Saint Xavier University

Williamsburg, Ky. – With four hits on the day, two in each game, senior outfielder Haley Matlock (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) established a new program record for hits in a season to help the No. 2 seeded Saint Xavier University softball team (43-13/26-1 CCAC) earn a pair of wins in the elimination bracket at the Williamsburg (Ky.) Bracket in the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round Tournament Tuesday afternoon in Williamsburg, Ky. Matlock broke the school record that she tied yesterday with a two-run RBI single in the bottom of the 3^rd in a 4-1 victory over No. 5 Oakland City University (Ind.) in the first game. Matlock now has 90 hits on the season with a team-best .503 batting average (90-for-179). Redshirt sophomore infielder Jazmyn Casas (Berwyn, Ill./Illinois-Chicago/Taft) added to her team lead in RBI's, 87, with three in a 7-3 triumph over No. 4 Benedictine College (Kan.) in game two.

Game One:

• Sophomore pitcher Payton Antkiewicz (Dyer, Ind./Hanover Central) threw her 13^th complete game of the year with to improve to 17-4 in the circle. She allowed just five hits, one earned run and a walk. She posted eight strikeouts, striking out the side to start the game, and getting a called third strike to end the contest.
• Matlock finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and a stolen base.
• Senior catcher Morgan Natanek (Palos Heights, Ill./Stagg) was 1-for-3 with an RBI double.
• Junior infielder Aubrey Wroble (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) had a hit in three at-bats with a run scored, a walk and a steal.
• Senior infielder Mallory O'Connor (Bourbonnais, Ill./Olivet Nazarene/Bishop McNamara) tallied a pair of hits in four trips to the plate.
• Senior outfielder Fiona Crane (Evergreen Park, Ill./Northern Illinois/Mother McAuley) went 1-for-3 with a stolen base.
• Sophomore outfielder Natalie Gomez (Oak Forest, Ill./Lewis/Tinley Park) plated two runs, going 1-for-3.
• Natanek opened the scoring with an RBI double down the left field line in the bottom of the 2^nd.
• Matlock's record-breaking hit pushed the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the 3^rd and she added an RBI ground out in the bottom of the 4^th.
• Oakland City scored its run on a home run in the top of the 6^th.

Game Two:

• Junior pitcher Lily Strand (Evergreen Park, Ill./Saint Louis/Evergreen Park) carried a one-hitter into the top of the 7^th, only allowing two on the afternoon, finishing with a line score of 7.0 innings, two hits three earned runs, five walks and five strikeouts to move her record to 21-8. She is now tied for 10^th in single-season team history for wins with four other players.
• Casas was 2-for-4 overall with a double and a run scored.
• Matlock went 2-for-4 as well with an RBI, a run and a stolen base.
• Natanek finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and a walk.
• Crane stole her 94^th base of the season, going 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored.
• Wroble drew a pair of walks with two runs while batting 1-for-2.
• Sophomore infielder Danielle Goodman (Poplar Grove, Ill./North Boone) recorded an RBI, and was 1-for-2 with a walk.
• The Ravens took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1^st on a two-out RBI single.
• Casas tied the game in the next half inning, slicing an RBI double down the left field line.
• The Cougars rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 4^th when Matlock hit an RBI single back up the middle and Casas laced a two-run base hit.
• Goodman legged out a bunt single for an RBI in the bottom of the 5^th.
• In the bottom of the 6^th, Natanek pulled a two-run single through the left side of the infield to increase the advantage to 7-1.
• Benedictine posted its second hit of the game, a two-run single, in the top of the 7^th. The runner was thrown out and second by Matlock. The play was challenged, and after a lengthy review, the call was confirmed to seal the victory.

No. 2 seed Saint Xavier (43-13/26-1 CCAC) takes on No. 3, and host, University of the Cumberlands (Ky.)  in the elimination bracket final at 11:00 am central on Wednesday, May 13. A win advances SXU to the bracket championship game vs. top-seeded Keiser University (Fla.) at 1:30 pm central.