Linn-Mar senior Katie Sommer is a fierce competitor who hates to sit idly by, even when she's nursing a head injury and needs to rest for a few days.

Sommer missed four games in the Linn-Mar tournament this past weekend after being hit in the head by an errant throw last Thursday, but she returned with a vengeance Tuesday and helped the Lions sweep a twinbill from Xavier, 5-4 and 12-8.

Sommer went 4-for-6 in the doubleheader with two walks, three stolen bases, four runs scored and two sensational plays at shortstop at the Linn-Mar field.

"I just wanted to come back strong," she said. "I just wanted to do it for my team. We got the job done."

Maddy Ryan (18-11) picked up the victories in both games for Linn-Mar. She tossed a complete game in the opener, then pitched 3.2 innings in relief in the nightcap as the Lions raised their records to 22-13 overall and 15-7 in the Mississippi Valley Conference.

Xavier, ranked No.5 in Class 4A, beat Linn-Mar 12-0 in three innings in a consolation game of the Linn-Mar tournament Saturday, but the Lions were a completely different team Tuesday with Sommer at shortstop and Ryan in the circle.

The Saints fell to 25-5 overall and 17-3 in the MVC.

"To get two wins against them is incredible," said Linn-Mar Coach John Begley. "They're a great team."

Sommer showed she was back at full strength in the very first inning of the opener when she dove to her left to snare a line drive by Jamie Feltes with the bases loaded and two outs, keeping the Saints off the scoreboard.

She finished the doubleheader in a similar manner, diving to her left to field a ground ball by Erin Drahozal with two outs and the sacks loaded in the top of the seventh and flipping to her sister Kristie for the force play at second to end the game.

Sommer robbed Drahozal of a two-run single that would have made it 12-10 and put the tying runs on base.

"That play she made at the end of the game, it doesn't get any better than that," said Begley. "If that ball goes through, they've got a lot of momentum going their way and she just stopped the game right there. That was a heck of a play."

Sommer got hurt last Thursday on a fluke play. The field umpire had called "dead ball" because a Prairie base runner had left a base too soon, but a Linn-Mar outfielder did not hear the call and fired the ball back to the infield.

The ball smacked Sommer in the forehead and knocked her to the ground in tears. She was taken to St. Luke's Hospital for treatment and released a few hours later, under strict instructions to rest for the weekend.

"I don't remember much," Sommer said about the accident. "It was miscommunication, obviously.

"It was scary," she said. "I mean, I didn't know what was happening. It really hurt. But I'm glad I came back with W's."

Sommer initially had a big bump on her forehead and suffered some bruising on the inside of her head, but did not suffer a concussion and was cleared to play Tuesday.

"She makes a lot of difference," said Begley.

Linn-Mar played well in a 7-5 loss to Fort Dodge in the semifinals of the Linn-Mar tournament without Sommer, and Begley thought that game helped the Lions against Xavier.

Xavier carried a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning of the first game Tuesday, but Linn-Mar rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh and won the game on a two-out RBI single by Christina Lincoln.

Kristie Sommer tied the game, 4-4, with an RBI single that knocked in her sister. Ryan followed with a base hit and the Lincoln delivered her walk-off single.

Ryan went 3-for-4, scored three runs and drove in a pair in the nightcap.

Linn-Mar pitchers walked Drahozal six straight times before finally pitching to the .500 hitter midway through the second game.

Feltes drove in four runs for Xavier in the nightcap.

Game 1

Xavier     011 002 0 - 4 8 0
Linn-Mar   110 001 2 - 5 10 0

W - Ryan (17-11). L - Drahozal (13-3).

Game 2

Xavier     201 500 0 - 8 8 2
Linn-Mar   543 000 x - 12 9 1

W - Ryan (18-11). L - Oldridge (10-2).