Creighton University
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Kansas
Kansas Edges Creighton Softball, 2-1
4/26/2007 3:00:00 AM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. For just the second time this season the Creighton softball team was on the losing end of a one-run game, dropping a Thursday night contest to Kansas 2-1 at the CU Sports Complex. All three runs of the game were scored in the opening two innings as the loss drops the Bluejays to 32-11-1 on the season and improves the Jayhawks to 31-18-1.
The Bluejays started the scoring in the first inning. Jessica Wakasugi reached on a one-out infield single, but was then erased on a fielder's choice which left Bailey Dawson at first base and two outs. Dawson reached second on a passed ball and would come around to score CU's only run when TJ Eadus smacked a double into the left field gap for her 31st RBI of the year.
Kansas answered back in the top of the second and Stevie Crisosto and Elle Pottorf opened the inning with consecutive singles and were both moved into scoring position on a Sara Ramirez sacrifice bunt. Val Chapple followed with a single through the right side to tie the game at 1-1. Erika Simington was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the ninth hitter in the KU lineup, Ally Stanton. Stanton hit a grounder to shortstop, but Dawson had to go to first with the grounder and Pottorf scored what proved to be the winning run for KU.
Half of the Jayhawks' six hits came in the second inning, as Bluejay starter Tara Oltman set down the side in order four times on the evening, struck out five and walked none in the one-run loss.
Valerie George started for KU in the circle and she went 3.1, allowing five hits and a run in her outing. KU ace Kassie Humphreys relieved George in the fourth inning with two runners on and one out. After striking out the first hitter she faced, Humphreys walked Lau Emmsley-Chang to load the bases for Michelle Koch. The freshman grounded out to the third to end the inning, as CU stranded the bases full.
Humphreys (17-10) picked up the win for KU, throwing 3.2 innings of one-hit relief. Oltman dropped to 20-6 in the loss, as she allowed six hits and two runs in the complete game.
Both squads finished the game with six hits, two each for CU off the bats of Wakasugi and Eadus. The Bluejays stranded eight runners on base in the game, including the tying run at second in the seventh inning. The loss drops CU to 7-2 on the season in one-run games and 24-5 when scoring first in a game.
The Bluejays return to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend when they travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa. CU, 14-3-1 for second place in the MVC, faces Northern Iowa (18-27, 4-12 MVC) in a Saturday noon doubleheader and a single game on Sunday at noon.
