Erbe a viewer as Saints sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Brian Erbe wanted to watch. But he didn't want to distract.

"He didn't tell the kids he was coming, and I didn't either," interim coach Nikki Price said.

But as the evening wore on, the players realized the presence of their coach.

"I saw him up in the press box when we were in the field," Jenna Schulte said. "I'm glad he was here. He means a lot to me. We have a close relationship."

Twelve days after suffering a heart attack (and 11 days after undergoing triple-bypass surgery)," Erbe watched as Class 4A ninth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier swept Cedar Rapids Washington, 10-0 and 12-3, in a Mississippi Valley Conference softball double-header Tuesday at Bob Erusha Field.

"(The doctors) said as long as I stay out of the stands and out of the dugout, it's fine -- I can be a spectator," said Erbe, 57, who has coached at Xavier since 2003.

So, Tuesday, spectator it was. What he saw was a lot of offense (the Saints bashed 23 hits in the twinbill) and good pitching control (no walks all night).

"We played pretty well for the first night out," Price said. "But we definitely have some things to work on."

It's been an emotional roller coaster for the Saints (2-0 overall, 2-0 MVC) since May 10. They went to St. Luke's Hospital the day following Erbe's surgery to visit.

"It's been hard, very difficult," Schulte said. "We've got a lot of reason to play. It has a lot of meaning for us."

A whiteboard in the Xavier dugout is covered with hearts, drawn in marker. And two words: FOR COACH.

Erbe might be back in the dugout before the season ends. Or he might not.

"Either way, our goals haven't changed," Price said. "There will be no difference in our work ethic. We still want to get better every day. Hopefully, he can be here with us by the end of the season."

Each day, Erbe gets a little closer.

"I move from my couch to a chair to the bed, and back to the couch. I walk to the corner of my street and back, two or three times a day," he said.

He speaks with Price and assistant Gordy Jacobsen every other day. He climbed the steps to the pressbox about 5 minutes after the first pitch, then stayed midway through the second game.

Schulte and Sydney Galligan collected four hits apiece. All of Schulte's were for extra bases -- three doubles and a home run.

Erin Drahozal added three hits and earned the win in Game 2. Jacey Wiebold pitched a five-inning one-hitter in the opener.

Washington (0-2, 0-2) managed 10 hits in the nightcap.

Game 1

R

H

E

C.R. Washington

0 0 0

0 0

--

1

3

C.R. Xavier

0 4 1

5 x

--

10

10

2

Kirsten Peterson and Megan Jonas. Jacey Wiebold and Erica Miller. W -- Wiebold (1-0). L -- Peterson (0-1).

Game 2

R

H

E

C.R. Washington

0 0 0

0 1 2

--

3

10

4

C.R. Xavier

2 0 2

5 0 3

x

--

12

13

2

Caiti Peterson and Megan Jonas. Erin Drahozal and Emily Walton. W -- Drahozal (1-0). L -- Peterson (0-1). HR -- CRX: Jenna Schulte (1).