Junior Laila Summers is now enshrined in SXU history after throwing the thirteenth perfect game in program history, and just the seventh pitcher to do so. Her final stat line was 5.0 innings with no runs, hits, or walks and eight strikeouts.
It was Summers’ first full perfect game; she and Allison Golic (2018-21) threw a combined perfect game in 2021 against Lawrence Technical University.
After three double-headers last week, SXU improved their record to 25-11.
They swept Trinity International University on Tuesday the 11, winning game one 17-0 (five innings) and game two 8-0 (six innings). The following Friday, SXU won both games against Trinity Christian College by scores of 10-1 and 8-4. And on Saturday, they beat Roosevelt 8-0 in five innings, and won a tight game two with a score of 2-1.
In game one against TIU, freshman outfielder, Haley Matlock, was 3-3 with three RBIs and a run. Senior infielder, Morgan Haefling, also had three RBIs on a bases-clearing double in the top of the first.
Junior infielder, Alexus Reese, hit a solo home run in the first inning, and scored two more runs and drove in one more RBI.
The Cougars scored in every inning except the sixth, scoring three in the first, two in the second, five in the third, three in the fourth, and four in the fifth. Their 17 runs came off of 16 hits and was aided by five Trinity International errors.
Game two saw more of the same offensive explosion and pitching dominance.
Sophomore Julianne Claas, just missed a perfect game herself, tossing a one-hit shutout in six innings with seven strikeouts.
Saint Xavier had four players with multiple hits, and two players with three RBIs. Sophomore infielder, Abbie Carr, was 2-3 with three RBIs, and senior outfielder, Lyda Robinson, had three hits in four at bats and three RBIs.
In game one against TCC, the Cougars were powered by senior outfielder, Sarah Bowen, and Reese, who both hit home runs.
Bowen homered in the fifth to right field to give the Cougars a commanding 7-0 lead as Summers shut down the Trolls offense. Bowen also had a double in game one and scored three times.
Summers only struck out two batters, but induced a lot of contact outs and allowed just one run on four hits.
There was more scoring from Trinity Christian in game two, but the Cougars’ offense continued to light up the scoreboard.
Matlock, Bowen, and A. Carr, all had multiple hits but Matlock led the pack, going 3-4 at the plate with two runs scored.
But it was Reese who had the big swing in the fifth inning down two runs, slugging a two out, three run home run to put Saint Xavier on top 4-3. Bowen came around to score on an error in the fifth, giving junior Alyssa Frey some cushion to work with late in the game.
Frey tossed five innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out two TCC batters.
The Cougars scored three more insurance runs in the seventh, two of them coming off a Bowen two run double.
Game one versus Roosevelt University was more of the same commanding offense we have seen all season. The Cougars scored four in the first inning with help from Reese who hit a two run home run to left center.
Saint Xavier scored four more runs in the third inning, all with two outs, to put the game out of reach.
Summers once again dominated her opponent, spreading out five hits in five innings and striking out two batters.
In game two versus the Lakers, the Cougars once again jumped out to a first inning lead via a two run single from A. Carr down the third base line. But this was the only scoring SXU would have in this game, RU’s relief pitcher came in after 1.1 innings from the starter and shut down the loud Cougar offense.
Roosevelt got a run back in the fifth inning, chasing Frey out of the game, but the Lakers could not push the tying run across the plate against Summers.
Saint Xavier currently has a two game lead in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), with University of Saint Francis lurking close behind. USF would own the tiebreaker at the end of the season if the two schools finished with the same record.
Their next games are April 21 against Judson University in Elgin, Illinois. Game one is scheduled for a 3 pm first pitch.