Creighton University
Missouri State
Softball Sweeps MVC Opening Doubleheader at Missouri State
3/17/2007 3:00:00 AM | Softball
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. The Creighton softball team swept its Missouri Valley Conference opening doubleheader at Missouri State in contrasting styles on Saturday afternoon. The Bluejays (16-5, 2-0 MVC) edged the Bears (11-14, 0-2 MVC) 1-0 in nine innings in the first game before topping the defending MVC Tournament champions 10-2 in five innings in game two.
The game-one pitcher's duel came down to a ninth-inning solo home run by freshman Renae Sinkler. The rookie, who has been starting at shortstop all week in place of an injured Bailey Dawson, led off the top of the ninth inning with a blast to left field. Her second home run of the season proved to be all the scoring in the game.
Fellow freshman, Tara Oltman, benefited from the round-tripper to improve to 9-2 in her rookie campaign. The right-hander went all nine innings, allowing only five hits, four walks and striking out 11. Melissa Porche (7-7) was the tough-luck loser for Missouri State, as she allowed seven CU hits and struck out nine.
Game two was a different story, as the Bluejays jumped on the board with a four-run second inning. Michelle Graner led off the frame with a single and then moved to third on a sacrifice and wild pitch, before scoring the first run on a ground out. Jessica German scored the second run of the inning on an RBI double by Michelle Koch and Koch scored on a pinch-hit single by Mary Egan. Jamie Reiss' RBI single later in the inning capped the four-run inning.
After a MSU homer in the bottom of the second cut into the CU lead, the Jays responded with a run in the top of the third. Graner, who singled to reach base, scored on an RBI hit off the bat of German to put CU up 5-1.
The big hit of the game came in the fourth inning when catcher Laura Kratochvil blasted a grand slam to blow the game open. Koch singled, Wakasugi reached on an error and Caitlin Marcano walked to load the bases for the CU sophomore. Kratochvil then connected on her first home run of the season to clear the bases.
An error in the fifth inning allowed the 10th CU run to score and the Jays kept MSU off the board in the bottom of the frame, to complete the run-rule shortened victory.
Amanda Hess (6-3) picked up the win in her return to MVC play. The junior transfer played her first season of college ball at Northern Iowa, before earning junior college All-America status at Mesa (Ariz.) Community College last year. The right-hander went 4.1 innings, allowed five hits, two runs, walked two and fanned seven.
The CU offense banged out 11 hits in the win, led by Graner's 3-for-3 game with two runs scored. Koch and Reiss also collected multiple hit games, while Koch scored twice. Wakasugi also scored twice out of her leadoff spot.
The Bluejays and Bears conclude their Valley opening weekend on Sunday with a single game at noon.
