Metro Sports Report

Xavier freshman Erin Drahozal pumps her arm in victory after the Saints beat Linn-Mar, 4-3, to sweep a doubleheader from the Lions on Tuesday night at Bob Erusha Field. Xavier won the opener, 3-2. (Photo by Ken Gilchrist)

Young Saints sweep younger Lions

Tue - 26 Jun Written by Jim Ecker

Brian Erbe sat quietly in the Xavier dugout Tuesday night and munched a few slices of pizza while the Saints battled the Linn-Mar Lions at Bob Erusha Field.

He offered some words of encouragement to the Saints, patted a few kids on the back and had a question for one of the umpires on a tricky play, but for the most part he left the heavy worrying to interim head coach Nikki Price.

Erbe is recovering from triple bypass heart surgery on May 11, so it's probably good for him to keep the stress level as low as possible and let Price and the other assistant coaches sweat the details. And there was a lot of sweating Tuesday.

The young Saints trimmed the younger Lions in both softball games, 3-2 and 4-3, in a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference nailbiters at Xavier.

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Jefferson third baseman Maddie Blietz (left) catches the ball but can't tag out Iowa City High's Sarah Plock during Tuesday's doubleheader at Jefferson. The No. 4 J-Hawks swept the Little Hawks, 12-0 and 11-0. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

No. 4 J-Hawks crush City High

Tue - 26 Jun Written by Tom Fruehling

After being held to one hit and humbled by Creston in a 1-0 loss in its own tournament Saturday, Jefferson bounded back big Tuesday night at home by bombarding Iowa City High, 12-0 and 11-0.

Besides having hot bats, the fourth-ranked J-Hawks had solid pitching performances from Hannah “Pete” Petersen and Brooke Stauffer in running their season marks to 30-4 overall and 21-1 in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

“Everything worked tonight,” said Jefferson assistant coach Nick Niemeyer. “We hit the ball well, our defense was good and we got great pitching. Two good wins.”

Niemeyer was substituting for his father Larry, who was hospitalized Friday with a bowel obstruction and is expected to be released on Wednesday. His status for Thursday’s doubleheader at Dubuque Hempstead is uncertain.

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O'Brian helps Prairie split with Wahawks

Tue - 26 Jun Written by Drew Balta

Aly O’Brian is the female iron hawk in the College Community school district as she once again caught both games of a doubleheader at Prairie Tuesday night.

O’Brian led the Hawks to a 9-2 victory over Waterloo West in the first game of the Mississippi Valley Conference twinbill.

Waterloo West won the nightcap, 6-5, in eight innings.

O’Brian went 3-for-4 in the opener with three RBIs and the key go-ahead double in the fifth. She helped the Hawks score nine unanswered runs in the fifth and six innings.

“I have changed my swing a bit, just minor corrections, but it has been paying off,” she said.

O'Brian had a big night at the plate, but she also had a big night behind the plate as she threw out four Wahawks trying to swipe a base. O'Brian catches both ends of doubleheaders all the time.

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Former Metro preps in pro baseball

Tue - 26 Jun Written by Metro Sports Report

RYAN SWEENEY (Xavier, Boston Red Sox) -- Placed on 15-day disabled list June 17 with broken bone in foot. Year to date -- BA - .292, AB - 171, R - 19, H - 50, RBI - 13, 2B - 17, 3B - 1, HR - 0, SB - 0.

SCOTT SCHEBLER (Prairie, Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers), MWL) -- Started in left field Tuesday and was 1-for-3 in the Loons' 4-2 loss at South Bend. Scott is 15-for-38 with nine RBIs, five doubles and a home run in his last 10 games. Scott is tied for the Midwest League lead in triples (6) and is sixth in RBI (45). Year to date -- BA - .275, AB - 287, R - 39, H - 79, RBI - 45, 2B - 21, 3B - 6, HR - 5, SB - 11.

KELLEN SWEENEY (Jefferson, Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays), NWL) -- Started at third base Tuesday and was 1-for-3 with a double in Vancouver's 6-5 loss at Everett. Vancouver totals -- BA - .135, AB - 37, R - 6, H - 5, RBI - 2, 2B - 3, 3B - 0, HR - 0, SB - 0.

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Kennedy's Cody Bell fires a pitch during the nightcap of Monday's doubleheader against Xavier at Ken Charipar Field. Bell tossed a three-hitter to lead the Cougars to a 4-1 win and a sweep of the Saints. (Photo by Margaret O'Banion)

Bell shines as Cougars sweep Saints

Mon - 25 Jun Written by Jim Ecker

Cody Bell is a terrific golfer who will play at the University of Northern Iowa in a few months, but it's not the only sport where he's a top-notch performer for Kennedy High School.

The Xavier Saints learned Monday night that he's also a terrific pitcher and an excellent hitter, although they already had a hunch about that from previous encounters.

Bell tossed a neat three-hitter as Kennedy clipped the Saints, 4-1, in the second game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Ken Charipar Field.

The Cougars clubbed the Saints, 13-3, in five innings in the opener.

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