Kennedy Baseball

Linn-Mar sweeps No. 1 Cougars

The Linn-Mar Lions were not happy when they finished the 2014 season with a 16-21 record and not pleased when they began the 2015 campaign with a loss to Marion in the Metro Tournament, but the Lions were feeling good about themselves Monday night.

Linn-Mar swept top-ranked Kennedy, 4-2 and 6-2, in a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at the Linn-Mar field with good pitching and timely hitting.

The Cougars began the year as the No. 1 team in Class 4A and looked good in the Metro Tournament, but the Lions had the upper hand this time.

"They've kind of been the staple of success," Linn-Mar Coach Chad Lechner said about Kennedy. "We've beaten them a few times here and there, but a sweep? I'm sure they've been few and far between, especially with a team as good as they have this year.

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No. 1 Cougars nip J-Hawks for Metro title

If the Kennedy Cougars are truly the No. 1 baseball team in Class 4A this year, then the Jefferson J-Hawks must by No. 1A.

Round 1 went to the Cougars Wednesday night, by a whisker.

Sammy Lizarraga ripped a game-winning single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Kennedy a dramatic 5-4 victory over Jefferson in the championship game of the Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament.

Lizarraga said he's never had a bigger hit in his career, not even when the Junior Cougars won the USSSA World Series a few years ago.

"That was a big one," he said after his walk-off screamer to right-center. "Senior year, Metro tournament. That was a lot of fun."

Kennedy and Jefferson are now tied for the most titles in Metro Tournament history with 13 apiece.

The J-Hawks scored four runs against Kennedy ace Zach Daniels in the early going and it was tied, 4-4, after three innings. But it stayed that way for a long, long time.

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Kennedy ranked No.1 in baseball poll

The Kennedy Cougars have been ranked No. 1 in the first Class 4A baseball poll for the 2015 season by the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association.

Kennedy finished 31-7 last year and reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

The Jefferson J-Hawks are ranked No. 9 in Class 4A. The J-Hawks and Cougars are scheduled to meet in the championship game of the Metro Tournament Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Washington High School field.

The Xavier Saints are ranked No. 7 in Class 3A.

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Behn gives Cougars another live arm

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer already had a treasure chest filled with excellent pitchers.

Now he has another one.

Jackson Behn tossed six strong innings Monday night as the Cougars topped Marion, 10-1, in the semifinals of the Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament at Kennedy.

Behn pitched well for the Kennedy varsity as a freshman in 2013, but his family moved to Omaha and he played for Millard South High School last year as a sophomore.

The Behns moved back to Iowa this January and now the Cougars have another live arm to join Blake Hargens, Zach Daniels, Sammy Lizarraga, Jacob Henry, Tyler Dralle and others.

The rich have gotten richer.

"It's good to be back," said Behn. "I'm happy about it."

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