*THIS GAME HAS BEEN POSTPONED*

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk softball team gets the 2024 season underway tonight with a clash against the Keokuk Chiefs. Mid-Prairie was 16-21 overall a year ago, 11-4, third place in the River Valley South. They hit .327 as a team with a .396OBP and .430 slug with 187 runs scored on 316 hits with 172 RBI. Their total hits and average ranked in the top 10 of Class 3A.In the circle they had a collective four ERA with a 1.52 WHIP, .299 opponent batting average and 138 strikeouts. They had five All-River Valley Conference selections last season with Dakota Mitchell, Brenna Jehle and Sophie Miller returning. Mitchell led the team individually with a .439 average that included 50 total hits and 32 runs scored. The Golden Hawks top pitcher and RBI bat, Sydney Knebel, will miss the season due to injury, turning things over to Kadence Grout who threw 67 innings in the circle last year with a 5.43 ERA and 17Ks.

Keokuk was 5-24 last year, 3-11, fifth in the Southeast Conference. The Chiefs hit .298 as a team a season ago with a .353OBP, 196 total hits and 115 runs scored with 97 RBI. Their total runs, hits, RBI, and walks numbers ranked in the bottom 10 of Class 4A. They were led at the plate by freshman Brylee Balentine with a .388 average on 33 hits with 21 runs scored. Sophomore Ada Wood was best with 17 driven in. In the circle, the Chiefs had a 9.58 staff ERA with a 2.62 WHIP, .330 opponent average and 81 strikeouts. Their opponent average, total hits given up, runs allowed, earned runs allowed, ERA and WHIP numbers all ranked in the bottom five of 4A last year. Their pitching leader was sophomore Gracie Thompson with a 2-5 record, .316 opponent average, 161 hits allowed, 107 earned runs, 47 walks and an 8.45ERA. This week, Golden Hawk head coach Amy Hartsock-Williams joined KCII Sports to talk about what has her most excited for the upcoming season.

She said, “Our batting averages last year were up. They’re really starting to get their form down, make better contact. They were really starting to make better contact last year. After seeing them this year in the cages, they’re even further along this year. We’ll see if they can put the ball in play a little harder and more consistently this year. We have a great defense, we have two girls back in the middle of the infield and a corner back with Brenna (Jehle) at third, Gabi (Robertson) in the outfield, Sophie (Miller) behind the plate. Kadence Grout has made great strides with her pitching. I’m excited for all the returning knowledge and confident players.”

These teams met last year, with the Hawks taking a 12-8 win, led by a three for four night for Mitchell with three runs scored and a pair of RBI for Olivia Swartzentruber. You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Golden Hawk softball pregame show at 6:30 and first pitch at 7p.m. from Carr, Vincent, Gould Field in Kalona.