Creighton University
18-26, 4-13
Connecticut
30-11, 17-3
Softball Falls To Connecticut In Chilly Affair
4/22/2023 6:34:00 PM | Softball
The loss drops the Bluejays to 18-26 the year and 4-13 in BIG EAST play, while Connecticut improves to 30-11 overall and 17-3 in league action with their 11th straight conference win.
Junior Cayla Nielsen led the Bluejays offense with a pair of hits, including a solo home run, while senior Saren Croker drove in three runs on a double. Senior Kailey Wilson also reached base four times drawing a trio of walks to move into fourth on Creighton's all-time career walks list with 88 walks. Sophomore Alyssa Bostley suffered the loss allowing seven runs on nine hits in 5.2 innings of work.
The Huskies placed the first crocked number on the scoreboard, plating two in the top of the first inning. Lexi Hastings opened the game with a leadoff walk before stealing second and third. She would come in to score the first run of the game on a wild pitch a few pitches later, giving Connecticut a 1-0 lead. The Huskies would add to its lead on a single and a throwing error by the Bluejays, taking a 2-0 lead after a half inning of play.
Following a pair of scoreless innings, Creighton would plate four runs in the third inning to grab a 4-2 lead. Nielsen got the Bluejays started with a solo home run to right, her fifth home run of the season, before the Bluejays loaded the bases with three consecutive walks. Croker then cleared the bases with three-run double off the centerfield wall to give Creighton a 4-2 edge in the game.
Connecticut responded with two runs in the top half of the fourth on a solo home run by Lauren Benson and an RBI single by Grace Jenkins to level the contest at 4-4. The Huskies would tack on two additional runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Benson and an RBI single by Aziah James to regain a 6-4 lead.
The Bluejays would answer in the bottom half of the fifth as Emma Rosonke draw a six-pitch walk to open the frame before coming around to score on a pinch hit double by freshman Erika Perez, which cut the deficit down to 6-5.
The score would remain 6-5 until Connecticut added four insurance runs on five hits in the top of the seventh to secure the 10-5 victory.
Creighton and Connecticut wrap up their three-game series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nagy, Delaney (2-0)
L: Bostley, Alyssa (0-2)
S: O'Neil, Meghan (7)
Batting:
2B: Sanden, Jana 1
HR: Benson, Lauren 1
RBI: James, Aziah 2 ; Jenkins, Grace 3 ; Sanden, Jana 1 ; Benson, Lauren 2
SH: Mason, Makenzie 1 ; Benson, Lauren 1
SF: Benson, Lauren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hastings, Lexi 3 ; James, Aziah 1 ; Jenkins, Grace 1 ; Garcia, Rosie 1 ; Ring, Savannah 2 ; Abruscato, Giuliana 1 ; Benson, Lauren 1
SB: Hastings, Lexi 3 ; Garcia, Rosie 1 ; Ring, Savannah 1
HBP: Garcia, Rosie 1
Batting:
2B: Croker, Saren 1 ; Perez, Erika 1
HR: Nielsen, Cayla 1
RBI: Nielsen, Cayla 1 ; Croker, Saren 3 ; Perez, Erika 1
SH: Croker, Saren 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nielsen, Cayla 1 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Vejvoda, Madeline 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 2
SB: Nielsen, Cayla 1
HBP: Gappa, Alyssa 1
