May 6, 2006

By Rob Huizenga, SXU Sports Information

BOURBANNAIS, Ill. - Senior second baseman Colleen Kilduff (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) etched her name into the NAIA record books Friday with career doubles #70 and #71 as the No. 16 ranked Saint Xavier University (Ill.) softball team defeated Trinity International University (Ill.), 13-1, in five innings to win the 2006 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.).  Melissa Dowlen, who recorded 69 career doubles at Athens State University (Ala.) from 1993-95, held the previous national mark.

Kilduff went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate Friday with two doubles, three runs scored, and two RBI.  In addition to the doubles record, she also pulled to within two bases (528) of tying the NAIA mark for total bases in a career (530 - also set by Dowlen from 1993-95).  Kilduff has already set a couple of school single-season records this spring with 18 home runs and 79 RBI and has currently surpassed SXU career totals for run scored (196), at-bats (741), hits (298), doubles (71), home runs (45), RBI (212), and extra-base hits (128).

The Cougars got their offense rolling early in Friday's championship scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning capped by a three-run homer to centerfield from junior shortstop Samantha Lovato (Oak Forest, Ill./Eisenhower).  However, Saint Xavier was far from finished and, in the second inning, tacked on five more runs to take a 9-0 lead.  Junior first baseman Jory Bodi (Richmond, Ill./Richmond-Burton) highlighted the second-inning scoring surge with a three-run home run over the wall in right-centerfield. 

SXU scored its final four runs in the third inning with Lovato recording a RBI single followed immediately by a two-RBI double from junior designated hitter Lindsey Hall (Elgin, Ill./Larkin).  Lovato finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored, and two RBI, while Bodi went 1-for-2 with a homer, three runs scored, and three RBI.  Sophomore righthander Ashley Shearer (Beecher, Ill./Beecher) earned the win for Saint Xavier throwing all five innings Friday.  She allowed just four hits, one run, and a walk with six strikeouts and earned her ninth win of the season (9-2).      

Saint Xavier (36-12 overall/16-2 CCAC) heads to Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 10, to take part in the three-day 2006 NAIA Region VII Tournament hosted by Grand View College (Iowa).  The Cougars will own the No. 1 seed at the region tourney and pairings and times will be released upon conclusion of all conference tournaments.