Prairie, Jefferson split early-season double-header

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Prairie Hawks, after losing the opener against crosstown rival Jefferson, took the nightcap, 7-4, Tuesday night to split a double-header with the J-Hawks.

Jefferson won the opener, 7-6, on Liv Erickson's walk-off double in extra innings.

In the nightcap, the Hawks capitalized on a four-run third inning — their second four-run inning of the day — to take the lead they would hold the rest of the game. Haley McFarlane launched a two-run home run with two outs in the top of the seventh to ice it for Prairie.

Shortstop Taylor Moenk started the Prairie inning with a single before Carsyn Waller hit into a 4-3-6-2 triple play. However, Prairie tallied one more run in the sixth inning and forced J-Hawks Pitcher Courtney Rausen out after 5.2 innings.

A solo shot by Emily Oler in the bottom of the sixth inning had the beginnings of a J-Hawks rally, however.

The rally would fall short, though, as the J-Hawks could not plate Sydney Briney from third base.

Early in the afternoon, Jefferson appeared in control of Game 1. The home team held a 4-2 lead after the fifth inning, thanks in part to a Kennedy Dighton solo home run, and RBIs by Liv Erickson and Avery Guy.

As the afternoon wore into evening, Prairie seemed determined to play the role of spoiler of the J-Hawks' home opener with a four-run sixth to tie the game at 6-all.

That score would hold through the home half of the sixth, where Jefferson went down in order; the seventh, where the J-Hawks threatened; and the eighth, where Prairie went down in order and Jefferson nearly did the same.

In the bottom of the ninth, the J-Hawks put two on the bases with a single and a squeeze play, and pushed the runners over on an Avery Guy sacrifice bunt.

Erickson, not done slugging for the day, followed by punching a one-out, walk-off double out of the infield for the win.