The No. 8 ranked Mid-Prairie baseball team scored a measure of revenge Thursday at West Branch in a 9-1 pounding of the Bears. The game served as some payback for Mid-Prairie who saw their season come to an end last year in the playoffs at the hands of the Bears.

The Hawks took control of the game early with two runs in the first on an infield hit, walk and a West Branch throwing error. The Hawks would double the lead to 4-0 in the second when Aidan Rath, this week’s JET Physical Therapy Athlete of the Week delivered a two out, two RBI single on an 0-2 count that scored Chris Miller and Keegan Gingerich. The Golden Hawk offense would score three times in the fifth when Aidan Rath, Karson Grout and Monte Slabaugh all came home on RBI contact from Slabaugh and Will Cavanagh. The Hawks would score single tallies in the sixth and seven innings. In the sixth Kayden Reinier drove in Cain Brown on a sacrifice fly and in the final frame Brody Miller delivered a single in the pinch to score Cavanagh.

Rath finished with two hits and two driven in. Slabaugh and Tornow also had two hits. On the hill,  Tornow continued his dominance on the road at West Branch throwing six and a third innings, striking out 10, allowing just one run and scattering four hits to improve his record to 4-0 on the year. It’s his second straight win at the Bears home field where he has worked 13 innings in the last two seasons allowing just one run and striking out 22. With the victory, the Golden Hawks have won six of seven games and are now 8-3 on the year as they host Wilton Friday.