Prairie Baseball

Slow start sinks Hawks against Trojans

The Prairie baseball team fell behind early against Iowa City West Thursday night and never caught up.

The Trojans scored six runs in the first inning and posted an 11-4 victory in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Prairie.

The Hawks got two outs in the first inning, but they couldn’t get off the field as Iowa City West had five straight hits to jump on top.

“It all comes down to the first inning, somebody has to make a play to get us out of there,” Prairie Coach Matt Thede said. “If we make a play in the first inning, that is one run instead of six and it’s a whole different ballgame then.”

Prairie (10-11, 6-7) collected eight hits in the game, including a pair from Brennan Hammer, but the hole was too big.

“Dustin (Carlson) threw strikes, I thought came in and did a good job, we hit the ball, it was just that one inning. It gets us every time,” Thede said.

The Hawks get another shot at the Trojans when they travel to Iowa City on Friday to complete the home-and-home series.

“I feel like we are every bit right there with them,” Thede said. “They’ve got good tradition on their side and we have bad tradition. Somehow we have to break that. It is going to take some senior leadership to step up.”

Iowa City West raised its records to 15-9 overall and 8-7 in the conference.

IOWA CITY WEST (11)
Ewing, dh, 3 1 1 1, Siems, rf, 3 1 0 0, Harder, rf, 1 0 0 0, Rumpf, 1b, 4 2 2 1, Schreck, 3b/p, 3 0 0 0, Yoder, p, 1 0 0 0, Reiners, lf, 4 2 1 3, Cronk, ss, 4 1 1 1, Crimmins p/cf/ss 4 2 3 1, Baker, c, 3 1 1 1, Franz, 2b, 3 1 3 3, Grimsman, cf, 0 0 0 0, Aller, p, 0 0 0 0, Jones, lf, 0 0 0 0. Totals 33 11 12 11.

PRAIRIE (4)
Butz, 3b, 3 1 1 0, Utley, 1b, 3 1 1 1, B.Carlson, 2b, 2 0 1 0, Hammer, dh/p, 4 1 2 1, D.Carlson, p/c, 4 0 1 0, Pond, rf, 3 0 0 0, Gagliardi, ph, 1 0 0 0, Boots, cf/lf, 3 1 1 0, Meyer, c, 1 0 0 1, Jones, cf, 1 0 0 0, Mougin, ss, 2 0 1 0, Allard, lf, 0 0 0 0, Alberts, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 4 8 3.

Iowa City West  612 100 1 - 11 12 1
Prairie               211 000 0 -  4   8 1

Crimmins, Aller (3) Yoder (5), Schreck (7) and Baker. D.Carlson, Hammer (4), Alberts (7) and Meyer, D.Carlson. W - Crimmins. L - D.Carlson. 2B - Utley, D.Carlson, Boots, Mougin, Rumpf, Reiners, Cronk, Baker, Franz. HR - Rumpf, Franz.

Prairie batters Davenport West to reach .500

DAVENPORT - The Prairie Hawks scored 10 runs in the first inning Wednesday and defeated Davenport West, 16-8, in a non-conference baseball game.

Tyler Butz led off the game with a home run and the Hawks sent 15 batters to the plate in the first inning. Chad Boots also hit a homer for Prairie in the first inning.

Dustin Carlson went 3-for-5 and also homered for Prairie. D.J. Utley allowed two earned runs in five innings for the victory.

Prairie squared its record at 10-10.

Davenport Central drops Hawks below .500

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.

Carlson is 'Iron Hawk' as Prairie sweeps Linn-Mar

Dustin Carlson probably didn't need any lullabies to fall asleep Friday night after Cedar Rapids Prairie swept a doubleheader from the Linn-Mar Lions at Prairie.

Carlson pitched the first five innings of the opener, then caught the final two frames as the Hawks collected a 5-4 victory.

He took some nourishment between games of the twinbill, then caught all seven innings of the nightcap as the Hawks posted an 8-7 victory in a sloppy affair.

All that came 24 hours after he caught both ends of a doubleheader against Dubuque Wahlert Thursday night.

His secret?

"I guess getting a lot of sleep the next night and eating healthy," he said. "I've been doing a lot of yoga, too. It kind of helps."

The Iron Hawk helped Prairie square its records at 9-9 overall and 6-6 in the Mississippi Valley Conference. Linn-Mar fell to 10-8 overall and 5-6 in the league.

Carlson said his arm feels fine, and he was still firing rockets to second base in the final stages of Game 2.

"It's just my legs that get tired. No, my arm is fine," he said.

Prairie Coach Matt Thede said he's not worried about Carlson getting worn out this season as a pitcher and catcher.

