Saint Xavier softball lost a tight game to Saint Ambrose University on Wednesday, April 19 before the second game of the day was suspended due to lightning. The following Friday, SXU traveled to Elgin, Illinois, to take on Judson University where they outscored JU 16-0 in two games.
Despite taking the loss, junior Laila Summers pitched to near perfection once again. She tossed all seven innings against SAU, giving up just one run on one hit, striking out five batters, and allowing one walk.
This was one of the most frustrating losses for the Cougars this season. They out-hit the Fighting Bees with six hits to one but could not push any runs across the plate, even with Ambrose committing two errors.
Saint Ambrose’s lone hit and lone run came in the top of the second inning when their lead-off batter hit a home run down the left field. Given the forceful nature of the SXU offense, this one run probably did not seem like enough to bring a win, but the Fighting Bees’ starter and relief pitcher held it down.
The Cougars had runners in scoring position in the second, fourth, and seventh innings but failed to come up with any clutch hits to either tie the game or take a lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, a one out error, a hit from senior outfielder Lyda Robinson followed by a fielder’s choice gave Saint Xavier a golden opportunity to at least tie the game, but nothing came off the bases loaded one out pressure. The game ended with an infield fly rule to the second baseman followed by a pop out to the second baseman.
Robinson was 2-4 at the plate on the day, as was junior infielder Alexus Reese.
Sophomore infielder Abbie Carr and freshman catcher Morgan Natanek were the only other Saint Xavier batters to record hits against Saint Ambrose with one each.
Game two of the Saint Ambrose doubleheader that was suspended due to lightning will be made up at a later date.
Friday, April 21 was a much different story for the Saint Xavier offense, who scored 16 runs on 26 hits in their doubleheader against Judson University.
In game one, Summers shined once again, spreading out three hits over seven complete innings and striking out a career-high 10 batters. Of the 115 pitches she threw to Judson batters, a remarkable 75% of them were strikes (115-87).
Summers completed her fifth shutout of the season and improved her record to 16-7.
On the offensive side of the ball, Saint Xavier packed a punch from top to bottom. Only two of nine starters did not record a hit. A. Carr led the pack with three hits.
Senior outfielder Nicole Lovato and junior infielder Brooke Koran both recorded two RBIs, leading SXU to victory.
Freshman designated player Taylor Becker and Koran drew back to back bases loaded walks in the second inning to provide an early 2-0 lead.
In the second game against the Eagles, six of the nine starters for Saint Xavier collected multiple hits.
Everything was coming in twos against Judson on offense. Lovato and sophomore catcher Lindsay Morgan led the Cougars in hits, each recording three, Reese and freshman infielder Kaitlyn Wright each had a double on their stat line, and A. Carr alongside senior outfielder Sarah Bowen cracked home runs in the six inning victory.
Junior Alyssa Frey tossed five innings, allowing five hits and striking out one batter. Sophomore Julianne Claas came in relief in the last inning, giving up a hit and also striking out one batter.
Saint Xavier is fighting the University of St. Francis for first place in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) standings. SXU currently sits half a game behind USF as teams enter the last week of play.
The Cougars look forward to the CCAC tournament in Crown Point, Indiana, which is scheduled for May 4-6.