The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team will open the season tonight at Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman.

The Golden Hawks welcome the Durant Wildcats to town to open River Valley Conference play with a doubleheader.

Mid-Prairie was 13-13 overall a season ago and 7-11 in the RVC, good for fifth in the south division. The Golden Hawks best stretch last year came mid-June through the end of the regular season when they won 11 of 15 games.  The Mid-Prairie offense was patient a season ago, finishing second in the conference in on base percentage, while posting only 120 strike outs as a team, fewest in the conference. On the mound Mid-Prairie’s team ERA of 4.67 was fourth best in the conference while their opponent batting average allowed of just .213 was second in the RVC.

Individually at the plate, Derek Rich led the way for the Hawks last year, hitting .393, he was fourth in the conference with his 24 RBI, and sixth with 35 total hits. Mid-Prairie also returns Karson Gingerich and his .303 average. He was second on the team with 23 hits, and an on base percentage of .459. On the hill Mid-Prairie returns their one two punch of Rich and Adam Schrock. Schrock led Mid-Prairie with a 2.08 ERA last year, eighth in the RVC. Rich was ninth at 2.23. Rich finished the year with a 3-0 record, Schrock was 5-1. Rich was sixth in the conference with 55 punch outs. The two combined for an opponent batting average of just .220.

Durant was 15-15 overall a year ago, The Wildcats were 9-9 in conference, finishing in fourth place in the south. Durant scored the second fewest runs in the conference last year, just 118, but it wasn’t for lack of chances, the Wildcats team average of .284 was second best. On the mound Durant’s team ERA of 2.36 was second best in the conference, their opposition batting average allowed of .218 was third best. Durant returns top hitters Brandon Dykes and Jake Conley who hit .404 and .400 last year respectively, fourth and fifth best in the conference.  Dykes was also the top Wildcat on the mound with a 4-0 record overall. His ERA of 1.24 was fourth best in the conference. Opponents hit just .181 against Dykes.

Last year these two teams split their pair of games with the Golden Hawks winning the first 8-4 and Durant taking the second game 6-1. You can hear all of the action tonight live from Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman with the Washington HyVee pregame show on the air at 5PM and first pitch of game one at 5:30 with game two to follow on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com.