Jeff Johnson

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s baseball team, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, went into Friday’s home double-header against Cedar Rapids Xavier with a 1.44 team earned run average. The Hawks hadn’t allowed more than three runs in their first 18 games. They swept 3A No. 4 Xavier, 12-2, in six innings and 7-4.

The University of Lynchburg overcame losing Thursday’s first game at the NCAA Division III National Championship and a 4-0 deficit after a half-inning to beat Johns Hopkins, 7-6, and win the school’s first national baseball title.

Paul Molitor is a Baseball Hall of Famer, a former World Series champion and MVP, a guy who collected over 3,300 hits in 21 major league seasons. Despite being let go as manager of the Minnesota Twins five years ago, he still works for the Minnesota Twins and made a recent visit to Veterans Memorial Stadium to observe and teach Cedar Rapids Kernels players.

Lynchburg University of Virginia beat East Texas Baptist, 7-1, Monday afternoon at the NCAA Division III College World Series at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Hornets are making their first trip to the CWS a memorable one. They are 3-0 at the tournament and have qualified for the best-of-3 championship series.

The University of Iowa baseball team tied the school record for victories with 44. Its season concluded with a NCAA tournament regional loss Sunday night to Indiana State, but the potential return of many standout players means the Hawkeyes could be just as good, if not better, in 2023-24.

The University of Iowa baseball team won an elimination game at its NCAA baseball tournament regional Sunday afternoon in 13 innings over North Carolina. But the Hawkeye season came to an end Sunday night with an 11-8 loss to Indiana State.

Forward Cade Littler was a first-round Phase I draft pick of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders way back in 2020. Circumstances dictated he play elsewhere for three years, but the Calgary Flames draft pick participated in main tryout camp this weekend and is ready to make a big impact for the Riders in 2023-24.

The University of Iowa baseball team was able to stave off a ninth-inning rally from North Carolina in the teams’ first-round game at a NCAA regional in Terre Haute, Ind. to win 5-4. But the Hawkeyes weren’t so fortunate Saturday night, as Indiana State scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 7-4 win.

The Iowa baseball team jumped to an immediate lead in an NCAA baseball regional first-round game Friday night against North Carolina. The Hawkeyes spread out the lead late, only to have to make some plays and pitches in the ninth inning to notch a 5-4 lead.

Baseball players are a superstitious lot. A player from Baldwin Wallace University meticulously lined up every one of his team’s aluminum bats next to its dugout prior to its NCAA Division III College World Series game Friday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The pregame seance, if you will, worked great, as Baldwin Wallace beat Endicott, 13-9.

The eight-team, double-elimination NCAA Division III College World Series begins Friday morning at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids. The is the fourth and final year Cedar Rapids will host the event, which runs through next week.

The University of Iowa baseball team is a second seed at an NCAA tournament weekend regional at Terre Haute, Ind. The Hawkeyes play Friday night against third-seeded North Carolina in a first-round game. Indiana State and Wright State also are participating.

Kyle Knock has been named the new varsity head football coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie. Knock played at Iowa State University and has 19 years experience as an assistant prep coach, including 17 at Cedar Rapids Kennedy, his alma mater.

The Iowa baseball team received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament Monday, assigned to a four-team regional played at Terre Haute, Ind. The Hawkeyes are the regional’s No. 2 seed and will play third-seeded North Carolina in an opening game Friday afternoon.

The University of Iowa baseball team lost to Maryland, 4-0, Sunday afternoon in the Big Ten Conference Baseball Tournament championship game. With a 42-14 record, the Hawkeyes still should be headed to the NCAA tournament.