"He's a competitor," Thede said. "I did the same thing when I was in high school. I think a lot of people shy away from that - pitching and catching.

"I loved to compete, and I loved to have that ball in my hands. He does too," Thede said. "He's exactly like I was and I see no problem with him. He's got a rubber arm."

Carlson was touched for a three-run homer by Jordan Stroschein in the top of the first inning of the opener, but he settled down and allowed only one more run in five innings.

Ty Mougin snapped a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double, giving the Hawks a 5-4 advantage and making Carlson the winning pitcher. Brennan Hammer tossed two scoreless innings for Prairie to get the save in Game 1.

The Hawks carried an 8-2 lead into the top of the seventh inning of the nightcap, then had to hold their breath as Linn-Mar scored five runs and had the bases loaded with two outs. Hammer, pitching in relief again, got the final out on a comebacker after a shaky inning that included four hits, three walks and his own throwing error.

Linn-Mar committed 10 errors in the doubleheader - five in each game - and paid the price. Prairie committed five errors in the nightcap and survived. Barely.

"It was quite nerve-wracking," Thede remarked.

Anthony Gagliardi struck out 11 batters in 5 2/3 innings for Prairie in the second game with a swift fastball and nasty curve. He allowed two runs on six hits.

Prairie hosts Davenport Central Saturday at 3 p.m.

Game 1

LINN-MAR (4)
Hunter, cf, 4 0 1 1, Prokop, 2b, 2 1 0 0, Larison, ss, 4 1 2 0, J. Stroschein, rf, 3 1 1 3, Danover, c, 2 0 0 0, Kvach, ph, 1 0 0 0, A. Stroschein, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Blackford, p, 2 0 1 0, Kvach, cr, 0 1 0 0, Greve, p, 0 0 0 0, Bogert, lf, 3 0 2 0, Stolley, 1b, 2 0 1 0, Sturenfeldt, pr, 0 0 0 0. Totals 26 4 8 4.

PRAIRIE (5)
Mougin, ss, 4 0 2 1, Hammer, dh/p, 2 1 0 0, Meyer, c, 0 0 0 0, Utley, 1b, 4 1 1 0, Gagliardi, rf, 4 0 0 0, B.Carlson, 2b, 3 1 2 1, Butz, 3b, 4 1 1 0, D. Carlson, p/c, 4 0 0 0, Allard, cr, 0 0 0 0, Joens, cf, 3 0 1 1, Boots, lf, 3 1 1 0. Totals 31 5 8 3.

Linn-Mar    300 100 0 - 4 8 5
Prairie       103 010 x - 5 8 0

Blackford, Greve (5) and Danover. D.Carlson, Hammer (6) and Meyer, D.Carlson (6). W - D. Carlson. L - Greve. S - Hammer. 2B - Bogert, Mougin. HR - J. Stroschein. SB - Gagliardi, B.Carlson.

Game 2

LINN-MAR (7)
Hunter, cf, 4 1 1 1, Prokup, dh/2b/3b, 5 0 1 1, Wyant, p, 0 0 0 0, Larison, ss/p, 5 1 3 2, J. Stroschein, rf, 3 2 2 0, Blackford, 1b, 4 0 0 0, A. Stroschein, 3b, 4 0 0 1, Sturenfeldt, pr, 0 1 0 0, Stickney, lf, 4 0 1 1, Bohr, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Stolley, p, 1 0 0 0, Kvach, 2b, 1 1 1 0, Sillman, c, 1 0 0 0, Danover, c, 1 0 1 0, Bogert, ph, 0 1 0 0. Totals 35 7 10 6.

PRAIRIE (8)
Whitters, dh, 3 0 0 0, Allard, lf, 0 0 0 0, Mougin, ss, 4 1 1 1, Utley, 1b, 3 1 1 0, Gagliardi, p, 3 1 0 0, Hammer, p, 0 1 0 0, B.Carlson, 2b, 2 3 1 1, Butz, 3b, 2 0 1 0, D.Carlson, c, 2 0 1 2, Alberts, cf, 0 0 0 0, Pond, ph, 1 0 0 0, Joens, cf, 3 0 0 0, Boots, rf, 1 1 0 0. Totals 24 8 5 4.

Linn-Mar   002 000 5 - 7 10 5
Prairie    301 004 x - 8 5 5

Wyant, Stolley (5), Larison (6) and Sillman, Danover (5). Gagliardi, Hammer (6) and D. Carlson. W - Gagliardi. L - Wyant. S - Hammer. 2B - Kvach, Butz. 3B - B.Carlson. SB - Larison, Stolley, Danover, Utley, Gagliardi, B.Carlson 3, D.Carlson, Boots.