The No. 14 in Class 2A Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk baseball team finished out this week’s series with the Tipton Tigers winner a road River Valley Conference rubber-match 13-3. The two teams played to a doubleheader split Monday in Wellman. The Golden Hawks started hot at the plate Thursday, scoring in each of their first four at bats, one in the first, two in the second, and one more in the third, before exploding for a six-spot in the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate. They would tack on some late insurance with three more runs in the seventh. Tipton plated two in the first, to take an early 2-1 lead, but the Hawks would score the next nine.

Eight of the nine in the Golden Hawk order had a hit, seven of the nine scored a run and six of the nine had an RBI. Brooks Weber got the job done at the plate, driving in four on three hits, including a triple. He was also the winner on the mound, working the first three innings, allowing four hits, two runs, walking four and striking out five. He spoke on the KCII postgame show about his night pitching and batting.

Weber said, “I was just trying to throw strikes. We have a great defense, I was trying to let them put the ball in play and have our defense work behind me. For us it was about putting the ball in play and putting great swings on it. We’re just trying to put the ball low and hard through the infield with good barrels on the ball. Tonight was a good night for all of us because we had been struggling hitting. I was happy to see everyone do well at the plate. My triple was my best barrel of the night. It felt great coming off the bat!”

Landry Gingerich went the final four on the hill for the Hawks, striking out three. Tatem Telfer added four hits for the Mid-Prairie offense with a pair driven in, Brady Weber and Jason Heitman each had two hits and an RBI. Conner Wiles scored three times. The Golden Hawks are now 4-1 on the year and 2-1 in conference as they gear up for a rivalry game with Williamsburg Friday in Wellman.