Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Joliet, Ill. – The Saint Xavier University softball team (17-11/4-2 CCAC) suffered a pair of loses to University of St. Francis (Ill.) in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action Friday afternoon at Joliet West High School in Joliet, Ill. The Cougars dropped the first game by a 10-1 margin in five innings and lost on a walk-off base hit in the night cap by a score of 7-6.

Game One:

• Senior catcher Sarah Bowen (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) was 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.
• Senior outfielder Lyda Robinson (Seneca, Ill./Seneca) also finished 1-for-2 with a walk.
• Freshman outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) went 1-for-2, while senior outfielder Nicole Lovato (Channahon, Ill./Minooka Community) scored a run with a stolen base and went 0-for-3.
• Junior pitcher Laila Summers (Joliet, Ill./Providence Catholic) made the start and went 1.0 inning, giving up seven hits, six runs and walked three batters.
• Freshman pitcher Oliva Balog (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) pitched 3.0 innings of relief, allowing ei ght hits and four runs.
• The Fighting Saints drew a bases loaded walk and picked up an RBI single to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 1^st.
• USF extended its advantage to 6-0 in the bottom of the 2^nd off of a two-run single and a pair of RBI base hits.
• An error in the top of the 3^rd allowed Lovato to score to get SXU on the board.
• St. Francis added an RBI single, a two-run base hit and another RBI single to take the win in the bottom of the 4^th.

Game Two:

• Junior infielder Alexus Reese (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) was 3-for-4 with three RBI and slugged two home runs.
• Robinson went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and a run scored.
• Freshman infielder Kaitlyn Wright (Chicago, Ill./Marist) clubbed a home run and finished 1-for-3.
• Sophomore pitcher Julianne Claas (Menomonee, Falls, Wis./Hamilton) pitched 4.2 innings and surrendered eight hits, six runs, walked five batters and struck out two.
• Summers (11-6) took the loss after 2.0 innings out of the bullpen with three hits, one run, one walk and two strikeouts.
• Reese launched a two-run home run to left center to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1^st.
• The Fighting Saints tied the game in the bottom half of the inning off a two-run double and took the lead with an RBI base hit.
• Wright retied the game with her second home run of the season over the wall in right center in the top of the 2^nd.
• A sacrifice fly gave USF a 4-3 advantage in the bottom of the 3^rd.
• Reese tied the game with her second home run of the afternoon and her third of the season in the top of the 5^th. Freshman pinch hitter Taylor Becker (Alsip, Ill./Shepard) cracked her first collegiate home run, a two-run shot, to put SXU ahead by a score of 6-4.
• St. Francis evened the score with a two-run single in the next half inning and ended the game with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 7^th.

Saint Xavier (17-11/4-2 CCAC) has a quick turnaround as they host Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.) in CCAC competition on Saturday, April 8. Game one is scheduled for a 12:00 pm first pitch.