Creighton University
Drake
Bluejays Blank Bulldogs Twice in Softball Sweep
4/18/2007 3:00:00 AM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. Creighton allowed just six hits as the Bluejay softball team shut out Drake twice Wednesday afternoon at the Creighton Sports Complex, winning 2-0 in the opener and 1-0 in the nightcap. Freshman Tara Oltman hurled a two-hit shutout in game one, while Amanda Hess celebrated her 21st birthday by picking up the win in game two. The sweep moves the Bluejays to 30-10 on the season and into a first place tie with 20th-ranked Southern Illinois at 12-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play with an important three-game home series with 19th-ranked and third-place Illinois State this weekend.
In the opener, Caitlin Marcano's fifth home run of the season, a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning, proved to be all the offense Oltman would need. The Bluejay designated player ripped the first pitch she saw on the day from Cassie Heller over the fence in center field. CU would tack on an unearned run as insurance in the sixth inning.
Drake (12-31, 2-13 MVC) stranded four runners on base in the first game, including two in the seventh inning. Emily Hajduk reached on a one-out error by Jamie Reiss and then Jaci Faidley walked with two outs to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in Elena Leon. The Bulldog third baseman sent a 2-2 pitch to deep right center, but CU center fielder Jessica Wakasugi gathered in the final out just feet in front of the fence.
Oltman (18-5) scattered two hits in the game, one in the first and one in the fifth, in picking up her 18th win of the season. The rookie right-hander walked two and struck out four in the game. Heller (7-17) took the loss for Drake, despite allowing just one earned run.
Game two saw more pitching dominance, this time from junior hurler Hess. The right-hander enjoyed her 21st birthday by recording her best MVC outing as a Bluejay. She logged 5.1 innings of work, allowed just three singles, walked one and struck out six. The six Ks give her 126 on the season, joining Oltman in the CU single-season top-10 for whiffs.
The Bluejays scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Left fielder Jess Stigge led off the inning with a walk and moved to second base on a sacrifice by Lau Emmsley-Chang. Reiss followed by slicing a double to left center field to drive in Stigge with the game's lone tally.
Drake stranded six runners in the game, including two in the seventh once again. Oltman, who entered in relief of Hess in the sixth inning, fanned pinch-hitter Bridget Shields to end the game and pick up her third save of the season.
The Bulldogs' best scoring chance before stranding two runners in scoring position in the seventh, came in the fourth inning when Lindsay Larry and Jenna Wilkin started the inning with consecutive singles. After a sac bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Hajduk sent a line drive to deep right field. Emmsley-Chang made the catch and then fired a one-hop strike to the plate, where TJ Eadus applied the tag on Larry for the third out and CU's second double play of the day.
CU swept its first doubleheader in four tries, since twice blanking Colorado State on March 27. The Jays were 4-4 in their previous eight games, while getting out-scored in that span 35-32, before shutting down a solid DU offense in the sweep.
Creighton will play host to No. 19 Illinois State (37-10, 13-4 MVC) in a pivotal three-game series at the CU Sports Complex this weekend. The Bluejays and Redbirds will play a doubleheader Saturday at noon and conclude the three-game set with a noon Sunday contest.
