Creighton University
Illinois State
Softball Splits Doubleheader at Illinois State
4/21/2008 3:00:00 PM | Softball
Jessica Wakasugi led off the seventh by reaching base on an error by ISU second baseman Kara Nelson. Liz McKewon then reached on an infield single which crept just inches in front of home plate. McKewon was then doubled off of first base when Jessi Jadlowski ripped a line drive straight into the glove of ISU pitcher Amber Smith. Bailey Dawson drew a walk and Renae Sinkler loaded the bases when she kept her hitting streak alive with an infield single. Sinkler fouled off four straight two-strike pitches before keeping the game alive with her hit.
A ball off the bat of TJ Eadus then led to the CU victory. After lifting a full-count offering foul and just out of the reach of a diving right fielder Andrea Shifflet, Eadus took advantage of her second chance by hitting a chopper down the third base line, which found its way between the legs of ISU third baseman Abby Olson. After getting by Olson, the ball bounced off the third base bag and
Tara Oltman set down the first nine batters she faced before ISU's Kara Nelson led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a bloop double down the left field line. She then came around to score when Jessie Buker smacked a first-pitch line-drive home run over the center field fence to put the home team up 2-0.
The Jays responded with their first run of the game in the top of the fifth to cut the Redbird lead in half. Amanda Hess and Michelle Koch opened the inning with back-to-back singles and Wakasugi's sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with one out. A pinch-hit RBI single to center field by Laura Kratochvil brought in CU's first run. CU then had a runner cut down at the plate on a fielder's choice and left the bases loaded following an ISU error.
Oltman moved to 26-6 on the year, allowing just three hits in the game. The sophomore struck out five as she equaled her freshman season total with her 26th victory.
Smith (9-7) took the loss, allowing eight base hits, along with two walks and three strikeouts.
After extending its winning streak to nine games with a come-from-behind win in game one, Creighton fell 9-0 to Illinois State in game two. The loss was just CU's third in Missouri Valley Conference play, dropping to 36-14 overall and 14-3 in Valley play.
The Redbirds (21-18, 11-6 MVC) jumped ahead early with a three-run bottom of the first inning. After consecutive singles by Amber Smith and Jessie Buker, Michelle Henderson lined her third home run of the season over the left field fence to give ISU a 3-0 lead after one.
ISU added to its lead with an RBI single by Kaprice Williams in the bottom of the fourth inning to move ahead 4-0.
The Rebirds again plated two runs in the fifth inning, as Buker worked a two-out, full-count walk.
A three-run home run by Amber Smith ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Redbirds run-ruled the Bluejays.
The Bluejays best scoring chance came in the top of the fifth inning when, down four, they put the tying run at the plate in the MVC's leading home run hitter, Eadus. Wakasugi singled, Dawson walked and Sinkler smacked a single to load the bases for Eadus with two outs. The CU catcher lifted the first pitch she saw to the warning track in center field, as ISU snuffed out the Bluejay rally.
Sinkler pushed her career-best hitting streak to 15 games by going 2-for-3 in the contest. Wakasugi and Cassidy Nee also finished the game with two hits each.
Hess (5-6) took the loss in the circle for CU, lasting four innings and allowing five hits and four earned runs. The senior walked one and struck out three in defeat. Emily Humpal finished out the game, allowing five runs in 1.2 innings of work.
Rachel Smith (6-5) picked up the complete-game shutout for
