Creighton University
Evansville
Softball Sweeps Series From Evansville
3/15/2009 2:45:00 PM | Softball
EVANSVILLE, Ind. ? Renae Sinkler homered and drove in a pair of runs as the Creighton softball team finished a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series sweep of Evansville Sunday afternoon with a 6-2 win over the Purple Aces. The victory gives Creighton a 3-0 record in conference play and moves them to 11-7 on the season.
The Bluejays scored in the top of the first inning to get the offense started. Bailey Dawson led off the game with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Michelle Koch.
The Jays responded with single tallies in both the second and third innings and never looked back. Sara Loeffelholz singled to start the second inning and moved into scoring position on a sac bunt. She crossed the plate on a pinch-hit RBI double by Lauren Larson.
Sinkler led off the third inning with her fourth home run and 19th RBI of the season to move CU's lead to 3-1.
UE cut into the Bluejay lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth, the first earned run scored against Creighton starter Tara Oltman in 33 innings.
But the preseason favorites and two-time defending Valley champs responded with a three-run sixth to open up a four-run lead. Liz McKewon reached base on an error to start the inning and would later score on an RBI single by Koch. Koch later took home when pinch-runner Kari Sakamoto stole second base and Sakamoto would score on an RBI triple from Michelle Graner to give the Jays a 6-2 lead.
Sinkler and Loeffelholz each finished 2-for-3 in the game to account for half of CU's eight hits.
Oltman improved to 8-5 with the win, tossing a complete game. She scattered seven hits, allowed one earned run, walked none and struck out five.
Jennifer McKee (3-6) took the loss for the Aces.
Creighton returns to
