Mobile, Ala. – The Saint Xavier University softball team (8-6/0-0 CCAC) earned a doubleheader split with No. 21 Georgia Gwinnett College Thursday afternoon at University of Mobile (Ala.) in Mobile, Ala. to start their Spring Trip. Redshirt sophomore infielder Jazmyn Casas (Berwyn, Ill./Illinois-Chicago/Taft) hit a sacrifice fly while junior pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) posted six strikeouts in a 2-1 defeat in the first game. A six-run outburst in the fifth inning aided pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central), who went the distance allowing five hits, two runs (one earned) and striking out six batters to improve to 4-2 in the circle in a 7-2 triumph in game two.

Game One:

• Casas finished 1-for-2 at the plate.
• Senior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley) was 1-for-4 with a run and a stolen base, her 24^th in 25 attempts this season.
• Sophomore designated player Isabelle Poortenga (Dyer, Ind./Lewis/Lake Central) went 1-for-3.
• Junior infielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) drew a walk after going 0-for-2 with a steal. She is now 13-for-14 in stolen base attempts on the year.
• Strand (3-4) tossed her fifth complete game of the year, going 6.0 innings with seven hits, two earned runs and two walks.
• Casas lifted a sac fly to center to plate Crane for an early 1-0 lead in the top of the 1^st.
• The Grizzlies tied the game in the bottom of the 3^rd on an RBI single and they drove in the winning run one batter later on an RBI base hit.

Game Two:

• Casas collected two hits in three at-bats with an RBI, a stolen base and a hit-by-pitch.
• Freshman infielder Sienna Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) scored two runs after going 1-for-3 with an RBI.
• GGC struck first with an RBI single in the bottom of the 1^st.
• Senior infielder Mallory O'Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Bishop McNamara) led off the top of the 6^th with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Freshman pinch-runner Alex Tarala (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) entered the game, scoring two at-bats later on an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Poortenga. Sienna Antkiewicz brought in a run on an RBI fielder's choice to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead. Crane picked up an RBI after reaching base on an error, followed by an RBI groundout by Wroble. Junior catcher Natalie Johnson (Bourbonnais, Ill./Grand Valley State/Bradley-Bourbonnais) capped the rally with a sacrifice fly.
• Casas lined an RBI single to push the lead to 7-1 in the top of the 7^th.
• Georgia Gwinnett scored a run off an SXU error before Payton Antkiewicz recorded a strikeout to end the contest.

Saint Xavier (8-6/0-0 CCAC) begins play in the Gulf Shores Tournament on Friday, March 6 vs. United States Sports University (Ala.). The game is scheduled for a 6:00 pm first pitch in Gulf Shores, Ala.