Sioux Center, Iowa – The Saint Xavier University softball team (1-2/0-0 CCAC) came up short in its doubleheader match-up, falling to No. 15 Midland University (Neb.) 7-6 and to No. 11 Northwestern College (Iowa) 6-3 in extra-innings Saturday afternoon in the Dordt University (Iowa) Dome Tournament in Sioux Center, Iowa. Senior infielder Julia Czart (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) was 2-for-2 with a two-run triple and a stolen base in game one, while junior outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the second contest for the Cougars.

Game One:

• Junior infielder Kaitlyn Wright (Chicago, Ill./Marist) finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
• Senior infielder Abbie Carr (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) was 1-for-2 with an RBI double, a run and a walk.
• Junior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley) had one hit in three at-bats with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
• Sophomore catcher Natalie Johnson (Bourbonnais, Ill./Grand Valley State/Bradley-Bourbonnais) went 1-for-2 with a double, a run and a walk.
• Freshman pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) made her first collegiate start, throwing 1.1 innings with five hits allowed, three runs (all earned) and a walk.
• Sophomore pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) made her SXU debut, working 4.2 innings of relief. She gave up seven hits, four earned runs, a walk and two strikeouts.
• Saint Xavier jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the 1^st on a two-run single off the bat of Wright and an RBI double to the gap in left center by Carr.
• Crane made it 4-0 in the top of the 2^nd, driving in a run off of a safety squeeze sacrifice bunt to score Johnson.
• The Warriors responded with three runs in the bottom of the second on a RBI base hit, a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.
• Midland took the lead in the bottom of the 4^th on a two-run single.
• Czart sliced a two-run triple to right field to put SXU back up 6-5 in the top of the 6^th.
• MU hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the 6^th to come away with the win.

Game Two:

• Crane had two hits in four trips to the plate along with a stolen base, while Carr finished 3-for-4.
• Sophomore infielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) had a pair of hits in three at-bats and a stolen base.
• Strand made her first start for SXU, going the distance with 8.0 innings, eight hits six runs (three earned), eight walks and five strikeouts.
• Matlock gave Saint Xavier a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 3^rd, driving in Crane, as she reached base via an error.
• The Red Raiders scored twice in the top of the 4^th on an RBI double and a sac fly.
• Matlock squared the game at 2-2 with a two-out RBI single to send the game into extra-innings.
• Northwestern plated four runs in the top of the 8^th off a Cougar miscue, an RBI single, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.
• Sophomore designated player Yalayzah Lovan (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Dowling Catholic) smashed a leadoff RBI double to score Wright, who was placed on second due to the international tie-breaker rule, in the bottom of the frame.

Saint Xavier (1-2/0-0 CCAC) wraps up play in Sioux Center, Iowa on Sunday, February 9 when they take on Waldorf University (Iowa) in the Dordt Dome. The game is slated for a 1:30 pm start.