Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints

Here’s a look at local, Gazette-area and former University of Iowa players and how they are doing in affiliated minor league and major league baseball.

Here’s a look at local, area and former University of Iowa players and how they are doing in affiliated minor league and major league baseball.

Cedar Rapids Xavier tied the score in the seventh, but Independence scored on an error in the eighth and held on for a 5-4 win in a Class 3A substate final. The Mustangs earned a state baseball tournament berth for the first time since 2010.

Class 3A fifth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Drew Proskovec tossed a three-hit shutout in an 8-0 victory over No. 10 North Polk.

Linn-Mar and Cedar Rapids Washington are among the programs that have played well to close the regular season and will try to continue that in the Iowa high school baseball playoffs. Teams from across the state will begin the Class 3A and 4A substate competition with first-round games Friday.

Here are five Class 5A and Class 4A Iowa high school softball regional quarterfinal games to watch in the area Thursday.

Check out photos from a baseball doubleheader split between 3A No. 5 Cedar Rapids Xavier and 4A No. 3 Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Six teams from the Mississippi Valley Conference landed in the final Class 4A and 3A Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association rankings with two more receiving votes.