It’s River Valley Conference baseball and softball on the road Thursday night for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks when they travel to West Liberty. The Golden Hawk baseball team is 9-4 on the year, 5-3 in the RVC, and trying to end a three-game-losing-streak this week which includes a sweep at the hands of these Comets on Monday in Wellman and a 9-4 Wednesday loss at Solon. Mid-Prairie is ranked No. 9 in Class 2A in this week’s poll from the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association. On the season, The Hawks are hitting .289 as a group with a .416OBP and .407 slug, scoring 101 runs on 103 hits with 83RBI, 64 walks and 78 strikeouts. Three Golden Hawks are at .300 or better, led by Brooks Weber at .463 with 19 total hits, and 14 runs scored. Tatem Telfer has the team lead with 13 driven in. On the mound, the Mid-Prairie staff ERA is 2.98 with a 1.37WHIP, .197 opponent average with 64 hits, 37 earned runs, 55 walks and 112 strikeouts. Brady Weber and Telfer are a combined 6-0 with a 0.87ERA.

West Liberty is 9-7 on the year, 5-5 in conference, and red-hot winners of nine-in-a-row, taking down Louisa-Muscatine at home 9-0 Wednesday. This year, the Comets hit .249 collectively, with a .397OBP and .338 slug on 93 runs, 99 hits, 66RBI, 92 walks and 97 strikeouts. Individually, three are at .300 or better, led by Bryson Garcia’s .400 at the plate, Ryker Dengler has 17 hits, Ryan Cassady 14 runs and Jake Underbakke-Hennessy 13RBI. On the mound, the West Liberty team ERA is three with a 1.40WHIP on a .223 opponent average with 85 hits, 42 earned runs, 52 walks and 82 strikeouts. Cassady and Seth Axsom are a combined 4-0 with a 3.20ERA. Mid-Prairie has won 32 of the last 40 in the series, but West Liberty swept a doubleheader in Wellman Monday 7-6 and 3-2.

In the girls contest, Mid-Prairie enters 4-4 on the year and 2-1 in the River Valley after a 13-0 loss to these Comets Monday Kalona in five innings. The Hawks have dropped three straight. On the year, they’re hitting .329 as a team with a .433OBP and .429 slug with 68 runs on 76 hits, 60RBI, 37 walks and 36 strikeouts. Individually, Kadence Grout leads with a .483 average on 14 hits and 14RBI. Claire Trimpe has scored 12 times. In the circle, Grout, Alena Snider and Naomi Wadsworth have a combined 7.82ERA and 2.38WHIP with a .316 average against on 72 hits, 54 earned runs, 43 walks and 23 strikeouts.

West Liberty is 5-2 overall and 3-2 in conference, winners of back-to-back games including Monday in Kalona. The Comets are ranked No. 10 in Class 3A in the latest poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. This season they are hitting .403 as a lineup with a .493OBP and .641 slug with 66 runs on 73 hits, 57RBI, 27 walks and 23 strikeouts. Six are at .400 or better led by Pearson Hall’s .636 with 14 hits and 16RBI. Sully Hall has scored 14 times. In the circle, Mallory Wulf, Charlie Howard and Kylee Daufeldt have a 3.23ERA together and a 1.64WHIP with a .239 opponent average on 38 hits, 18 earned runs, 26 walks and 25 strikeouts. With Monday’s win, West Liberty has taken 21 of the last 22 in the series. You can hear all of the softball action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com beginning with the Golden Hawk pregame show at 6:30p.m. And first pitch at seven from West Liberty.