Saint Xavier Sweeps Week 2 Softball Awards

CHICAGO --- Playing key roles in upsets of NAIA No. 23 William Carey University (Miss.) and No. 21 Reinhardt University (Ga.), Saint Xavier University's Alexus Reese (Schererville, Ind.) and Laila Summers (Joliet, Ill.) have been recognized as the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for the seven-day period ending March 3.  The announcement was made by the league office on Tuesday morning.

Reese had at least one hit and one RBI in each of the Cougars' six games last week, finishing with seven hits total (.438 batting average) and nine runs batted in.  She also had four doubles and six walks with the latter leading to a .591 on-base percentage.

The senior first baseman had a big day Saturday, driving in three runs in the 8-0 victory over William Carey and another one in the 3-1 nod over Reinhardt.  She also drove in both runs in a 3-2 second-game setback to Missouri Baptist University last Tuesday and collected two hits and an RBI in an 8-4 win over Middle Georgia State University on Sunday.

Defensively, Reese fielded all 46 of her chances cleanly.

Summers, who went 3-1 on the week, was credited with both upset victories as well as an 8-2 complete-game decision over Campbellsville University (Ky.) on Sunday.  The senior allowed only two hits in the five-inning effort against William Carey, while permitting just one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief against Reinhardt.

Summers had her most strikeouts in the victory over Campbellsville, totaling eight against no walks.

Saint Xavier went 4-2 on the week to improve to 10-4 overall.   

Other Player Nominees: Shai Erdrich (St. Ambrose), Kamryn Koontz (Trinity Christian), Jacqueline Marquez (Calumet St. Joseph), Brittany Osborne (St. Francis), Athena Pomele-Pen (Roosevelt).

Other Pitcher Nominees: Samantha Norman (Roosevelt), Myleigh Halmon (Trinity Christian), Kiersten Manning (St. Francis), Kylee Slack (Calumet St. Joseph).