CHICAGO – On an afternoon that No. 19 Saint Xavier University softball (27-6/10-0 CCAC) celebrated 'Senior Day', it was freshman pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) who grabbed the spotlight as she tossed her first collegiate no-hitter in game two of a doubleheader sweep of Viterbo University (Wis.) in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) action for the Cougars Saturday at the SXU Softball Field in Chicago, Ill. Junior infielder Mallory O'Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Bishop McNamara) paced the SXU offense in game one, collecting three RBI and scoring three runs in a 12-1 triumph. Antkiewicz (11-1) threw the 48^th No-Hitter in program history after allowing just two walks with five strikeouts in 5.0 innings in an 8-0 victory.

It was the first No-Hitter for Saint Xavier since last season when senior pitcher Julianne Claas (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Hamilton) and former standout pitcher Laila Summers (2021-24) combined to no-hit Mount Marty University (S.D.) on February 18, 2024. It was the first solo No-Hitter for the Cougars since a five-inning Perfect Game was thrown by Summers against Trinity International University (Ill.) on April 11, 2023.

In between games, the team recognized eight seniors: infielder Abbie Carr (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli), Claas, infielder Julia Czart (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), utility player Chloe Erwin (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), utility player Kyla Kissee (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee), catcher Lindsay Morgan (Huntley, Ill./Keiser/Huntley), outfielder Maddi Stahulak (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way West) and junior infielder Kaitlyn Wright (Chicago, Ill./Marist), who is graduating early.
Game One:

• O'Connor finished 2-for-2 with a walk.
• Carr was 1-for-2 with two RBI.
• Freshman infielder Danielle Goodman (Poplar Grove, Ill./North Boone) went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
• Wright doubled with an RBI and a run scored while going 2-for-3.
• Junior outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) had a hit in two at-bats with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base.
• Sophomore pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) threw 3.0 innings to earn the win (11-4) giving up just one hit with a walk and six strikeouts.
• Claas worked 2.0 innings of relief, scattering two hits with one earned run and three walks.
• SXU scored six runs in the bottom of the 1^st. An error allowed a run to score of a sacrifice bunt, Matlock picked up an RBI on a fielding error, O'Connor lined an RBI single to center field, Wright laced an RBI double to left field, Carr drove in a run on an RBI groundout and Goodman pulled an RBI base hit through the left side of the infield.
• Saint Xavier tacked on four runs in the bottom of the 2^nd. O'Connor tallied two RBI on a base hit to center field, Carr hammered an RBI single to left field and Goodman added an RBI on a fielder's choice.
• Morgan pulled an RBI single down the left field line to push the lead to 11-0 in the bottom of the 3^rd.
• Stahulak recorded an RBI on a groundout in the bottom of the 4^th. In the top half of the inning, she helped turn a double play after making a diving catch near the warning track to double up the runner on second base.
• The V-Hawks got on the board in the top of the 5^th on an RBI double.

Game Two:

• Sophomore designated player Yalayzah Lovan (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Dowling Catholic) had three hits in three trips to the plate, scoring twice, hitting an RBI double and stealing a base.
• Carr was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
• Matlock went 1-for-3 two RBI, a run scored and a steal.
• Sophomore outfielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) had three hits in three at-bats as well. She added a run and a stolen base.
• Junior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley) was 1-for-2, scoring a run and nabbing her team-leading 46^th stolen base.
• Wright finished 1-for-3 with three steals and two runs scored.
• Goodman hit an RBI double, going 1-for-2.
• The Cougars struck early again, plating five runs in the bottom of the 1^st. Matlock lined a two-run base hit to center field, Lovan split the gap in left center for an RBI double, Wright and Lovan performed a double-steal with Lovan swiping home and Carr drove in a run on an RBI base hit back up the middle.
• In the bottom of the 3^rd, Carr tallied her second RBI of the game on an RBI single, sophomore catcher Natalie Johnson (Bourbonnais, Ill./Grand Valley State/Bradley-Bourbonnais) brought a run in on a sacrifice fly and Goodman clubbed an RBI double to right center field.
• Antkiewicz allowed a walk in both the top of the 1^st and 2^nd before retiring the side in order in the next three frames, including a come-backer to end the game.

No. 19 Saint Xavier (27-6/10-0 CCAC) plays its home finale on Tuesday, April 15, when they host Trinity Christian College (Ill.) in a CCAC doubleheader at the SXU Softball Field. Game one is slated for a 3:00 pm first pitch.