The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk softball team came up short in both ends of a doubleheader Monday at No. 14 West Liberty. The Comets took the River Valley Conference twin bill by scores of 4-2 and 12-2. In game one, the Hawks hung tough, but were one or two timely plays short of scoring the upset. Mid-Prairie got on the board first when Dakota Mitchell walked and moved to third before Kadence Grout singled her in with two down to make it 1-0. West Liberty got their own two out RBI hit in the bottom half when Mallory Wulf singled in Brynn Cassady to draw even at one. The Comets got their big inning in the second, scoring three times on four hits, West Liberty jumped out 4-1. In the third, the Golden Hawks cashed in a Comet error for an unearned run when Sophie Miller reached with two away and Grout delivered another two out RBI knock to bring Mid-Prairie within 4-2. That was as close as the Hawks would get the rest of the night, despite putting a runner on with a Mitchell single in the fifth and two on with a Morgyn Bender base hit and Mitchell walk in the seventh.

The Comets out hit the Hawks 6-5. Kiley Daufeldt got the win, working all seven, allowing five hits, one earned run and striking out eight with two walks. Grout shouldered the loss, with six frames of eight hit ball, giving up three earned runs with one walk and one strikeout each. She drove in both of the Hawks runs and was the only Mid-Prairie player with a multi-hit night. Sully Hall and Mallory Wulf drove in West Liberty’s runs.

In the nightcap, the Comets rolled to a 12-2 win in a shortened six innings. West Liberty went up with a pair in the first, Mid-Prairie came back with one in the second only to see the Comets score eight total over the second, third, fourth and fifth innings before finishing the contest early with a two spot in the sixth as they pounded out 12 hits. Mallory Wulf drove in four and got the win in the circle, giving up eight hits, two runs and striking out three. The split moves the Hawks to 6-13 as West Liberty holds at 13-5. Mid-Prairie is back on the diamond Thursday with an RVC trip to West Branch.