Xavier Softball

Erbe gets 300th, Saints advance in regionals

The Xavier softball team's 9-6 win over Prairie Saturday night was a milestone for its coach, but more importantly, a step forward for the Saints.

Xavier Coach Brian Erbe got his 300th career win in the regional quarterfinal game. Erbe is 300-131 in nine seasons at the Xavier helm. The win moved the Saints into the semifinal round of their region.

“It is much more special to advance (in the region),” Erbe said. “I remember the first one, and some good ones in between. The win is no more special than any other.”

The Saints (29-12) travel to Iowa City West  to take on the Women of Troy (31-9) Monday night.

“They are a good team, I am looking forward to playing them,” senior Tyler Sampson said of West. “It should be a good competitive game; it will be fun to play.”

“They are extremely talented,” Erbe said of the Women of Troy. “We will have to play our best softball of the season.”

The Saints came in looking like a clear favorite against Prairie after sweeping the Hawks on Tuesday, 10-0 and 12-0, in Mississippi Valley Conference play. However, this was regional play and with the season on the line the Hawks showed up to battle.

“I knew that tonight would be much different then Tuesday,” Erbe said. “Tuesday was just conference games. Everything was on the line tonight. I feel very fortunate to get the win.”

Although the game was hosted by Xavier the Saints lost the flip and were the visitors.

The Saints struck right away in the first inning. Three walks and an error gave them a 1-0 lead and left the bases loaded for freshman Emily Walton, who delivered a two RBI double to put Xavier on top 3-0 against the Hawks and senior starter Mackenzie Blaha.

“Without a doubt I thought she (Blaha, who hasn’t pitched much this season due to injury) gave us the best chance to win,” Prairie Coach Kimi Hynek said. “She brings a lot to the team and she threw well as long as she could.”

Prairie came back in the bottom of the second when Blaha doubled and sophomore Alyson O’Brian singled to set the stage for senior Katie Carver’s three-run home run that tied the game at 3-3 after two innings.

“It was a 3-2 count, so I knew a good pitch was coming,” Carver said. “I got it on the sweet spot.”

Xavier reclaimed the lead in the fourth inning on a squeeze bunt laid down by senior Kristen Winter to score fellow senior Abby Bedard, who walked to start the frame. Walton scored Sampson with a sacrifice fly that gave the Saints a 5-3 lead.

After three walks in the fifth, the Saints tacked on two more when Sampson doubled. That hit ended the night for Blaha and scored the Saints' sixth and seventh runs, which turned out to be enough for the Saints and their sophomore starter Jacey Wiebold, who gave up all six Hawk runs.

“Blaha threw very well. I got thrown inside and she had a good change up and rise ball.” Sampson said. “I stepped off the plate a little to get around on them (inside pitch). It worked out.”

“Jacey was not sharp tonight, she knows it. I give her credit for toughing it out,” Erbe who had eighth grader Erin Drahozal warming up. “I never gave serious thought to making a change. I knew Jacey would step up.”

Sophomore Katie Kuch replaced Blaha in the circle and gave up two more in the sixth. Kuch added some much needed offense for the Hawks in the fifth and sixth. She homered in the fifth and had a two RBI single in the sixth.

Prairie continued to fight. The Hawks got the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning with runners on second and third. Wiebold got Sam Frederick to ground out to end the game and keep Carver from coming to the plate as the possible go-ahead run.

“I was hoping I could get up again, I would love to have had that chance,” Carver said. “It just didn’t end our way.”

The Hawks end their season 13-25 and lose a strong class of seniors.

“We enjoyed have them for the whole time they were with us,” Hynek said. “It will be very tough to replace them girls will have big shoes to fill (next year).”

XAVIER (9)
Abby Bedard, 3B, 2 3 0 0, Courtney Colston, RF, 4 1 0 0, Tyler Sampson, SS, 4 2 3 2, Kristen Winter, 2B, 3 0 1 1, Audrey Richards, pr, 0 0 0 0, Emily Walton, DP, 4 0 1 3, Jenna Schulte, 1B, 4 1 1 0, Kelsey Kuba-Tresnak, CF, 4 1 0 0, Erica Miller, C, 3 0 1 0, Allison Schwach, cr, 0 1 0 0, Sydney Galligan, LF, 4 0 1 0, Jacey Wiebold, P, 0 0 0 0. Totals 30 9 8 6.

PRAIRIE (6)
Shelby Crist, C, 4 0 0 0, Taylor Stecklein, 2B, 4 0 0 0, Kaitlyn Wieland, SS, 4 0 1 0, Mackenzine Blaha, P, 3 0 1 0, Remy Mumaw, cr, 0 1 0 0, Alyson O’Brian, DP, 4 1 3 0, Samantha Frederick, 1B, 3 0 0 0, Katie Carver, CF, 2 2 1 3, Brittney Lash, RF, 2 1 1 0, Chloe Lueck, LF, 1 0 0 0, Katie Kuch, P, 2 1 2 3, Amanda Stecklein, 3B, 0 0 0 0. Totals 29 6 9 6.

