Dance with the girl that brought you. The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team followed that advice Tuesday, using the same formula that helped them clinch a bid to the Class 2A State Tournament this year, in a 3-2 win over River Valley Conference rival and No. 3 ranked Cascade in the State quartefinals in Carroll. As they had in all of their previous playoff victories in 2022, the Hawks scored early and left control down the stretch up to their pitching and defense to make the lead stand up. After a scoreless first frame for both sides, the Golden Hawk sticks went to work in the second against Cougar starter Jack Carr and his second best in 2A eight wins. Tyler Helmuth led off the frame with a triple to deep center, followed by a Dylan Henry base hit. Brock Harland laid down a safety squeeze to drive in Helmuth and Collin Miller roped a single to right to bring in Henry. The Hawks would add another in the third with Cain Brown singling and stealing second ahead of an RBI knock from Alex Bean to make it 3-0.

With the lead, Collin Miller went to work. The Mid-Prairie junior has been dynamic in the postseason and Tuesday was no different, holding the Cougars scoreless through the first five innings, while striking out 10. Including that portion of his work in quarterfinals, Miller had given up just two earned runs during 17 postseason frames while striking out 33 hitters. He scattered three hits through the first five on Tuesday. The Cougars started their comeback attempt in the sixth, scoring twice with a walk, single and a fielder’s choice to start the frame, with Tanner Simon coming home on a wild pitch to make it 3-1 and Cooper Hummel’s sac fly to deep left pulling Cascade within one as Mick Hoffman scored. Miller was able to put out the fire with a fly ball to right from Ty Frasher, leaving Mid-Prairie up 3-2 going to the seventh. Down to the final three outs, Cascade put the first two on base with a walk and a single. Brown came on in relief and was able to pick-off potential winning run Justin Rolling from first base and then slam the door with back-to-back fly ball outs. After the game, Brown spoke about the save and Bean and Helmuth about the offense. Brown said, “I came in and got that pick-off. Then I started to settle in and try to throw strikes and I got them to fly out a few times.”

Harland laid out the approach at the plate, “Hitting that fastball before you get too deep in the count, or behind in the count. Working ahead and situational hitting too. Laying down a bunt if you need to. Moving runners over. Doing your job.”

Helmuth said, “For me, swing hard and barrel the ball up and that’s what we did today.”

Bean said, “We’re looking fastball. We’re looking for one to hit and when we get that pitch, we’re going to jump on it and hit it hard.”

The Golden Hawks registered 10 hits as a team against a Cascade staff that had given up the third fewest in 2A this year. Mid-Prairie’s three runs came against the second stingiest staff in the state. Brown, Bean, Helmuth and Henry all had two hits. Bean and Harland an RBI each. Miller won his third straight playoff game going six frames and allowing two runs. With the win, Mid-Prairie is now 19-10 on the year and avenges a 3-0 loss to Cascade during the regular season. It moves Mid-Prairie to the state semifinals for the first time since 2007, where they will meet No. 2 ranked Estherville Lincoln Central who was a 5-1 winner over Interstate 35 on Tuesday. You can hear all of the action between the Golden Hawks and Midgets on all KCII signals and platforms Thursday live from Merchant’s Park in Carroll, beginning with the Washington HyVee Pregame Show at 4p.m. and first pitch at 4:30.