The Xavier Saints rallied in the seventh inning and rallied again in the eighth inning to stay alive against Dubuque Senior Friday night, but their final rally fell a run short in the bottom of the 12th inning.

The Rams tripped the Saints, 7-6, in 12 innings in the first game of a Mississippi Valley Conference doubleheader at Ken Charipar Field.

Xavier won the second game, 7-0, on a two-hitter by Ryan Flaherty.

Dubuque Senior grabbed a 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh, but Adam Pick belted a two-run homer to tie the game and force extra innings.

The Rams took a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth, but Nolan Arp led off the bottom of the eighth with a single, went to third on a double by Jake

Robinson and scored on an RBI grounder by Logan Clarahan to make it 5-5.

Nobody scored in the 9th, 10th or 11th innings as the drama continued to build.

Dubuque Senior scored twice in the top of the 12th, but the Saints refused to go quietly in the home half. Arp led off with his fourth hit of the game. Bryce Grimm forced Arp at second, but Robinson socked an RBI double to plate Grimm and make it 7-6 with one out.

Pick was given an intentional walk, but the next two batters were not able to produce a hit and the three-hour game ended in frustration for the home team.

Arp went 4-for-5. Robinson was 4-for-7 with two doubles in the opener.

Grimm hit a two-run homer in the second game. Arp drove in two runs. Flaherty had two hits, in addition to his two-hitter on the mound.

Game 1

Dubuque Senior   100 001 210 002 - 7 10 4
Xavier           200 000 210 001 - 6 15 5

W - Troy. L - Callahan. S - Thein.

Game 2

Dubuque Senior   000 000 0 - 0 2 1
Xavier           003 004 x - 7 7 0

W - Flaherty. L - Thein.