Xavier  300 222 0 -  9 8 1
Prairie  030 012 0 -  6 9 4

Wiebold and Miller. Blaha, Kuch (5) and Crist. W – Wiebold. L – Blaha. 2B – Sampson, Walton, Blaha. HR – Carver, Kuch.

Spencer fans 26 Saints in Waterloo West sweep

Waterloo West star Jadyn Spencer drew seven walks in a doubleheader against Xavier Thursday night, as Saints pitchers tried their best to keep the ball away from the state's all-time home run leader at the plate.

The fact that she wasn’t able to hack away at the plate must have frustrated Spencer, which was bad news for the Xavier batting lineup.

Appearing on the mound in both games, Spencer fanned a total of 26 Xavier batters and helped the Wahawks sweep the Saints. West won the first game 6-1 and the nightcap 4-1 in eight innings at Bob Erusha Field.

“She is just dominant,” said Xavier Coach Brian Erbe.

Starting on the mound in the first game, Spencer went the complete game, striking out 16 of the 24 batters she faced to get the win.

“Not only is she quick, but she has all the pitches,” said Erbe. “She is up, she is out, she is down and she has a great changeup. I thought she was just masterful.”

Xavier (28-12, 18-8) scored one run in the fifth inning, when designated hitter Emily Walton caught up to one of Spencer’s pitches and smacked it over the right field wall for a solo home run.

The nightcap was an exciting affair, as the Wahawks won a pitchers duel, 4-1 in extra innings after West hitter Lindsey Hansen hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning.

Tied 1-1 for the majority of the game, the Saints were looking good, riding eighth grade pitcher Erin Drahozal, who pitched all eight innings.

With tension mounting in the top of the eight inning, Drahozal walked Spencer and the next hitter reached on an error. This brought up Hansen, who wasted no time, belting the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to give West the lead, 4-1.

“She (Drahozal) pitched a great game. That was a very good pitch that Hansen hit. It was down and in but she went down and got it,” said Erbe. “I wasn’t going to let Spencer beat us at the plate.”

The three-run lead for West (28-11, 20-5) was more than enough because earlier in the game, Waterloo decided to relieve starting pitcher MacKenzie Vandenberg and bring Spencer back to the pitcher's circle.

“In the second game we didn’t get to that second pitcher enough,” said Erbe. “I would have done the same thing by bringing (Spencer) back in because we didn’t touch her in the first game.”

Courtney Colston and Kelsey Kuba-Tresnak each had two hits in the second game for the Saints.

“We just need to re-focus and get ready for Saturday night,” said Erbe.

Xavier hosts Prairie Saturday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the regional softball tournament.


Game 1

WATERLOO WEST (6)
Spencer, p, 1 3 1 0, Payne, 1b, 5 1 2 0, Hansen, cf, 4 1 1 2, Burkhart, lf, 3 0 0 0, Vandenberg, c, 4 0 3 4, Dahlgaard, 3b, 3 0 2 0, Lichty, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Stackhouse, dh, 3 0 0 0, Doering, lf, 4 1 2 0, Medina, 1 0 0 0, Jones, ss, 1 0 0 0  Totals  39 6 11 6.

XAVIER (1)
Bedard, 3b, 3 0 0 0, Colston, rf, 3 0 0 0, Sampson, ss, 3 0 1 0, Winter, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Walton, dh, 3 1 1 1, Schulte, 1b, 3 0 0 0, Kuba-Tresnak, cf, 2 0 0 0, Miller, c, 2 0 0 0, Galligan, lf, 2 0 0 0  Totals  24 1 2 0.

West      201 102 0  -  6 11 1
Xavier      000 010 0  -  1 2 2

Spencer and Vandenberg.  Wiebold and Miller.  W – Spencer. L –Wiebold. 2B - Vandenberg. HR - Walton.  SB - Spencer 2, Hansen, Burkhart.

Game 2

WATERLOO WEST (4)
Spencer, ss, 1 1 0 0, Payne, 1b, 4 1 0 0, Hansen, cf, 4 2 2 3, Burkhart, lf, 4 0 0 0, Vandenberg, p, 4 0 0 1, Dahlgaard, 3b, 3 0 1 0, Lichty, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Stackhouse, dh, 3 0 0 0, Doering, rf, 2 0 0 0 Totals  32 4 3 4.

