Saturday, May 17
Iowa City, Iowa
2:30 PM
Creighton University
1
at
2
Iowa
Softball Season Ends in Extra-Inning Defeat
5/17/2008 6:00:00 PM | Softball
IOWA CITY - Creighton's softball season came to an end Saturday afternoon at Pearl Field, as host Iowa (41-19) topped the Bluejays 2-1 in eight innings to advance in the NCAA Tournament and end CU's season. The loss was Creighton's second consecutive 2-1, eight-inning defeat, as the Bluejays conclude their 2008 season at 43-17.
Chelsey Carmody reached base on a walk to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning for Iowa. She moved to second on a one-out ground-out and then CU starter Tara Oltman had a full-count on Iowa clean-up hitter Colleen McGlaughlin with two outs. McGlaughlin delivered the game-winning single up the middle with a glance off the right foot of Oltman to drive in Carmody from second with the winner.
Creighton scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Jessica Wakasugi led off the frame by dumping a single over the second baseman's head and then moved to second base on Liz McKewon's 20th sacrifice bunt of the season. Wakasugi would plate the game's first run on a single to left field off the bat of Jessi Jadlowski as the Hawkeye leftfielder could not come up with the ball cleanly.
The Bluejays had a chance to add to their 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning when they loaded bases. Jadlowski reached on an error to start the frame and with one out Renae Sinkler reached on a bunt single. With two down Michelle Graner worked a walk to load the bases for Cassidy Nee. Nee fouled out to third on the first pitch and Iowa escaped the jam.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Hawkeyes plated their first run of the contest. Carmody singled with one out to get the Iowa rally going. Rachel West pinch-ran for Carmody and promptly stole second base. With two down, she would score from second on an RBI single by McGlaughlin. CU still wasn't out of trouble, as the Jays opted to intentionally load the bases to set up the force at any base. Oltman did not need a force at any bag, as she struck out Erin Riemersma to end the inning without any further damage.
The 2-1 eight inning loss to Iowa mirrors the end of the 2005 season, when the Jays fell to the Hawkeyes 2-1 in eight innings to end that season in the NCAA Tournament. That 2005 season also ended in similar fashion, as CU went 0-2 in a tough regional, while falling 2-1 in extra-innings both times.
Oltman ends her outstanding sophomore season with a 31-9 record and a school record 33 complete games. The right-hander went 7.2 innings, allowed just five hits and two runs, walked two and struck out nine in the tough-luck loss. Her nine Ks give her 300 strikeouts on the year, just the sixth 300-strikeout campaign in MVC history and only the fifth Valley player to do so.
Brittany Weil (27-14) earned the win in the circle for Iowa, as she allowed just four hits, one unearned run, walked two and struck out just one.
Creighton will return all but three players from this year's team, while losing just one everyday starter in catcher TJ Eadus. CU will be aiming for a third straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title next year.
NOTES: The game was a career-ender for seniors Eadus, Mary Egan and Amanda Hess ... The game was CU's 60th of the year, the eighth time in school history it has played 60 contests in one season ... Oltman's complete game was her 33rd of the year, breaking the school record of 32 held formerly held by Tammy Nielsen (2004) ... With 300 Ks, Oltman joins Nielsen as the only two pitchers in school history with at least one 300 strikeout season ... Oltman retired 11 straight Iowa hitters between the second and sixth inning ... Kristi Meneely pinch-hit in the seventh inning, her 16th at bat of the year, all as a pinch-hitter ... The loss marked CU's first defeat this season when owning a lead at the conclusion of an inning, while it is just the second game this year that CU lost when holding a lead ... CU is now 12-22 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 2-4 in NCAA postseason games in Iowa City ... CU is 20-8 all-time against Iowa, including 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament ... Four of CU's last seven NCAA Tournament games have gone into extra innings, including the last three NCAA tourney meetings with Iowa ... Creighton has scored two or fewer runs in nine straight NCAA Tournament games ... CU scored five runs total in its final four games of the season ... CU scored seven total runs in the eight starts that Oltman lost this year.
Chelsey Carmody reached base on a walk to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning for Iowa. She moved to second on a one-out ground-out and then CU starter Tara Oltman had a full-count on Iowa clean-up hitter Colleen McGlaughlin with two outs. McGlaughlin delivered the game-winning single up the middle with a glance off the right foot of Oltman to drive in Carmody from second with the winner.
Creighton scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Jessica Wakasugi led off the frame by dumping a single over the second baseman's head and then moved to second base on Liz McKewon's 20th sacrifice bunt of the season. Wakasugi would plate the game's first run on a single to left field off the bat of Jessi Jadlowski as the Hawkeye leftfielder could not come up with the ball cleanly.
The Bluejays had a chance to add to their 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning when they loaded bases. Jadlowski reached on an error to start the frame and with one out Renae Sinkler reached on a bunt single. With two down Michelle Graner worked a walk to load the bases for Cassidy Nee. Nee fouled out to third on the first pitch and Iowa escaped the jam.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Hawkeyes plated their first run of the contest. Carmody singled with one out to get the Iowa rally going. Rachel West pinch-ran for Carmody and promptly stole second base. With two down, she would score from second on an RBI single by McGlaughlin. CU still wasn't out of trouble, as the Jays opted to intentionally load the bases to set up the force at any base. Oltman did not need a force at any bag, as she struck out Erin Riemersma to end the inning without any further damage.
The 2-1 eight inning loss to Iowa mirrors the end of the 2005 season, when the Jays fell to the Hawkeyes 2-1 in eight innings to end that season in the NCAA Tournament. That 2005 season also ended in similar fashion, as CU went 0-2 in a tough regional, while falling 2-1 in extra-innings both times.
Oltman ends her outstanding sophomore season with a 31-9 record and a school record 33 complete games. The right-hander went 7.2 innings, allowed just five hits and two runs, walked two and struck out nine in the tough-luck loss. Her nine Ks give her 300 strikeouts on the year, just the sixth 300-strikeout campaign in MVC history and only the fifth Valley player to do so.
Brittany Weil (27-14) earned the win in the circle for Iowa, as she allowed just four hits, one unearned run, walked two and struck out just one.
Creighton will return all but three players from this year's team, while losing just one everyday starter in catcher TJ Eadus. CU will be aiming for a third straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title next year.
NOTES: The game was a career-ender for seniors Eadus, Mary Egan and Amanda Hess ... The game was CU's 60th of the year, the eighth time in school history it has played 60 contests in one season ... Oltman's complete game was her 33rd of the year, breaking the school record of 32 held formerly held by Tammy Nielsen (2004) ... With 300 Ks, Oltman joins Nielsen as the only two pitchers in school history with at least one 300 strikeout season ... Oltman retired 11 straight Iowa hitters between the second and sixth inning ... Kristi Meneely pinch-hit in the seventh inning, her 16th at bat of the year, all as a pinch-hitter ... The loss marked CU's first defeat this season when owning a lead at the conclusion of an inning, while it is just the second game this year that CU lost when holding a lead ... CU is now 12-22 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, including 2-4 in NCAA postseason games in Iowa City ... CU is 20-8 all-time against Iowa, including 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament ... Four of CU's last seven NCAA Tournament games have gone into extra innings, including the last three NCAA tourney meetings with Iowa ... Creighton has scored two or fewer runs in nine straight NCAA Tournament games ... CU scored five runs total in its final four games of the season ... CU scored seven total runs in the eight starts that Oltman lost this year.
Players Mentioned
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