The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team resumes play after their holiday break when they host the Tipton Tigers for a doubleheader tonight at Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman. Mid-Prairie is out to a 5-2 start, winners of three straight after victories over Bettendorf, No. 4 Williamsburg and West Branch to close the week. In their last contest the Hawks took down the Bears on the road 10-2 Saturday morning. According to the latest poll issued this week by Radio Iowa, the Golden Hawks have taken over the top spot in Class 2A, the first time they have been ranked No. 1 since winning the 2004 state championship. The Hawks are hitting .257 as a team with 47 hits and 37 runs scored. Karson Grout is at .391 to lead the way with a team best nine hits and eight runs scored. Alex Bean has driven in a team high eight. On the mound, Mid-Prairie has a team ERA of 3.06 with an opponent batting average of .237, giving up 44 hits, 21 earned runs, 23 walks and striking out 55. Bean, Brock Harland, Collin Miller, Carson Pence and Dylan Henry all have wins on the hill.

Tipton is 1-3 this year with a trio of losses to Iowa City Regina and a 16-6 win over Durant. The Tigers are hitting .202 as a group with 23 runs on 20 hits. Ian Spangler is at a team high .365 with four hits and five runs scored. Davis Webb has driven in a Tiger best seven runs. On the mound, Tipton has a team ERA of 8.22 in 23 innings with a .182 opponent batting average against 25 hits, 36 runs, 33 walks and 30 strikeouts. Webb is 1-1 with a 2.42 ERA. Mid-Prairie has won 21 of the last 28 in the series including four in a row with 10-0 and 8-0 wins a season ago. Action starts tonight at 5p.m. at Paul N Bailey Field in Wellman.