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CONWAY, Ark. - The Creighton softball team blanked Grambling
State 10-0 in five innings to conclude the Central Arkansas Tournament Sunday
morning.
Creighton (5-4) connected on 10 hits and took advantage of three Grambling
State (2-8) errors. The Bluejays plated multiple runs in the second, third and
fourth innings to secure the win. Freshman Kelsey Allender capped off the
scoring with an inside the park homer down the right field line that scored CU's
final two runs of the game.
Allender led the team with four RBI. She also posted two hits as did senior
Amy Baker and junior Alexis Cantu. Cantu belted her first career triple just before
Allender's first career round tripper.
Junior Becca Changstrom and the Creighton defense fell one out shy of a no-hitter
against GSU. Changstrom totaled seven strikeouts in a complete game one-hitter following
an infield single in the Lady Tigers' penultimate at-bat.
After a scoreless first inning, Creighton began the scoring in the bottom of
the second. Sophomore Bri Lingl led off with a single up the middle. Freshman
Erin McGonigal came on to pinch run at first before senior Ashley Frutos was
hit by a pitch. The runners stole second and third before an RBI bunt single
off the bat of freshman Katie Pascuzzi to score McGonigal and give CU a 1-0
lead.
Pascuzzi stole second before Homan reached on a two-out error by the GSU
second baseman. Frutos scored on the play to put Creighton up by two. Homan
later stole second base as Pascuzzi scored on the throw, giving Creighton a 3-0
lead after two.
Baker singled to begin the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Cassie
Sharon then came into the game to run at first. Cantu doubled to right center
to put runners in scoring position. A bunt single from Frutos scored Sharon to
make it 4-0 CU.
Allender rifled a two-RBI single up the middle to clear the bases and move
Creighton to a 6-0 lead. Pascuzzi followed with a walk and sophomore Liz Dike
reached on a fielder's choice that forced Allender out at third. Next up Homan
singled and all of the runners advanced on the throw to put the Bluejays up 7-0
after three.
In the bottom of the fourth, Baker again led off with a single up the middle.
Senior Sammy Snygg entered the game to run for Baker at first. Cantu then laced
a triple down the right field line to score a run to provide the Jays an 8-0
advantage.
Allender followed with the inside the park home run to score Creighton's
final two runs of the game.
After two outs in the top of the fifth, Grambling State's Bridgette Simmons
reached on an infield single to break up the no-hitter.
Creighton returns to action next weekend at the UTA Maverick Invitational
hosted by UT Arlington in suburban Dallas. The Jays open with two games on
Friday, March 1, battling the host Mavericks before facing Lamar on day one.
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