Cedar Rapids Prairie vs. Linn-Mar is another 1-run thriller, and this one goes to the Hawks

CEDAR RAPIDS — If they played 10 times, they’d probably split them evenly.

But this was Jade Hynek’s moment, and this was Cedar Rapids Prairie’s night.

Hynek delivered an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to send 14th-ranked Prairie past Linn-Mar, 2-1, in a Class 5A softball regional semifinal Saturday night at Prairie High School.

“I wanted to come up and make solid contact,” Hynek said. “After seeing (Linn-Mar pitcher Jordyn Beck) a few times, I was ready to come up and make contact.”

All three of the games between these teams this season were decided by one run. The Hawks and the Lions split a pair of 5-4 decisions eight days ago.

“I told the bottom of the order, it’s their turn (to win it for us),” Prairie Coach Alisha Frese said.

Actually, it was their No. 4 hitter that started the winning rally, and nearly ended it. Jensyn Jones led off the eighth with a double then bounced off the bottom of the fence.

“I was saying, ‘Go, go, go,’” Jones said. “Almost.

“I had gotten my pitch before that and didn’t hit it, and I was hitting myself in the back. I hoped I would get it again, and I did.”

Carlie Goddard bunted Jones to third, then Hannah Ironside struck out for the second out.

“I knew Jade was going to pick her up,” Jones said.

And she did. Her hard grounder got through the infield, and the Hawks were winners.

Hynek had gone deep in the count each of the first three times against Beck, and was 0-for-3. Her fourth time, she jumped on the first pitch.

“That’s just how it worked out,” Hynek said. “It felt really good, and it feels really good to keep going.”

Prairie (28-13) advances to face No. 6 Iowa City High (32-7) in a regional final Tuesday at City. The winner advances to the state tournament.

Linn-Mar retires at 25-12. The Lions struck first, on Kaylece Morgan’s RBI double in the top of the second inning. That plated Grace McCarty, who led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Hannah Gralund.

The Lions had the bases loaded and one out in the third, but Prairie pitcher Megan Steffens got out of the jam with a strikeout and a popout.

Prairie got even in the bottom of the third on a two-out double by Amaya Snyder and an RBI single by Riley Sauser.

It stayed 1-1 until Hynek’s heroics. The Hawks had the winning run at third base in the seventh, but couldn’t cash in.

When they got another chance, Hynek delivered. And in a postgame interview, she donned a frilly black hat.

“It’s a cooler version of a rally cap,” she said.

CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE 2, LINN-MAR 1 (8)

Class 5A Regional Semifinal, at C.R. Prairie

Linn-Mar 010 000 00 — 1 6 2

C.R. Prairie 001 000 01 — 2 7 1

Jordyn Beck and Olivia Holm. Megan Steffens and Jensyn Jones. W — Steffens (15-4). L — Beck (13-4).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com