The No. 2 in Class 2A Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team put things together late to score a 6-4 win over Class 4A Davenport West in their 2023 season opener Monday. In front of a packed crowd at newly renovated Paul N. Bailey Field, Golden Hawk starter Collin Miller came out firing, sitting down the first nine in order, seven of those on strikes, including the first five men of the game. Offensively, the Golden Hawks had traffic early, stranding the bases loaded in the first and leaving two more in the third. The Falcons broke the scoreless tie in the fourth, plating three, with a two-RBI single from Brent Haines that chased home Caden Schaeffer and Brady Hanson, and a sac fly from Jaylon Green that scored Kamryn Kimball.
The Golden Hawks answered in the fifth with two runs on a one out rally. Camron Pickard drew a walk, Karson Grout doubled to right center and Alex Bean paid it off with a two RBI single to pull Mid-Prairie within one. In the sixth, the Golden Hawks took the lead as Falcon reliever Damon Dallhauser found trouble, walking Carson Pence, then Blake Swart reached on an error. Pickard tied the game on his next swing, an RBI looper to left. With the game even at three, Karson Grout strode to the plate and smashed a mammoth three run shot, deep into the night and out of Bailey Field, to put the Hawks on top for good 6-3. Pence recorded the final three outs to secure his first ever varsity win, not without some drama, as the Falcons got one run and left the tying runs aboard in the seventh. After the game, the two C/Karsons, talked about their roles in the win, Pence with his pitching and Grout with his bat. Pence said, “I was super nervous, this is my varsity debut. I am super pumped to be out here. Once I got in the groove, I got in the groove. My fastball was working well. The first inning was better. I had more control, was throwing a little harder. We got the win and that’s all that matters. When (the last pitch) left my hands I was like ‘oh my gosh, that’s my pitch right there!’ It comes in and he just watches it. I was so happy!”
Grout added, “I got the perfect pitch, right down the middle. I just put a good swing on it and I knew it was gone right away. My first thought was ‘Heck Yes!’ I was just fired up! Give my team the lead, give us a chance of winning.”
The Hawks finished with six runs on five hits and played error free baseball. Grout was two for four with three driven in, scoring twice. Bean went one for three with a pair driven in. Pickard had a hit, an RBI and scored twice, Brock Harland also collected a hit and Swart and Pence each scored once. Mid-Prairie pitching finished with 10 strikeouts, nine from Miller the starter. Pence went two innings in relief to record the win. The Golden Hawks now stand at 1-0 on the year and travel to Johnston Tuesday to meet the No. 3 in Class 4A Dragons.