Cedar Rapids Washington completes sweep of No. 8 Prairie with dominant 19-4 win

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids Washington relied on a few quick hits in the first inning Monday night to beat Cedar Rapids Prairie 4-1 in the first game of the two-night doubleheader between the crosstown schools.

Tuesday night brought a similar result. This time, though, the Warriors boasted a much stronger night at the plate - something they've been missing in recent games.

Washington (13-7) dominated No. 8 Cedar Rapids Prairie (14-9) 19-4 in six innings to complete the sweep, handing the Hawks their fifth loss over the last six games.

'Last night was the best game we've played all season against a very quality team,” Washington Coach Stott Brune said. 'We just carried on from last night. The guys were loose. They played well, and they had great approaches.”

Prairie did jump up to a 1-0 lead early Tuesday night at Prairie High School, grabbing its first lead of the doubleheader. That lead, though, was very short lived.

Washington's bats finally connected in the third inning when it picked up seven runs with zero outs, thanks in part to a three-run home run over the left-field wall from shortstop Drew Christensen. The run, though, didn't stop there.

By the time Prairie finally grabbed three outs and ended the inning, the Warriors had earned 12 runs on nine hits in the inning to take a 12-1 lead.

'I think it all just came together out of nowhere really,” senior pitcher Andrew Dostal said. 'We just kept the bats going and scored 12 runs in that inning. It was a great game.”

Prairie picked up a run in the bottom of the inning, and then two more in the fourth to extend the game a little longer. Washington ended it though in the sixth, picking up seven runs to give them the 15-run win.

The Warriors amassed 16 hits in what Dostal said was by far their best hitting performance of the season.

And now that Washington has had a strong night at the plate, Dostal said they've found the last missing piece to the puzzle.

'We've been playing good defense and pitching (well) all year,” Dostal said. 'We finally got the bats going. It's going to be fun ... Hopefully we can keep it riding.”

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