Saint Xavier softball opened Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) games against Indiana University-South Bend on Tuesday, March 28, winning both games of a doubleheader. The first game finished with a score of 4-1, and game two was won 7-5, improving the Cougars’ record to 14-9 (2-0 in conference).
Junior infielder, Alexus Reese, was 2-3, including a home run and two RBIs, in game one. In game two, senior outfielder, Lyda Robinson, went 3-4 at the plate with two RBIs in the win.
Sophomore pitcher, Julianne Claas, started both games and went the distance in both, throwing 14 innings and registering nine strikeouts between both games.
The Cougars started the scoring early, bringing in two runs in the first inning of game one, which is all they would have needed in order to win this one.
Senior catcher, Sarah Bowen, drove in the day’s first run with a sacrifice fly and sophomore outfielder, Sophie Carr, followed next with an RBI single to center. Reese smashed a two-run homer in the seventh inning, her first of the season, to provide insurance runs heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Claas was nails in game one, she spread out eight hits over the seven innings, allowing one run in the fifth inning, and striking out three Titan batters.
Freshman outfielder, Hayley Matlock, and sophomore infielder, Abbie Carr, also had phenomenal days at the dish in game one. Matlock recorded two hits in her three at bats and drew a walk. Carr was a perfect 4-4 and also scored a run and drove in an RBI.
Game two was a battle in the late innings for Saint Xavier, who was up 7-0 through five innings, but IUSB gave a strong battle in the sixth and seventh innings.
Freshman infielder, Kaitlyn Wright, was 3-3 at the plate in the second game, she had two doubles and two runs in the win.
Once again, the Cougars got to scoring early, scoring two runs in inning one and much like game one, Bowen got the offense rolling with a sac fly. Matlock followed two batters later with an RBI single to left field, driving in senior outfielder, Nicole Lovato, who walked prior to the Matlock at bat.
Saint Xavier added a run in the third on a Robinson RBI single to the shortstop.
The third and fourth innings saw even more offense from the Cougars, scoring two more runs in each inning.
In the third, Bowen reached first on an error from the Titan’s third baseman and later scored on a wild pitch. A. Carr scored on a sac fly to center off the bat of Reese.
The Cougars once again took advantage of IUSB errors, Lovato singled to left which drove in Wright, but Lovato was able to make it all the way to third base on two errors from the infield. Lovato scored on the next at bat off of a single from Robinson.
IUSB was not out for the count though, a two run home-run in the sixth ignited their offense. Three total runs were scored for the Titans in the sixth inning as they looked to claw away at the big Cougar lead.
The seventh inning was going smoothly, Claas got two quick outs but a single followed by a home run suddenly left SXU with just a two run lead. But Claas kept her composure and quickly put away the very next batter to send the Cougars home with a win.
Saint Xavier once again has a very strong team from top to bottom and are a real threat when other teams make mistakes. They are the early pick to be the team to beat in the CCAC.
The Cougars next games are Friday, March 31 against Olivet Nazarene University, and Saturday, April 1 versus Cardinal Stritch University. Both days are doubleheaders at the SXU Softball field. Friday’s first game is scheduled for a 3pm start time, and Saturday’s at noon.