Mobile, Ala. – Sophomore pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) threw a three-hit complete game shutout with a season-high seven strikeouts to help lead Saint Xavier University softball (10-4/0-0 CCAC) to a 1-0 upset victory over No. 6 ranked Georgia Gwinnett College in game one of their doubleheader on Thursday afternoon on the campus of University of Mobile (Ala.). Junior infielder Kaitlyn Wright (Chicago, Ill./Marist) scored the lone run of the contest, racing home on a fielder's choice after a caught stealing in the top of the 3^rd inning. The Cougars lost game two by a score of 5-1 with sophomore catcher Natalie Johnson (Bourbonnais, Ill./Grand Valley State/Bradley-Bourbonnais) cracking her team-leading second home run of the year.

Game One:

• Wright finished 2-for-3 with the game-winning run.
• Junior infielder Mallory O'Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Bishop McNamara) also collected two hits in three at-bats for SXU.
• Junior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley)
• Sophomore infielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) added a hit in three trips to the plate.
• Sophomore designated player Yalayzah Lovan (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Dowling Catholic) was 0-for-1 while drawing two walks.
• Strand moved her record in the circle to 3-3 and logged her first shutout of the season.
• In the bottom of the 1^st, Stand left a pair of runners in scoring position of the base paths by getting a called-third strike to get out of a jam.
• Wright led off the top of the 3^rd with an infield single. Wroble hit an infield single one batter later to put runners on the first and third. Saint Xavier tried a double-steal attempt with Wroble being called out while trying to steal second, however Wright scored on the play.
• In the bottom of the 4^th, Strand left another runner in scoring position after allowing a two-out double by inducing a groundout to Wright at shortstop.
• Strand finished the game with three consecutive 1-2-3 innings and she recorded the final out to secure the victory.

Game Two:

• Junior outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) collected two hits in three at-bats and she came away with a stolen base.
• Johnson was 1-for-3, while Wroble also finished 1-for-3.
• Freshman pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) took the loss (3-1), being outdueled by the NAIA Softball Pitcher of the Week Annalise Jarvis. Antkiewicz threw 3.1 innings, surrendering four hits, four earned runs and walking four batters.
• Sophomore pitcher Hailey Wesner (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) worked 2.2 innings of relief, giving up three hits, one earned run, a walk and posting a strikeout.
• The Grizzlies took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1^st on a bases loaded walk.
• GGC added a run in the bottom of the 3^rd off a sacrifice fly.
• In the bottom of the 4^th, Georgia Gwinnett added a solo home run and an RBI single to go up 4-0.
• Johnson clubbed a home run over the wall in left field in the top of the 5^th.
• An RBI single in the bottom of the 6^th by the Grizzlies.

Saint Xavier (10-4/0-0 CCAC) begins play in the Gulf Shores Tournament on Friday, March 7 in Gulf Shores, Ala. The Cougars play University of Houston-Victoria at 1:30 pm on Field Two.