.

The split left Dubuque Senior at 10-12 in the conference and 18-15 overall.

GAME 1

Prairie          010 002 2 - 5 10 2
Dubuque Senior   300 001 0 - 4 4 3

W - Street. L - Kirman.

GAME 2

Prairie          402 200 1 - 9 13 4
Dubuque Senior   303 102 1 - 10 10 4

W - Legrand. L - Street.