There is a simple method Davenport Assumption softball coach Bob Matthys can use anytime he needs Alyson Spinas-Valainis to turn her pitching up a notch.

"Once Alyson gets a little upset," Matthys said with a laugh, "whether she has it happen on her own or if I jump on her a little bit ... once she gets a little fire in her belly, she's hard to stop."

And just as hard to hit.

Spinas-Valainis fanned 17 Davenport Central batters during 10 innings of work as the Knights swept a Mississippi Athletic Conference doubleheader 13-1 and 5-1 at the Brady Street Stadium complex Monday.

The 6-foot-3 junior, who now leads the MAC with 77 strikeouts, was decent enough in the shortened opener, striking out five of her nine outs as the Assumption (16-5, 8-4 MAC) hitters put up big numbers.

But giving up a run to Central (1-24, 1-13), which hadn't scored in its past four games, must have sparked that fire in Spinas-Valainis' belly for Game 2. She sat down 12 Blue Devils back to the bench - including seven in a row, fanning the side in the fourth and fifth innings.

"Tonight, I felt a little bit slow, so I knew I needed to come out the second game and really shut it down," Spinas-Valainis said. "My teammates did a great job defensively throughout the first and second game, so I owed it to them."

Spinas-Valainis would've had a couple of no-hitters Monday; if only it weren't for Central second baseman Kate Hoeksema. The Blue Devils leadoff batter knocked out three singles and scored both of Central's runs, while her teammates couldn't muster a base hit.

"(Hoeksema) brings a real fundamental approach to the plate," Central coach Tom Hill said. "She knows the strike zone and how not to chase, which obviously, that's what Alyson tries to get hitters to do."

The Knights spread out the offense in both games; even with 15 runs batted in Monday, only shortstop Abbey Strajack out of the seven-hole knocked in three.

But while Central hurlers Claire Opar and Melissa Rink settled down in the second game after a rough start, Spinas-Valainis was too much for the Blue Devils' bats.

"Alyson expects to win," Matthys said. "If she gives up a hit or a walk, I mean, that really ticks her off."

Three strikes: Wondering if 17 Ks in one double-header is a season high for Spinas-Valainis? Not even close. She registered 23 strikeouts in the season-opener dual against Pleasant Valley.

-- The lone home run of the game - off the left-handed bat of Knights catcher Krysta Tutsch - had just enough to get out, bouncing off the yellow padding and just over the right-field wall.

-- In the second inning of game two, Blue Devils outfielder Mary Betsworth made a gorgeous bucket catch at the shoelaces on the left-field line, robbing Lindsey Zimanek of a pair of RBIs.