IOWA CITY - The Prairie Hawks faced an uphill battle in their Mississippi Valley Conference baseball game at seventh-ranked Iowa City West Thursday night.

They never reached the top.

Iowa City West scored six runs in the second inning and defeated the Hawks, 9-6.

Prairie scored three runs in the fourth inning and scored two more runs in the seventh, but the Hawks fell short in their comeback bid.

Jason Velvick, Ty Mougin and Tyler Votroubek had two hits apiece for Prairie (13-12, 8-7). Reid Bonner went 3-for-3, hit a home run and drove in three runs for Iowa City West (19-7, 11-4).

PRAIRIE (6)
Velvick, cf, 3 1 2 1, Mougin, ss, 4 1 2 1, Carlson, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Butz, 3b, 3 1 1 1, Votroubek, 1b, 3 2 2 1, Beckman, rf, 4 0 1 1, Pond, c, 3 0 1 0, Alberts, p, 3 0 1 1, Davison, cr, 0 1 0 0, Peters, lf, 3 0 0 0. Totals 30 6 10 6.

IOWA CITY WEST (9)
Reiners 2 2 1 1, Wilson 3 1 1 1, Verry 1 0 0 0, Bonner 3 1 3 3, Doyle 4 0 1 1, Raffensperger 3 0 0 0, Crimmons 3 1 1 0, Baker 3 0 1 0, Adkins 3 2 2 1, Nash 2 1 1 1, Harder 0 1 0 0. Totals 27 9 11 8.

Prairie               010 300 2 - 6 10 0
Iowa City West  160 101 x - 9 11 1

Alberts and Pond; Grimsman, Searls (6) and Baker. W - Grimsman. L - Alberts. 2B - Beckman, Reiners, Crimmons, Bonner. HR - Bonner. SB - Reiners.