Saints seek advancement; Erbe chases 300

One for 300. Three for Fort Dodge.

Class 4A and 3A softball regionals get under way Saturday, including a pair of Metro-vs.-Metro matchups in 4A quarterfinals.

Cedar Rapids Prairie (13-24) travels to Cedar Rapids Xavier (28-12), while Cedar Rapids Kennedy (9-31) is at Linn-Mar (16-24).

Xavier swept Prairie in a regular-season double-header Tuesday.

"It's a brand-new game Saturday," said Xavier Coach Brian Erbe. "Everybody's even again, and you never know what the mindset will be after you beat a team twice so recently."

Erbe has coached at Xavier nine seasons, posting a 299-131 record. He has taken five teams to state, all since 2004.

To get back, the Saints need three wins, including a semifinal triumph over No. 5 Iowa City West on Monday, providing they prevail Saturday.

"That will be a challenge," Erbe said. "West is very diverse. They have a lot of speed, good pitching and they hit well."

Xavier's Tyler Sampson is second in the state with home runs, with a school-record 15.

Elsewhere in the Metro, Cedar Rapids Washington (5-32) is at Waterloo East (18-20), with the winner to play at No. 7 Cedar Rapids Jefferson (31-7) on Monday.

Wamac Conference schools dominate the 3A landscape in Eastern Iowa.

In Region 6, second-rated Clear Creek Amana (37-2) begins its push for a 32nd state appearance when it hosts Benton Community.

The Clippers were fourth at state last year after an unbeaten championship season in 2009. CCA's Fran Strub leads the state in hitting at .640 while Caitlin Wnek is tops in RBIs (70).

No. 4 Solon (30-7) and No. 13 Mount Vernon (32-6) appear to be on a collision course to meet in the Region 5 final Wednesday. Solon opens at home with Anamosa; Mount Vernon entertains DeWitt Central.

Marion (16-19) hosts Center Point-Urbana (21-18) in a Region 5 quarterfinal.

In Region 4, No. 9 West Delaware (33-7) is a co-favorite with No. 7 Charles City (33-7). The Hawks host Dubuque Wahlert in Round 1.