CHICAGO – A four-run first inning, highlighted by a leadoff three-run home run in the bottom of the 1^st by junior infielder Alexus Reese (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) in the resumption of a game that was suspended due to lighting on April 19, fueled the Saint Xavier University softball team (30-12/17-3 CCAC) in a 7-0 victory over St. Ambrose University (Iowa) Wednesday afternoon in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) contest at the SXU Softball Field in Chicago, Ill. Junior pitcher Alyssa Frey (Sheboygan, Wis./Trinity International/Sheboygan South) tossed her first shutout of the season and allowed just three hits, one walk, a hit-by-pitch and had five strikeouts to run her record to 6-1 on the season.

• Reese finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Senior outfielder Sarah Bowen (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) belted her fifth home run of the year and was 1-for-4, including a spectacular diving catch to end the top of the 4^th in left center field.
• Senior infielder Morgan Haefling (Gilberts, Ill./Hampshire) went 1-for-3 with an RBI double
• Senior outfielder Lyda Robinson (Seneca, Ill./Seneca) collected three hits in four at-bats with a run scored and a stolen base.
• Senior outfielder Nicole Lovato (Channahon, Ill./Minooka Community) had two hits in four trips to the plate with two runs and two steals.
• The game resumed play with Robinson and Lovato on the corners. Reese worked the count before launching her team-leading seventh home run of the season over the wall in left center. Haefling lined an RBI double down the first base line to make it 4-0 in the bottom of the 1^st.
• Bowen sliced a two-run shot over the wall in right center to push the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the 5^th.
• Frey did a nice job of limiting runners, giving up a leadoff single in the top of the 2^nd and was helped by her teammates, as SXU turned a pair of double plays on the afternoon, including turning a 5-3 double play with two runners on to end the top of the 6^th.
• A two-out wild pitch allowed sophomore catcher Lindsay Morgan (Huntley, Ill./Keiser/Huntley) to score in the bottom of the 6^th.
• After surrendering a leadoff walk in the top of the 7^th, Frey struck out the side to earn a split in the series.

Saint Xavier (30-12/17-3 CCAC) concludes the regular season and will prepare for the CCAC Tournament that begins on Thursday, May 4 in Crown Point, Ind. Depending on the outcome of the University of St. Francis (Ill.)/Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) doubleheader on Thursday, April 27, SXU could have either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the tournament.