
Softball Opens Plainsman Invitational With Pair of Losses to Mercer And No. 2 Auburn
2/17/2017 5:00:00 PM | Softball
Bluejays hit two home runs during rally against Mercer before falling 10-6, drop 8-0 game to No. 2 Auburn
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The Bluejays fell 10-6 to Mercer before dropping an 8-0Â game against No. 2 Auburn.
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In the opening game of the day, Mercer jumped out to a six-run lead off of two home runs and an error with two outs.
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A solo home run gave the Bears a 1-0 edge before Mercer loaded the bases with two outs. Creighton starter Bryana Clark induced a ground ball that appeared to help the Bluejays escape giving up a big inning, but an error allowed two runs to score.
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Mercer took advantage of the error as Megan Lane launched a three-run home run to put the Bears ahead 6-0.
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Creighton put three different runners on base in the second but ended the frame with a fielder's choice and strikeout.
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Michal Hylton replaced Clark in the third and got out of her first inning of work by holding a runner at second base after a two-out double.
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The Bluejays put together a six-run inning of their own during the third frame.
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Sam Dellinger and Allie Reinhart started the rally with back-to-back home runs. Dellinger's home run, the first of her Creighton career, came with Anna O'Gorman on base following a lead-off single.
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Reinhart cut the deficit in half at 6-3 with her first long ball of 2017 after hitting six last season.
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Jen Daro and Mikaela Pechar reached on a single and a walk to extend the frame, and Daro came around to score the first of two runs in the inning via a wild pitch.
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Following Daro's run that trimmed the lead to two, Tash Coffiel delivered with an RBI single to left-center to make it 6-5.
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Jayci McGill, who came on as a pinch hitter and drew a two-out walk, scored the tying run on a wild pitch with O'Gorman at the plate, the 10th Bluejay to step to the plate during the six-run third.
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Neither team scratched a run across in the fourth or fifth, while Mercer took the lead and the game with three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh.
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The Bluejays had only four base runners during the last four innings against the Bears.
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Jill McElderry allowed one hit in 4.1 innings of relief work for Mercer while picking up her first victory of the season.
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Meghan Rud and Lane led Mercer at the top of the lineup, with a combined five hits, five RBIs and three runs scored as the Bears finished with 11 hits.
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Dellinger led the Bluejays with a 2-for-3 performance including a home run, two RBIs and a walk.
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In the second game of the day, Hylton retired seven of the first eight hitters she faced and did not allow an Auburn hit until the second time through the order.
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After two walks put runners at first and second with two outs in the third inning, the Tigers needed only one swing of the bat to take the lead. Â
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Haley Fagan hit a three-run home run to left-center field to give Auburn its first hit and a 3-0 lead.
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The Tigers added to the lead on an error.
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Creighton's lead-off hitter reached base in the top of the third, but the Bluejays were unable to cash in.
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Kelsey Biaggi, making her first start as a Bluejay, drew a walk after falling behind 0-2, but pinch runner Aujanae McCoy left first base early in an attempt to steal second. A strikeout and groundout ended Creighton's half of the third.
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Auburn added three runs in the fifth inning on a pair of sacrifice flies and one on an RBI-walk.
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With the bases loaded Carmyn Greenwood flew out to Dellinger in left field who fired the ball towards the plate. The throw one-hopped the catcher before bouncing to the backstop, allowing two runs to score because of heads-up base running.
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Auburn added to the advantage with a sacrifice to right field, and ended the game with bases loaded walk.
Mileah McKelvy had the Bluejays only hit against the Tigers with a single down the left-field line during the second inning.
Creighton resumes action at the Plainsman Invitational with games against Evansville and Auburn on Saturday. The Bluejays open the day at 1 p.m. against the Purple Aces.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McElderry, Jill (1-1)
L: Hylton, Michal (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Walsh, Abby 1 ; Rodriguez, Maxine 1
HR: Lane, Megan 1 ; Taylor, Caroline 1
RBI: Rud, Meghan 3 ; Lane, Megan 3 ; Taylor, Caroline 1 ; Rodriguez, Maxine 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rud, Meghan 2 ; Lane, Megan 1 ; Taylor, Caroline 1 ; Walsh, Abby 1 ; Castleberry,Danielle 3 ; Josselet, Catie 1 ; Rodriguez, Maxine 1
SB: Rud, Meghan 3 ; Lane, Megan 1 ; Andrew, Emma 1
HBP: Mauga, Quirisa 1 ; Castleberry,Danielle 1

Batting:
HR: Dellinger, Sam 1 ; Reinhart, Allie 1
RBI: Coffiel, Tash 1 ; Dellinger, Sam 2 ; Reinhart, Allie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: O'Gorman, Anna 1 ; Dellinger, Sam 1 ; Reinhart, Allie 1 ; Daro, Jen 1 ; Fry, Kristin 1 ; Foster, Jayci 1
HBP: Pechar, Mikaela 1