Prairie one step closer to outright divisional title after split with Kennedy

CEDAR RAPIDS - Prairie clinched at least a tie of the Mississippi Division softball title after winning the first game of an MVC doubleheader at Kennedy on Tuesday night, 6-3.

Improving to 24-11 overall, Prairie is tied with 15-10 Waterloo West, which won a game against Jefferson. If the Hawks win one game of a doubleheader against Waterloo East (13-23) on Wednesday, they will hold the title alone.

'It's big,” Prairie coach Joe Yegge said. 'It's something special. They're so young. They don't understand the significance.”

Prairie faces West in its first regional game. However, playing East is what's on the Hawks' minds.

'We know we're going to see their best,” Yegge said. 'They're going to see ours.”

Yegge has been wanting to give his girls a break and time to relax in order to make it through the rest of the season.

'We're trying to keep them fresh,” he said. 'Some think they have to be working out in the morning of game day. We don't want overkill.”

In the first game, Prairie's Shelby Frederick was 2-for-2. Neila Bell was 3-4 with a solo home run and three RBIs. Natalie Halvorson got the win, allowing seven hits and striking out six.

Kennedy's pitcher Jenna Schwartzhoff struck out 13 batters and gave up nine hits. Megan Weber had two hits, including a home run.

Kennedy won Game 2 in six innings, 10-0, improving to 27-11. Sydney Kinney had three hits with two runs and an RBI. Andrea McEachran allowed two hits and struck out eight. Prairie's Taylor Moenk and Kristin Wahlert had the only hits.