Creighton University
Indiana State
Softball Splits One-Run Games at Indiana State
4/15/2007 3:00:00 AM | Softball
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. Creighton softball split a doubleheader at Indiana State Sunday, dropping an 11-inning 1-0 contest in the opener and coming from behind to win 4-3 in the night cap. The split puts the Bluejays' record at 28-10 on the season, 10-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Sycamores (16-20, 2-11 MVC) rode their ace pitcher to a victory in game one. Junior Darcy Wood pitched all 11 innings and surrendered only two base hits to the Bluejays in helping ISU snap a nine-game losing streak. The right-hander struck out nine and walked four in the 11-inning effort.
The winning run crossed the plate for ISU in the bottom of the 11th inning after Stephanie Spychaj led off the frame with a double. After pinch-runner Amber Paz was sacrificed to third, the Bluejays intentionally loaded the bases with two walks to set up a force at any bag. The strategy did not work, when pinch-hitter Yvette Tovar drove home the winning run.
Freshman Tara Oltman (17-5) was the tough-luck loser in the pitcher's duel, as she went the distance as well. The right-hander allowed six hits, one run, walked six and struck out five in her 10.1 innings of work. The loss was CU's third straight, to equal their longest losing streak of the season.
Creighton bounced back in game two, but not before spotting the Sycamores a 3-0 lead after four innings. Spychaj drove in the game's first run, as Jackie Chomicki scored following her leadoff walk in the first inning for ISU. A two-run home run by Kelsey Anderson in the fourth inning put the Sycamores up 3-0.
After 16 scoreless innings to start the day, the Bluejay offense finally clicked in the sixth inning. Bailey Dawson ripped a one-out single and came around to score when TJ Eadus smashed her team-leading 11th home run of the season to draw the Jays within one. Caitlin Marcano followed the homer with a double, which knocked ISU starter Meagan McCurdy from the game.
Pinch-hitter Laura Kratochvil welcomed Wood back to the circle with a single to tie the game. Michelle Koch then ripped CU's fifth straight hit, a double, scoring Jessica German (running for Kratochvil) all the way from first base with what proved to be the game winning run.
Oltman also returned to the game after the first ISU batter in the bottom of the sixth reached base on a Bluejay error. The rookie relieved starter Amanda Hess, who went five innings. Oltman did not allow a base hit in her two innings of work to pick up her second save of the season. Hess picked up the victory to improve to 10-4 this spring, as she allowed four hits and three earned runs, while striking out four and walking three in the start.
Wood, who was nearly untouchable in the 11-inning win, was tagged with the loss in relief of game two. She pitched 1.2 innings, gave up two hits and one earned run to fall to 9-16 after the twin bill.
The Bluejays return to action on Wednesday when they play host to Drake at the CU Sports Complex. The Jays and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
NOTES: The 11-inning game was the longest for CU since falling 2-1 to No. 21 Washington on May 20, 2005 in the NCAA Tournament ? The Jays are 3-2 in extra-inning games this season ? The loss for CU was the Jays' first in Terre Haute since April 10, 2000, snapping a 10-game road winning streak in the series ? CU head coach Brent Vigness is now 11-3 (7-1 in Terre Haute) against his sister, Indiana State head coach Brenda Coldren ? Jamie Reiss went 0-for-9 in the doubleheader, with two hitless games, after going hitless in just three of CU's first 36 games this spring ? Creighton has come-from-behind in each of its last four victories ? The shutout for CU marked the first time the Jays had been blanked in MVC play this year, and was just the third shutout against CU this season ? The shutout snapped a streak of six straight games in which the Jays had homered ? The 1-0 loss was CU's first one-run defeat of the year, as CU is now 6-1 on the season in one-run games ... Oltman has appeared in each of CU's 13 MVC games this year.
