With what looked like heavy rain closing in, someone had to break a tie and make the game official. Xavier’s Abby Bedard made it happen.

Bedard’s two-run double in the top of the sixth inning propelled Xavier past Kennedy, 9-5, in the second game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader Tuesday night at Kennedy.

Xavier won the opener, 7-2.

Through four innings of the nightcap, Xavier was riding pitcher Erin Drahozal, an eighth grader who was retiring Kennedy batters with ease. In the bottom of the fifth, however, Kennedy caught fire and collected five singles, including a two-run hit by Amanda Gaffey to even the score at 5-5.

“We just relaxed a little after we got the 5-0 lead,” said Xavier Coach Brian Erbe. “Drahozal was coasting, then she started getting too much of the plate and that will happen to an eighth grader sometime. Kennedy did a great job of hitting.”

Bedard’s heroics came into play in the top of the sixth when she ripped a double into the right-center gap, plating two runs and pushing Xavier ahead 7-5. “Bedard’s hit was clutch, big time,” Erbe said.

Xavier’s Tyler Sampson also swung the bat well in the second game, hitting a two-run home run in the third inning and ripping an RBI double off the wall in the fifth.

Taylor Wagner went 2-for-3 and Amanda Gaffey had two RBIs for Kennedy.

In the opener, Xavier pitcher Jacey Wiebold went the distance to get the win. “Wiebold was in command of her pitches in the first game,” Erbe said.

Wiebold, a sophomore, held the Cougars scoreless through the first six innings, giving up only three hits.

In the seventh, Kennedy made an attempt at a comeback as Alycia McQuiston launched a two-run homer over the left field wall, but Wiebold quickly retired three straight batters to secure the win.

McQuiston was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Lauren Kubovec had two hits for Kennedy.

Xavier’s Sydney Galligan went 2-for-3, including a two-run triple in the fourth inning.

Xavier (16-5, 11-5) travels to Burlington for a doubleheader Wednesday. Kennedy (4-19, 2-14) hosts Cedar Rapids Jefferson for a doubleheader Thursday.

Game 1

XAVIER (7)
Bedard, 3b, 4 1 1 0, Colston, cf, 4 1 1 0, Sampson, ss, 4 0 1 3, Winter, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Walton, dh, 3 1 1 0, Schulte, 1b, 4 1 1 1, Kuba-Tresnak, rf, 3 0 1 0, Miller, c, 4 1 0 0, Galligan, lf, 3 2 2 2, Schwach, 1 0 0 0, Richards, 1 0 0 0.  Totals 35 7 9 6.

KENNEDY (2)
Kubovec, c, 4 0 2 0, Sohn, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Nunnikhoven, p, 3 0 0 0, McKinnon, lf, 3 0 0 0, Gaffey, 3b, 3 1 1 0, McQuiston, cf, 3 1 2 2, Rathjens, 1b, 3 0 1 0, Steffans, rf, 3 0 1 0, Wagner, ss, 3 0 0 0, Sauer, 1 0 0 0. Totals 29 2 7 2.

Xavier      000 403 0 - 7 9 0
Kennedy  000 000 2 - 2 7 1

Wiebold and Miller. Nunnikhoven and Kubovec. W – Wiebold. L – Nunnikhoven. 2B - Bedard, Colston, Sampson, Walton. 3B - Galligan. HR - McQuiston. SB - Sampson 2, Galligan.

Game 2

XAVIER (9)
Bedard, 3b, 4 1 2 2, Colston, rf, 4 1 1 0, Sampson, ss, 4 2 2 3, Winter, 2b, 4 0 1 2, Walton, c, 4 1 1 0, Schulte, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Kuba-Tresnak, cf, 4 2 1 1, Drahozal, p, 4 0 1 1, Ireland, lf, 4 2 1 0. Totals 36 9 10 9.

KENNEDY (5)
Kubovec, c, 4 1 0 1, Nunnikhoven, cf, 4 1 0 0, Coker, 1b, 4 1 1 1, Gaffey, 3b, 4 0 1 2, McKinnon, lf, 3 0 1 1, Rathjens, 1b, 3 1 1 0, Sohn, p, 3 1 1 0, McQuiston, rf, 3 0 1 0, Wagner, ss, 3 0 2 0. Totals 31 5 8 5.

Xavier        002 032 2 - 9 10 1
Kennedy    000 050 0 - 5  8 1

Drahozal and Walton. Sohn and Kubovec. W – Drahozal. L – Sohn. 2B - Bedard, Sampson, Drahozal. HR - Sampson. SB - Bedard.