The No. 2 ranked Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team opened their run in the Class 2A District 9 Tournament Wednesday with a methodical 10-0 win over the Wilton Beavers in five innings at Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman. The Golden Hawks left nothing to chance, taking control of the contest from the opening pitch, as they turned to ace Collin Miller on the mound. Offensively, Mid-Prairie scored in every inning on the night. Brady Weber’s first frame RBI single drove in Alex Bean to get the Hawks on the board at 1-0. Two went on the board in the second when Bean delivered a two out, two RBI single to bring in Cain Brown and Miller to make it 3-0. In the third, a Camron Pickard bases loaded walk brought in Gentry Bontrager and Brown’s sac fly scored Joe Hall to make it 5-0. The big inning was the fourth. Seven total hitters saw the plate. Mid-Prairie started the stanza with a Bean walk and singles by Weber and Dylan Henry. Brock Harland had a base hit to score a run, then Joe Hall torched a triple to deep left field, bringing two in, and then crossed home plate himself on the same play on a throwing error to make it 9-0. The game ended in the fifth when Henry connected on a base hit through the box to drive in Karson Grout. After the game, Golden Hawk batterymates Miller and Harland, and Mid-Prairie DH Hall, talked about the performance on the mound, in the field and at the plate.
Miller said, “Throw strikes, tight zone tonight, we worked it out. Knew we had to let them put it in play. Our defense is great. (Runs) are always great to have early in the game. They get you going, let’s you know you have a backstop. It’s okay if they get a run. We hit the ball great tonight. Hitting we dominate fastball, that’s our main plan. If we need to when we get to two strikes, we see the curveball and we put it in play. Don’t get beat looking.”
Harland added, “Our plan really was to attack their hitters tonight. We have a great defense. We’ll get outs. It’s great to pitch with the lead. Working behind the plate especially it’s easier with what you’re calling and what you’re working there. Collin is a great pitcher. He always hits spots. Coach Mullet always tells us, ‘hit the fastball and everything else from there will go well.”
Hall said, “We really just wanted to hit the ball hard and find gaps. I got down 0-2, I was forced to go into my two strike approach and got ahold of one. I punched it out there, didn’t think it was going to go very far. Felt like I was out in front of it. Then I saw it get down and thought, ‘I think I can get three on this ball’. I reached third and saw the overthrow and thought ‘that’s my chance, I can get four and put up another run.'”
In total, the Hawks had 12 hits on the night. Eight of the nine in the starting lineup had a hit. Seven of the nine drove in a run and seven of the nine scored. Weber finished with three hits, Henry had two. Hall drove in three and scored twice. Bean had a pair of RBI and two runs scored. Miller recorded the win on the mound, working all five frames. The senior stymied the Beaver bats all night, surrendering just two hits and not allowing a runner beyond second base, while striking out seven. The win moves Mid-Prairie to 26-6 as Wilton ends the year 12-18. The Golden Hawks will face Durant Saturday for the Class 2A, District 9 title, after the Wildcats defeated West Liberty 6-1 in Wellman Wednesday. Mid-Prairie swept Durant in three games this season. You can hear all of the action between the Hawks and the ‘Cats live Saturday night from Paul N. Bailey Field in Wellman, beginning with the Jessica Yoder and Sarah Bigley with Lepic Craiger Realtors Pregame Show at 6:30 and first pitch at 7p.m. on AM 1380, FM 102.5 and KCIIradio.com.