It’s been a streaky year. Start 1-1. Win six straight. Lose four straight. Facing off against Wilton for the third time in four games, Mid-Prairie looked for revenge against the number four ranked Wilton Beavers who beat the Hawks 4-2 and 11-6 within their four-game skid.

Revenge is exactly what the Hawks enacted on their home diamond, winning 3-2 in a tightly contested heavyweight bout.

The teams went back and forth through four innings, a Wilton home run by senior Hayley Madlock in the top of the fourth gave Wilton the slight 2-1 edge. But Mid-Prairie did not falter. 

In a bottom-of-the-fourth rally, eighth grader Olivia Swartzendruber capitalized with a two RBI single that gave the Hawks their permanent 3-2 lead. Rounding home was sophomore Sophie Miller who led off the inning with a single and junior Hannah Sellers who ripped a single up the middle. 

Senior Madeline Schrader laid down a successful sacrifice bunt with one out, almost reaching first herself. Swartzendruber needed just one pitch for her two RBI single.

As an eighth grader, Swartzendruber is taking it all in and learning as much as she can with the leadership on the team, playing second base, a very tough position.

“[Olivia] came in very raw into the program and has worked extremely hard to catch up and to develop the skills that she needs to have as a varsity starter at second base, in a critical position for us,” head coach Amy Hartsock-Williams said. “Her mind is full and for her to be able to focus and make plays time after time [is] a testament to what strong character she has and what a good, natural athlete she is.”

After the fourth, everyone was holding their breath. Sophomore Sydney Knebel shut things down on the mound but started the fifth with a misjudgment after a forced weak ground out. Sophomore Brenna Jehle came in from third to collect the ball and deliver a strike to first base to stop the Wilton runner, helping her pitcher.

The next batter flew out to deep center field, seeing Schrader leap in the air, maintaining possession of the ball. Knebel would receive redemption with a ground out she corralled to end the top of the fifth.

Things are still tense in the top of the sixth. Wilton can explode at any moment. They start with a deep flyout to senior Molly Yoder in right field who covered a great distance to track down the ball. The next Wilton batter popped up foul towards the Mid-Prairie dugout. Both Jehle and Mid-Prairie’s catcher Miller tracked down the ball, the two lightly colliding with Miller tightly holding onto the ball for the second out.

Wilton’s Madlock once again threatened with a deep shot to center, just over Schrader’s head. Here it is, the tying run is on base. Luckily for Mid-Prairie, Knebel had the rest of the batters’ names, forcing a ground out to end the inning.

Mid-Prairie went three up, three down in the bottom of the sixth and Hartsock-Williams had flashbacks of a previous game against Wilton.

“Last year, same thing. We had them down in the seventh inning and we were at their place,” Hartsock-Williams recalled. “They came back in that seventh inning, and they got us even though we were up. We just did not want to repeat that, we wanted to turn the page and be able to finish a game against a really good, ranked team.”

Wilton started the seventh with an error, not so kindly awarded to Jehle at third base. Miller went airborne to catch a foul ball behind the plate for the first out, but a runner was still threatening on first base.

A ground out to Knebel was their chance at a double play to end it. Knebel turned and fired to sophomore Dakota Mitchell covering second base. Mitchell got the out and turned her body to fire a shot to first base. The Wilton runner just beat the throw, continuing the inning to the displeasure of the Mid-Prairie dugout who were at the edges of their seats. But with a sigh of relief, a shallow fly ball was struck to right field with Yoder securing the out, and the win.

The Hawks were golden in many facets of play in this one. Their bats were selective and timely, and their defense was top-notched. 

Miller behind the plate caught a runner attempting to steal in the third to keep things tied at one.

“Sophie’s a talent behind the plate. She is only a freshman, but we constantly forget that she’s a freshman because of her play,” Hartsock-Williams said. “She has great tools. She’s got an arm, she’s quick and she’s very smart. She has good game IQ, and she makes our pitchers feel very comfortable so that they can just go for it, [Sophie’s] a wall back there.”

Sellers hit a ball to deep center that likely would’ve been a double or triple if not for the hustle of the Wilton defense.

Even in the very first inning, Mitchell’s speed got the infield single. Jehle laid down a successful sacrifice bunt and Mitchell took advantage of many Wilton woes, three bad infield throws allowed Mitchell to not just advance to second or third, but round the bases and score.

This game was a very good one to get the season back on track, a way to find and build momentum for the near future.

Mid-Prairie @ Regina doubleheader 6/12

Unfortunately, Mid-Prairie would not carry their success into their next two games, losing 6-5 and 4-2 against the Regina Regals on Monday, June 12. Regina, a formidable foe, hoisted a 10-4 record entering the doubleheader and were a tough challenge for the Golden Hawks.

Mid-Prairie held a 4-0 lead, eventually a 5-0 lead after the top of the sixth inning of game one before the Regals came clawing back into it, scoring two in the bottom of the sixth and four to gain the walk off win in the seventh. 

Regina’s hot bats would continue into game two, starting off with a two-run homerun to take a 2-1 lead into the second inning, never looking back. 

Mitchell led off the seventh inning of game two, battling before making way onto base. Jehle, Miller and Knebel each followed with outs, leaving the tying run at the plate, unable to create a comeback win of their own.

With the losses, the Hawks drop to 8-7. They’ll get another go at the West Branch Bears on Wednesday, June 14 before participating in the Dodger Invite tournament on Friday, June 16 and Saturday, June 17.