South Bend, Ind. – Senior outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) went 8-for-8 with eight runs scored, five RBI, five stolen bases, a double and a walk to help guide the Saint Xavier University softball team (20-9/9-0 CCAC) to a three-game series sweep of Indiana University South Bend in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) competition that concluded Sunday afternoon at Newton Field in South Bend, Ind. The Cougars started the series with a doubleheader sweep at the SXU Softball Field Saturday afternoon. Redshirt sophomore infielder Jazmyn Casas (Berwyn, Ill./Illinois-Chicago/Taft) drove in three runs with a double as junior pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) came away with the win, while junior pitcher Hailey Wesner (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) nailed down the save in a 10-8 win in game one. Wesner was the winner in the circle in her third start of the season; senior catcher Morgan Natanek (Palos Heights, Ill./Stagg) finished 3-for-3 with four RBI in a 12-1 triumph in the second game. Strand threw a complete game, while sophomore infielder Danielle Goodman (Poplar Grove, Ill./North Boone) and sophomore outfielder Isabelle Poortenga (Dyer, Ind./Lewis/Lake Central) each collected two RBI Sunday afternoon in a 10-2 victory.

Casas also totaled five RBI in the series with two doubles, two runs, a walk and a steal after going 3-for-10. Junior infielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) had seven hits in 10 at-bats with six stolen bases, five runs scored and a walk. It was the sixth straight game that the Cougars scored 10 or more runs, a program record. Also reaching a milestone, senior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley) became the first player in team history to steal 50 or more bases in consecutive campaigns, as she is the only base stealer for SXU to have 50 or more steals in a season. She is currently 50-for-54 in 2026 after setting the single-season school record with 71 stolen bases on 73 attempts last season.

Game One:

• Matlock scored four runs with three stolen bases, two RBI and a walk while going 2-for-2.
• Casas was 3-for-3 with three RBI, a double and a walk.
• Senior infielder Mallory O'Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Bishop McNamara) tallied two RBI, with a run scored after going 1-for-3.
• Wroble went 3-for-4 with three runs and three steals.
• Strand pitched 5.1 innings to earn the win (9-5), scattering five hits with six runs (five earned), six walks and striking out seven batters.
• Sophomore pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) worked 1.1 innings out of the bullpen, allowing three hits, two earned runs, two walks and one strikeout.
• Wesner notched her first collegiate save as she recorded a flyout to end the game.
• The Titans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1^st, scoring on a wild pitch.
• Saint Xavier responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame as Wroble stole second and she scored on a throwing error, and Casas sliced an RBI double.
• O'Connor lined an RBI base hit to extend the lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the 3^rd.
• Another wild pitch brought in a run for IUSB to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the 5^th.
• Casas drew a bases loaded walk, an error/sacrifice fly off the bat of O'Connor, another RBI walk by junior designated player Yalitza Lovan (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Dowling Catholic) and an RBI groundout by Poortenga put the Cougars up 7-2 in the bottom of the 5^th.
• Indiana South Bend rallied for four runs in the top of the 6^th, scoring on an error, two bases loaded walks and an RBI single.
• Matlock lined a two-run single to center and Casas smacked an RBI single back up the middle in the bottom of the 6^th.
• The Titans cracked a two-run double, and brought the tying run to the plate before Wesner closed the door to secure the win.

Game Two:

• Matlock had three hits in three at-bats with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Wroble also went 3-for-3 adding two stolen bases, a walk and a run.
• Natanek was 3-for-3 as well with a double and a run scored
• O'Connor belted a pair of doubles, going 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.
• Wesner (2-1) worked 4.0 innings in the circle, giving up just two hits with a strikeout.
• Freshman pitcher Alaina Peetz (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) threw an inning of relief, surrendering three hits, one earned run and a walk.
• SXU went up 3-0 in the bottom of the 1^st. Matlock hit an RBI infield single, and she would score on an error, while Natanek also had an RBI base hit.
• Nine runs crossed the plate for Saint Xavier in the bottom of the 3^rd. Natanek sliced a two-run double to the gap in right center, Crane laced a two-run single to left center, Matlock hit an RBI single, Casas picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice, O'Connor hammered a two-run double and Natanek capped the rally with an RBI single.
• IUSB got on the board with an RBI base hit in the top of the 5^th.

Game Three:

• Matlock collected three hits, including a double, in three trips to the plate with two stolen bases and an RBI.
• Poortenga was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Goodman finished 1-for-2 with two RBI.
• Strand recorded her team-leading 10^th win in the circle (10-5) after she logged her ninth complete game of the year, throwing 6.0 innings with five hits, two earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts.
• Crane scored on an error to give the Cougars a 1-0 advantage in the top of the 1^st.
• An error allowed Matlock to score, Poortenga hit an RBI single and an error brought in a run and Goodman drove in a run to extend the lead to 5-0 in the top of the 4^th.
• SXU tacked on four runs in the top of the 5^th when Casas belted an RBI double, Poortenga lifted a sac fly, and Natanek and Goodman slugged back-to-back RBI doubles.
• Indiana South Bend scored twice in the home half of the inning on an RBI triple and an RBI base hit.
• Matlock hit her third double of the season down the left field line to drive in Wroble in the top of the 6^th.

Saint Xavier (20-9/9-0 CCAC) travels to Bourbonnais, Ill. for a seven-inning CCAC contest on Tuesday, March 31. The game is slated for a 2:00 pm first pitch. The series shifts to Chicago, Ill., when the Cougars and Tigers meet up for a doubleheader at the SXU Softball Field on Wednesday, April 1. Game is scheduled for a 2:00 pm first pitch.