Saint Xavier Dominates Again At Softball Tournament, Claims Sixth Straight Title

CROWN POINT, Ind. --- Top-seeded Saint Xavier University left no doubt who was the premier team during the 2026 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference softball season, dominating both the regular season and the postseason again.  Outscoring its four opponents 46-3 in the tournament, the Cougars claimed their sixth straight postseason crown on Friday with their convincing 8-0 victory over No. 2 seed University of St. Francis.

Morgan Natanek was the key force in the SXU lineup, delivering RBIs in each of the three innings that the Cougars scored.  She opened the scoring with a two-run double in the second inning before driving in a run on a fielder's choice in the third and a single in the fourth.

The senior catcher finished the day accounting for four of the eight runs batted in, going 2-for-3.  Fiona Crane also drove in a pair of runs with a groundout and a single.

Natalie Gomez added a pair of hits and scored twice, while Isabelle Poortenga reached based three times on walks and scored each time.  Other contributors included Mallory O'Connor (1 RBI) and Danielle Goodman (1 RBI).

Lily Strand authored the shutout in the circle, scattering four hits over the five-inning contest to improve to 20-7 on the season.

By virtue of St. Francis (38-16) finishing second in the CCAC Tournament and Saint Xavier (41-12) winning both titles, both teams advance to the NAIA National Championships Opening Round, which will take place May 11-14 at ten different sites.  Pairings for the next round of the postseason will be announced on Thursday at 5 pm.  

The complete tournament results follow:

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Game #1: No. 6 seed Indiana South Bend 7,  No. 3 seed St. Ambrose 5
Game #2: No. 7 seed Trinity Christian 6, No. 2 seed St. Francis 5
Game #3: No. 4 seed Olivet Nazarene 4, No. 5 seed Viterbo 0
Game #4: No. 1 seed Saint Xavier 10, No. 8 seed Calumet St. Joseph 2 --- 6 Innings
Game #5: No. 2 seed St. Francis 4, No. 3 seed St. Ambrose 3
Game #6: No. 8 seed Calumet St. Joseph 14, No. 5 seed Viterbo 13 --- 8 Innings
Game #7: No. 6 seed Indiana South Bend 9, No. 7 seed Trinity Christian 3
Game #8: No. 1 seed Saint Xavier 9, No. 4 seed Olivet Nazarene 1

Thursday, April 30, 2026
Game #9: No. 2 seed St. Francis 4, No. 4 seed Olivet Nazarene 3
Game #10: No. 8 seed Calumet St. Joseph 7, No. 7 seed Trinity Christian 4
Game #11: No. 1 seed Saint Xavier 19, No. 6 seed Indiana South Bend 0
Game #12: No. 2 seed St. Francis 3, No. 8 seed Calumet St. Joseph 2

Friday, May 1, 2026
Game #13: No. 2 seed St. Francis 7, No. 6 seed Indiana South Bend 4
Game #14: No. 1 seed Saint Xavier 8, No. 2 seed St. Francis 0