XAVIER (1)
Bedard, 3b, 4 0 0 0, Colston, rf, 4 1 2 1, Sampson, ss, 4 0 1 0, Winter, 2b, 4 0 0 0, Walton, c, 3 0 0 0, Schulte, 1b, 4 0 1 0, Kuba-Tresnak, cf, 4 0 2 0, Drahozal, p, 3 0 0 0, Ireland, lf, 3 0 0 0  Totals  34 1 6 1.

West    000 100 0 3 -  4 3 1
Xavier   001 000 0 0 -  1 6 2

Vandenberg, Spencer (5) and Chilcote, Vandenberg (5). Drahozal and Walton. W - Spencer. L - Drahozal. 2B - Colston. HR - Hansen. SB - Colston, Winter.

Sampson sets HR record as Saints sweep Prairie

Tyler Sampson put on a show for the Xavier High School softball team Tuesday night.

Sampson went 5-for-5, hit two home runs and drove in seven runs as the Saints swept Cedar Rapids Prairie in two shortened games at Bob Erusha Field.

Xavier won the first game, 10-0, in six innings and took the nightcap, 12-0, in three innings.

Sampson has slugged 15 home runs this season, breaking the school record of 13 homers set last year by McKenna Miller. Sampson, a senior shortstop, has driven in 56 runs in 38 games.

Jacey Wiebold pitched a three-hit shutout for Xavier in the first game. Erin Drahozal tossed a two-hit shutout in the second game.

Sampson was 4-for-4 in the first game and scored three runs. Sydney Galligan went 3-for-3 and Abby Bedard was 2-for-4.

The Saints scored 10 runs in the first inning of the second game and got a grand slam from Sampson. Emily Walton went 2-for-3 for Xavier.

The Saints raised their records to 28-10 overall and 18-6 in the Mississippi Valley Conference. Prairie fell to 11-24 overall and 5-19.

Game 1

PRAIRIE (0)
Crist, c, 3 0 0 0, T. Stecklein, 2b, 3 0 1 0, Weiland, ss, 2 0 0 0, Blaha, lf, 1 0 0 0, Carver, cf, 1 0 0 0, Frederick, 1b, 2 0 1 0, Lash, rf, 2 0 0 0, Kuch, p, 2 0 1 0, Carter, p, 0 0 0 0, A. Stecklein, 3b, 2 0 0 0. Totals 18 0 3 0.

XAVIER (10)
Bedard, 3b, 4 2 2 0, Colston, rf, 3 1 1 0, Sampson, ss, 4 3 4 3, Winter, 2b, 3 1 0 1, Walton, dp, 4 0 1 1, Schulte, 1b, 2 2 0 0, Kuba-Tresnak, cf, 3 0 0 0, Miller, c, 3 0 1 0, Galligan, lf, 3 1 3 0, Wiebold, p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 29 10 12 5.

Prairie      000 000 -   0   3 4
Xavier      400 024 - 10 12 0

Kuch, Carter (6) and Crist. Wiebold and Miller. W - Wiebold. L - Kuch. HR - Sampson.

Game 2

PRAIRIE (0)
Crist, c, 1 0 0 0, T. Stecklein, 2b, 2 0 0 0, Weiland, ss, 2 0 1 0, Blaha, lf, 2 0 0 0, O'Brian, 1b, 1 0 0 0, Carver, cf, 1 0 1 0, Frederick, rf, 1 0 0 0, Stevenson, p, 1 0 0 0, A. Stecklein, 3b, 1 0 0 0. Totals 12 0 2 0.

XAVIER (12)
Bedard, 3b, 2 2 0 0, Colston, rf, 2 3 1 0, Sampson, ss, 1 2 1 4, Winter, 2b, 0 0 0 2, Walton, c, 3 1 2 3, Schulte, 1b, 2 1 0 0, Kuba-Tresnak, cf, 1 1 1 0, Drahozal, p, 2 1 1 1, Ireland, lf, 2 1 0 0. Totals 15 12 6.

Prairie       000 -   0 2 3
Xavier    (10)02 - 12 6 0

Stevenson and Crist. Drahozal and Walton. W - Drahozal. L - Stevenson. HR - Sampson.

Saints split 2 games at Iowa City West Classic

IOWA CITY - Erin Drahozal pitched a three-hit shutout as the Xavier Saints blanked Davenport North, 10-0, in five innings at the Iowa City West Classic Saturday.

The Saints lost to No.12 West Des Moines Valley, 4-2, in their first game Saturday.

Courtney Colston went 3-for-3 with an RBI to help the Saints beat Davenport North. Jenna Schulte was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Abby Bedard was 2-for-2 with two walks and three runs.

West Des Moines Valley scored three unearned runs in its 4-2 victory over Xavier. Schulte and Sydney Galligan had RBIs for the Saints.

Xavier finished with a 2-2 record in the Iowa City West Classic and is 26-10 for the season.