Photo Courtesy of Jeff Yoder

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team collected a pair of key wins in the River Valley Conference Race Monday, sweeping visiting West Liberty at Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman. The No. 2 in Class 2A Golden Hawks entered the night at 10-1 in league play, with the Comets just a half game behind at 10-2. Mid-Prairie took game one 3-2. West Liberty moved in front first with a pair of third inning runs. The Golden Hawks countered in the home half with three tallies of their own, and would make that stand up the rest of the way. Collin Miller went the distance on the mound, allowing five hits, two earned runs, walking one and striking out nine. He also drove in a pair at the plate. Dylan Henry had an RBI. Alex Bean had two hits and a run scored. Brady Weber and Gentry Bontrager also crossed home plate.

The nightcap also went Mid-Prairie’s way 6-3. The Golden Hawks got one in the first and added two more in the third to lead 3-0. West Liberty got on the board with a single run in the fourth. It was more two more Golden Hawk tallies in the bottom half to make it 5-1. The Comets got within 5-3 in the fifth. Mid-Prairie pushed across one more insurance run in the home half and finished the win. Karson Grout had a multi-hit game, including a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. Landry Gingerich finished with a pair of singles and an RBI. Cain Brown and Bean also drove in one each. Brady Weber was the winning pitcher, going four frames, allowing one hit, one earned run, four walks and five Ks. Brown recorded the save, striking out the side in the seventh. With the sweep, Mid-Prairie is now 17-6 on the year, 12-1 in conference, two and a half games in front in the RVC race. They have won five straight. Mid-Prairie takes on Fairfield tonight at Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman. You can hear all of the action live on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Jessica Yoder and Sarah Bigley with Lepic Kroeger Realtors Pregame Show at 6:30 and first pitch at 7p.m.