Saints muscle up in MVC sweep

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Xavier Saints have some new muscles. Some new power.Cedar Rapids Xavier banged out 25 hits -- including three home runs -- and swept Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 6-1 and 11-2, in a Mississippi Valley Conference softball double-header Tuesday night at Kennedy High School."We've been weightlifting. It's kind of new this year," said Erin Drahozal, holding a home run ball in eaach hand. "We hadn't done that before. We've got a new coach; we're doing new stuff. And we can see the progress it has made."Drahozal's first plate appearance of the year was a line drive to left field that nicked the yellow tube on the top of the fence before skimming over for a three-run home run.Her second long ball was a no-doubter, a 220-footer in the second game.Jenna Schulte also homered, and the Saints (2-0 overall, 2-0 MVC) found the gaps all night.Nikki Price is more than the Saints' head coach. During the day, she manages a Farrell's Extreme Bodyshaping franchise in Iowa City. She knows the difference a little lifting can make."We started lifting in January, and the girls were really, really enthused about it," said Price, who succeeded Brian Erbe in the offseason. "We went three days a week until spring break, then four days a week until the season started. Now we're back to three days a week."The girls are getting the gratitude of seeing the results. One through 9, we hit it pretty hard tonight."Xavier took command of both games quickly.Drahozal's homer in the top of the first inning gave the Saints a 3-0 lead in Game 1. Allison Schwach's two-run double made it 5-0 in the fourth, then Schwach singled home another run in the sixth.The Saints' hits were as timely as they were hard-hit. Nine of their first 10 runs Tuesday came with two outs."They hit to the gaps, to the places we weren't," said Kennedy Coach Katie Bova. "They weren't little hits that just snuck through the infield. They found spots we couldn't get to."Kennedy (0-2, 0-2) hung around a while in the second game, but Drahozal's second homer, a two-run shot, gave Xavier some breathing room at 4-1 in the third inning.The Saints tacked on two runs in the fourth, then five in the seventh.Drahozal had the two homers, but she was far from the lone star at the plate. Sydney Galligan and No. 9 hitter Courtney Colston collected four hits apiece for the winners. Schulte and Hayley Deutmeyer both added three hits."The girls are energetic, and they were excited to hit the ball hard and see success for their hard work," Price said.Lauren Kubovec was an extremely bright spot for Kennedy. She was 5-for-5 with a walk.

Jacey Wiebold, Claire Christensen (7) and Erica Miller. Madeline Crist and Lauren Kobovec. W -- Wiebold (1-0). L -- Crist (0-1). HR -- CRX: Erin Drahozal (1).

Game 1

R

H

E

Cedar Rapids Xavier

3 0 0

2 0 1

--

6

10

1

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

0 0 0

0 0 0

1

--

1

5

1

Erin Drahozal and Erica Miller. Taylor Sohn and Lauren Kubovec. W -- Drahozal (1-0). L -- Sohn (0-1). HR -- CRX: Drahozal (2), Jenna Schulte (1). 

Game 2

R

H

E

Cedar Rapids Xavier

1 1 2

2 0 0

5

--

11

15

2

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

1 0 0

0 1 0

--

2

5

1