The One to Count On...

After splitting in the regular season, the Golden Hawks left little to chance Friday in a regional quarterfinal match up with West Liberty cruising to a 12-1 win. In a game heard on KCII, Mid-Prairie jumped on top early with single tallies in the first and second using RBI hits from Mariah Swartzendruber and Rachel Miller to build a 2-0 lead. The Comets would cut the lead in half with a single run in the second inning, from there it was all Golden Hawks. In the circle Olivia Lugar sat down 10 consecutive batters while her offense heated up. Mid-Prairie pushed across four runs in the fourth to blow things open, with RBI hits from Lugar, Emmie Leinen, Kaitlin Kaalberg and an RBI double from Hannah Miller. The Golden Hawks would score once more in the fifth and four times in the 7th. Lugar recorded the win, going the distance, striking out four surrendering just four hits. At the plate, the Golden Hawks were led by Rachel Miller who was 4-4, a homer shy of the cycle and drove in two, Leinen went three for four with two runs scored and two driven in while Mallory McArtor was two for three with three runs scored. With the win Mid-Prairie advances to the regional semifinals to face #9 Mediapolis in Mediapolis Monday. MEPO was a 5-4 winner over West Branch Friday.