DUBUQUE – Nate Even rode the wave Friday – almost to a cycle.

Even’s three-hit performance helped Class 4A No. 9 Xavier to a 12-3 win over Dubuque Wahlert in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Petrakis Park.

The Class 3A No. 3 Golden Eagles (28-9, 19-7 MVC) avenged the opening defeat with a 13-2, five-inning rout of the Saints in the nightcap. Friday marked the final night of the regular season in the MVC.

The split left both teams in second place in their respective divisions. Xavier (25-9, 18-8) came into the night tied with Iowa City West for the Valley Division lead, but the Trojans swept Cedar Falls to finish one game ahead of the Saints. Wahlert entered the night one game behind Kennedy in the Mississippi Division and the Cougars swept Waterloo West, dropping the Golden Eagles two games back in the final standings.

Even laced a single, double and a solo home run to spark Xavier’s 11-hit attack, and pitcher Mack Mattke scattered seven hits in a complete-game victory in the opener.

“I just felt good at the plate,” Even said. “I just kept my weight back. I didn’t realize (the possibility of a cycle) until after the double.”

Even’s double came in the seventh inning, too late for another at-bat and a chance at the cycle.

Xavier stayed patient at the plate in the opener. The Saints scored five runs in the second inning, three of which coming via walks.

Even and Mattke both had RBI singles, as Xavier staked a 5-0 lead.

Xavier added two runs in the sixth and four in the seventh for insurance.

Blake Helms went 3-for-4 with three runs scored in the opener. Corbin Woods collected two hits and three RBIs.

“Hitting is contagious,” Xavier Coach Dave Schemmel said. “We just got it going.”

In Game 2, Wahlert jumped on top early and breezed to a five-inning win.

The Golden Eagles pounded out 10 hits on Xavier pitchers Woods and Tyler Hines. Wahlert pitcher Brady Schetgen tossed a one-hitter and struck out six to pick up the abbreviated victory.

“It’s all pitching,” Schemmel said. “If you don’t get outs, you can’t win these games. You can’t beat good ballclubs that way, and Wahlert is a good ballclub.”

Schemmel thought the Saints were a bit too selective in the nightcap.

“We took too many pitches. That was the difference in the second game,” Schemmel said.

Wahlert ended the game in the bottom of the fifth on J.J. Reimer’s two-run homer over the right-centerfield wall.

Reimer drove in three runs for Wahlert. Jack Hoffmann and Zach Brautigam turned in two-hit performances, respectively, in Game 2 for the Golden Eagles.

“We didn’t hit very well in the second game,” Even said. “As a team, we have to hit better.”

Xavier needed to sweep Wahlert to assure itself of at least a share of the Valley Division title. The Saints had mixed emotions on the importance of a regular-season crown.

“If you look at past history, the years we’ve won a division title we haven’t gone to state,” Schemmel said. “The years we haven’t won a division title, we went to state. The whole thing right now is getting ready for the tournament.”

Even agreed with his coach.

“You always want to win, that’s the goal. But, state matters more than any division title,” Even said.


Game 1

XAVIER (12)
Helms, ss, 4 3 3 1, Woods, 3b, 4 2 2 3, Even, 2b, 5 2 3 2, Mattke, p, 4 0 1 2, Ries, cf, 5 0 1 1, Mehring, lf, 3 1 0 0, Hosch, 1b, 3 1 0 0, Zenisek, rf, 3 1 0 0, Brecht, c, 3 0 1 1, Sodawasser, pr, 0 0 0 0, Tipton, pr, 0 2 0 0. Totals 34 12 11 10.

WAHLERT (3)
McCarron, ss, 3 1 2 0, Funke 3 1 1 0, Reimer, c, 4 0 0 0, Hoffmann, 3b, 4 1 1 1, Brautigam, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Weber, dh, 3 0 1 0, Denlinger, cf, 3 0 1 1, Kann, rf-p, 2 0 1 0, Dietzel, lf-rf, 2 0 0 0, Williams, ph, 1 0 0 0, Sabers, pr, 0 0 0 0. Totals 29 3 7 2.

Xavier       050 102 4 – 12 11 2
Wahlert    000 110 1 –   3  7  5

Mattke and Brecht. Funke, Kann (2) and Reimer. W – Mattke. L – Funke. 2B – Even, Hoffmann. 3B – Funke. HR – Even. SB – McCarron 2.



Game 2

XAVIER (2)
Helms, ss, 2 0 0 0, Woods, p-3b, 1 0 0 0, Even, 2b, 2 1 1 0, Mattke, dh, 2 0 0 0, Ries, cf, 2 0 0 1, Hosch, 1b, 2 0 0 0, McNeal, lf, 2 0 0 0, Zenisek, 1 0 0 0, Brecht, c, 2 0 0 0, Sodawasser, cr, 0 1 0 0. Totals 16 2 1 1.

WAHLERT (13)
McCarron, ss, 3 2 1 0, Funke, lf, 1 3 1 0, Reimer, c, 3 3 1 3, Hoffmann, 3b, 3 2 2 2, Brautigam, 1b, 3 1 2 2, Weber, dh, 2 0 1 1, Denlinger, cf, 3 0 1 1, Kann, rf, 3 0 1 1, Collins, 2b, 3 1 0 0, Saboe, pr, 0 1 0 0. Totals 24 13 10 10.

Xavier        000 20 –  2   1  2
Wahlert     204 52 – 13 10  2

Woods, Hines (4) and Brecht. Schetger and Reimer. W – Schetger. L – Woods. 2B – Denlinger. HR – Reimer.