Creighton University
Arizona
Softball Tops Defending National Champion Arizona, 2-1
3/8/2008 10:00:00 PM | Softball
TUCSON, Ariz. (courtesy Arizona Athletic media relations) - All-America candidate Tara Oltman struck out nine and allowed just four hits and one run to key defending Missouri Valley Conference champion Creighton's 2-1 upset at defending national champion and seventh-ranked Arizona on Saturday night before 1,324 fans at Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson.
The Bluejays improve to 14-9 with the win, while Arizona had its 13-game win streak snapped and fall to 15-5 this year.
Arizona had baserunners reach safely in each of the first four innings before Creighton (batting as the home team) scored the game's first run. With one out, Bluejay sophomore Renae Sinkler homered off 2007 ESPY winner Taryne Mowatt.
Arizona tied the game in their next at-bat. With two outs and the bases empty, Jenae Leles homered to left-center to knot the score at 1-1 on her sixth round-tripper of the spring.
Creighton answered in the bottom of the fifth with some two out magic. TJ Eadus walked and moved to second on a single from Michelle Graner. Eadus came plateward with the winning run on a single by Laura Kratochvil.
In the top of the sixth Oltman worked around a two-out walk to Adrienne Action. After Acton stole second, Oltman retired All-American Brittany Lastrapes when second baseman Li McKewon made a diving catch behind first base to preserve the lead.
Oltman set down the Wildcats 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to end the game, getting Leles to ground out to end it.
Oltman improved to 9-4, allowing just three hits, four walks and one run in addtion to recording nine strikeouts. Kratochvil had two of CU's six hits on the evening.
Mowatt gave up five hits and two runs before being yanked after five innings. She is now 6-4.
Creighton finished its 11-game trip in Arizona with a 5-6 record, and is now 14-9 on the year. CU returns home for the first time this spring on Thursday, hosting a doubleheader with North Dakota State.
