Big day for Trey Leonard powers Cedar Rapids Washington past Cedar Rapids Xavier

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids Washington's Trey Leonard said he felt good for the season opener.

The description was a bit of an understatement for his performance.

Leonard went 5-for-5 with five RBIs, including a three-run home run, to lead the Warriors to a 15-6 victory over Cedar Rapids Xavier Monday night in the first round of the Bob Vrbicek Metro baseball tournament at Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

Leonard, a University of Louisville commit, opened the game with a double and then bunted for one of his three singles, which included one off the fence.

'Coming in I knew I just needed to have fun and some confidence,” said Leonard, who scored four times. 'I think my swing showed it. I was just having fun and doing what I do best.”

Washington's Johnny Dobbs earned the victory on the mound and added two two-run singles in the first two innings, giving Washington early leads of 2-0 and 4-3,

The Warriors pulled away with a seven-run fourth, sending 12 to the plate. Leonard and Brady Bunten had consecutive two-run singles.

Bunten and Drew Christensen scored two runs apiece for Washington (1-0).

'We came out and put a lot of runs on the board,” Washington Coach Scott Brune said. 'We got some runs on the board the early and our pitchers settled in.

'Johnny had a rough first inning but settled in and gave us five good innings. Gunnar Bosking came in and threw strikes and stopped the bleeding when they were starting to make a rally.”

Xavier dropped the first game under new head coach Bob Cataldo. Bryce Schulte put the Saints on the board in the first. Gabe Lux and Will Angstman had a single and walk before Schulte hit a three-run home run over the right-field fence. Schulte finished with four RBIs, drawing a bases-loaded walk in Xavier's three-run fifth. K.J. Giles had an RBI single for the Saints (0-1).

Washington will face the winner of Monday night's game between Jefferson and Cedar Rapids Prairie in the semifinal. Xavier will face the other team from that game in a consolation contest.

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