A four-day, institution-wide enforced layoff did nothing to alter the swing of Saint Xavier University's John O'Brien (Lake Zurich, Ill.), who hit a robust .600 with 20 RBI in seven games en route to being the unanimous choice as the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week. Jason Novak (Lockport, Ill.) gained the recognition on the mound as the CCAC Pitcher of the Week by winning both of his decisions in the week ending April 20.

O'Brien was one of the main catalysts in a Saint Xavier offense that rang up 105 runs scored and went 6-1 during the week. The sophomore shortstop drove in three runs in six of the Cougars' seven games with another two runs batted in in the other contest. He also produced five multi-hit games, including three three-hit affairs, in totaling 15 hits in 25 at bats.

O'Brien hit no less than .500 in five of the team's seven games and came away perfect at the plate in three of those contests.

Seven of his 15 hits went for extra bases with four going for two bases and two being home runs. He also scored 17 runs, walked five times, stole three bases and produced a 1.080 slugging percentage.

Both of Novak's wins were conference decisions, including a 3-0 blanking of Judson University on April 19 to extend USF's winning streak to 17 games. Novak, a senior, struck out 13 batters, while walking only two and yielding four hits in the seven-inning contest.

Four days earlier, on April 15, Novak worked the first four innings of a 7-3 seven-inning victory over Trinity Christian College. He struck out five and allowed just one earned run that day.

For the two games combined, Novak gave up just the one earned run in 11 innings of work (0.82 ERA) and struck out 18 opposite five walks in 11 total innings.

St. Francis, which had its winning streak snapped right after Novak's shutout, remained atop the league standings at 14-1. The No. 14-ranked Saints are 34-7 overall.

O'Brien helped move Saint Xavier to 27-16 overall and 9-3 in the conference, which places them third in the league.