Livonia, Mich. – Earning a spot in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll earlier in the day, the No. 22 ranked Saint Xavier University softball team (15-6/0-0 CCAC) earned a doubleheader split with No. 12 Madonna University (Mich.) Wednesday afternoon at University Field in Livonia, Mich. Sophomore catcher Natalie Johnson (Bourbonnais, Ill./Grand Valley State/Bradley-Bourbonnais) collected two RBI while going 1-for-3 in a 9-3 loss in game one. Junior infielder Mallory O'Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Bishop McNamara) finished 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI and a walk as the Cougars came away with a 5-4 victory in game two.

Game One:

• Junior outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) recorded three singles in three at-bats.
• Junior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley) went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• Junior infielder Kaitlyn Wright (Chicago, Ill./Marist) scored a run, drew a walk and had a stolen base and was 0-for-2.
• Sophomore pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) took the defeat (5-4) after throwing 3.2 innings with nine hits, nine runs (four earned) and four walks.
• Freshman pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) logged 2.1 innings of relief, allowing three hits, two walks and striking out two batters.
• Johnson lined a two-run single and Crane put down an RBI bunt single to put the Cougars up 3-0 in the top of the 2^nd.
• The Crusaders responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning with two RBI base hits.
• MU took the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the 3^rd on a wild pitch and an error that allowed a run to score.
• In the bottom of the 4^th, Madonna plated five runs on two RBI singles, a bases loaded walk and a two-run base hit.

Game Two:

• Crane had three hits in four at-bats, scoring a pair of runs.
• Wright was 2-for-4 with a run and a stolen base.
• Antkiewicz tossed a complete game to improve her record to 5-1 in the circle. She surrendered nine hits, four earned runs, two walks and she recorded a strikeout.
• Sophomore designated player Yalitza Lovan (Pleasant Hills, Iowa/Dowling Catholic) gave SXU a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1^st, slicing an RBI single to the gap in right center.
• Junior infielder Emily Bickett (Plainfield, Ill./South Suburban/Morton/Plainfield South) belted an RBI double and she scored on O'Connor's sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0 in the top of the 2^nd.
• The Crusaders cut the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the 3^rd on a two-run single and they tied the game in the bottom of the 5^th, hitting an RBI double.
• In the top of the 7^th, Crane led the frame off with a base hit. Sophomore infielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) than hit a 'Little-League Home Run' as an error allowed both runners to score to put Saint Xavier on top 5-3.
• MU got a run back in the bottom of the 7^th on a one-out RBI single, however Antkiewicz left the tying run stranded by getting a flyout and a ground out to earn the victory.

No. 22 Saint Xavier (15-6/0-0 CCAC) welcomes Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (Ind.) to the SXU Softball Field for their home opener on Tuesday, March 25. The doubleheader is slated to start at 3:00 pm.