The St. Xavier softball team’s pitching and defense has been a pillar of strength over the last three seasons. This year, the Cougars’ offense might be coming along for the ride.
No. 4 St. Xavier is third in the nation in fielding percentage (.973), fourth in earned-run average (1.60) and is hitting .310, which is its best since the 2011 season.
“We stress defense from day one in our program,” said St. Xavier coach Myra Minuskin, who is approaching 800 career games in her 15th season. “It is one of the few facets of the game within our control.”
The Cougars (27-3-1) were the top defensive team in the nation in 2013 and second a season ago. This year, St. Xavier has just 22 errors in 32 games.
On the mound, junior Nicole Nonnemacher (13-2, 1.25 ERA) and sophomore Callie Brown (13-1, 1.49) spearhead a staff that’s seventh in the nation in strikeouts (240) and opposing batting average (1.93). Nonnemacher leads the nation in opposing batting average (.111).
“The team has been very upbeat,” Minuskin said. “We focus on the process and not the outcome.”
Senior outfielder Katie Sears (Mother McAuley) leads the Cougars with a .427 batting average, 12 steals and 12 sacrifices. Beka Ferguson (Chatham) is hitting .418 with 25 RBIs, junior catcher Jessica Arebalo (Stagg) is battling .316 and has yet to commit an error in 227 chances and senior second baseman Sarah Saunders (Reavis) is hitting .305 for the Cougars, who are 9-0-1 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
“Offensively, we focus on a team concept so there seems to be a different ‘hero’ each day,” Minuskin said. “Beka Ferguson has been our most consistent run producer. She has come up with so many huge hits.”
Award winner
The Great Lakes Valley Conference might consider renaming the Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week award after Lewis University’s Chantel Stennis (Bolingbrook). Stennis earned the award for the fourth time after winning two events and taking second in another to help the No. 5 Flyers win the Greenville Select Invitational.
The junior won the 200-meter dash with a NCAA Provisional time of 24.29 and ran a leg of the first-place 4×100 relay (47.37). She also ran a leg of the second-place 4×400 relay (3:50.75). The 200 and 4×100 relay times are the fastest in the GLVC.
Top player
Lewis University sophomore middle hitter Jacob Schmiegelt was named the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week. It’s the second week in a row a Flyer earned the award.
Schmiegelt helped the No. 2 Flyers (20-2) defeat defending NCAA champion Loyola for the second time this season by posting seven block assists and five digs.
Nelson is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
