DUBUQUE - Griffin Michael pitched a one-hit shutout and Austin Christensen socked his 11th home run Monday as top-ranked Kennedy swept a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Dubuque Hempstead.

Kennedy won the opener, 6-3, and grabbed the nightcap, 11-0, in five innings on Michael's one-hitter.

The Cougars (13-4, 7-1) dropped a non-conference doubleheader at Fort Dodge on Saturday, but they bounced back with two key MVC wins on the road.

Christensen (4-0) pitched six innings in the first game and got the victory, allowing seven hits and three runs. He struck out seven batters and walked three. David Yancey pitched the seventh inning for his fourth save.

Christensen went 3-for-4 in the opener. Terrell Sykes, Cody Bell, Matt Maiers and Logan Ambrosy all had two hits for Kennedy.

Michael (3-1) struck out five batters and walked one in the second game, which was stopped after the fifth inning by the 10-run rule.

Sykes, Ambrosy and Benson all had two hits for the Cougars in the nightcap. Austin Benson drove in three runs. Sykes and Christensen both homered and had two RBIs. Christensen leads the state with 11 homers in 17 games.

Christensen went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader and raised his batting average to .660 (33 for 50).

Hempstead fell to 9-5 overall and 6-4 in the MVC.

Game 1

KENNEDY (6)

Sykes, 2b, 3 1 2 1, Jacobus, 3b, 3 0 0 1, Christensen, p/rf, 4 0 3 1, Hayden, pr, 0 0 0 0, Michael, ss, 4 0 0 0, Yancey, lf/p, 3 0 0 0, Bell, 1b, 4 2 2 0, Maiers, c, 2 1 2 0, Rhoades, pr, 0 0 0 0, Ambrosy, rf/lf, 3 1 2 1, Benson, cf, 3 1 1 1. Totals 29 6 12 5.

HEMPSTEAD (3)

Fitzgerald, 2b, 3 1 1 0, Duwe, ss, 3 2 1 0, Kennedy, rf, 4 0 3 0, Leach, 1b, 3 0 2 1, Crabill, c, 2 0 0 1, Collins, lf, 3 0 0 0, Johnson, cf, 3 0 0 0, Wilgenbusch, dh, 3 0 1 0, Weist, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Barker, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 3 8 0.

Kennedy   010 104 0 - 6 12 0
Hempstead 201 000 0 - 3 8 1

Christensen, Yancey (7) and Maiers. Barker and Crabill. W - Christensen (4-0). L - Barker (0-1). Sv - Yancey (4). 2B - Sykes, Bell, Maiers. SB - Hayden, Benson.

Game 2

KENNEDY (11)

Sykes, 2b, 3 1 2 2, Jacobus, ss, 2 0 0 1, Taylor, ph, 1 0 0 0, Christensen, rf, 1 1 1 2, Rhoades, ph, 1 0 0 0, Michael, p, 3 0 0 0, Lloyd, ph, 0 0 0 0, Yancey, lf, 3 1 1 0, Appleget, ph, 1 0 0 0, Bell, 3b, 3 2 0 0, Maiers, c, 2 2 1 1, Ambrosy, 1b, 2 2 2 1, Benson, cf, 3 2 2 3. Totals 25 11 9 10.

HEMPSTEAD (0)

Fitzgerald, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Duwe, ss, 2 0 0 0, Kennedy, rf, 1 0 0 0, Leach, 1b, 2 0 0 0, Crabill, c, 2 0 1 0, Collins, lf, 2 0 0 0, Johnson, cf, 2 0 0 0, Wilgenbusch, dh, 2 0 0 0, Weist, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Brimeyer, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 17 0 1 0.

Kennedy   055 10 - 11 9 1
Hempstead 000 00 - 0 1 4

Michael and Maiers. Brimeyer and Crabill. W - Michael (3-1). L - Brimeyer (0-1). 2B - Sykes, Yancey, Ambrosy. HR - Sykes (1), Christensen (11). SB - Maiers.