Saturday, March 7
Tucson, Ariz.
5:00 PM
Creighton University
6
at
0
Arizona
Softball Upsets No. 13 Arizona, 6-0, in Tucson
3/7/2009 8:15:00 PM | Softball
TUCSON, Ariz. ? Home runs from Laura Kratochvil and Bailey Dawson paced the Bluejay offense and solid pitching from junior All-American Tara Oltman helped Creighton upset 13th-ranked Arizona, 6-0, Saturday afternoon at UA's Hillenbrand Stadium as part of the Hillenbrand Invitational. The win handed the Wildcats their first loss in 11 home games this season. The powerful Arizona (19-5) offense resurfaced in game two, crushing the Bluejays 19-2 in a five-inning affair.
Dawson led off the third inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. She would come around to score the first run of the game on an RBI single by Renae Sinkler. Kratochvil followed with her first home run of the season, a shot off the batter's eye in center field, and the Jays led 3-0 after three inning.
The Jays (8-6) doubled their lead with one swing of the bat in the sixth inning. Cassidy Nee walked to lead off the frame. Jessica Wakasugi reached on an error by the pitcher. After a fielder's choice erased the lead runner, Dawson clouted a three-run home run, her third of the season, to put the Jays up 6-0.
In the circle, Oltman tossed her second shutout in as many days in Tucson. One day after coming within one out of a no-hitter against Saint Joseph's, she shut down an Arizona offense which entered the weekend with a .346 team average and averaging 8.3 runs per game. The Wildcats, who had scored 30 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Minnesota on Friday, were held to just five singles by the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year. Oltman (6-4) walked two and struck out seven in her second career win over the nationally-ranked power.
Sarah Akamine (10-3) took the loss for Arizona, lasting just 2.1 innings. She allowed five hits, three earned runs, walked one and did not record a strikeout. Jennifer Martinez relieved and tossed the final 4.2 innings, allowing just two hits and no earned runs ? as all three runs she surrendered came after an Arizona error.
The shutout of a ranked opponent was the first by the Bluejays since blanking No. 22 Southern Illinois 3-0 on April 23, 2005.
Dawson finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in game one.
The Wildcat offense bounced back in the night cap to put up 19 runs in a run-rule shortened win for the hosts. Arizona scored five runs in both the first and second innings and scored in all five innings, en route to handing the Bluejays the worst margin of defeat in school history (it had been 14, done three times previously). The 19 runs were the most scored by a CU opponent since Nebraska had 19 on Feb. 24, 1996.
Creighton scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Dawson led off the game for CU with a single and she would cross the plate on a throwing error by K'Lee Arredondo.
CU's only other run of the game came on a solo home run by Sinkler in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sinkler's third round-tripper of the year extended her hitting streak to 12 games.
Freshman Kylie Hovinga (2-2) toughed out a complete game for the Jays. The left-hander struck out five and walked four in the loss.
Arizona's Lindsey Sisk (9-2) surrendered just two hits in the complete game effort, striking out five.
The Bluejays conclude play at the Hillenbrand Invitational on Sunday morning with one game against Minnesota.
Dawson led off the third inning with a single and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. She would come around to score the first run of the game on an RBI single by Renae Sinkler. Kratochvil followed with her first home run of the season, a shot off the batter's eye in center field, and the Jays led 3-0 after three inning.
The Jays (8-6) doubled their lead with one swing of the bat in the sixth inning. Cassidy Nee walked to lead off the frame. Jessica Wakasugi reached on an error by the pitcher. After a fielder's choice erased the lead runner, Dawson clouted a three-run home run, her third of the season, to put the Jays up 6-0.
In the circle, Oltman tossed her second shutout in as many days in Tucson. One day after coming within one out of a no-hitter against Saint Joseph's, she shut down an Arizona offense which entered the weekend with a .346 team average and averaging 8.3 runs per game. The Wildcats, who had scored 30 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Minnesota on Friday, were held to just five singles by the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year. Oltman (6-4) walked two and struck out seven in her second career win over the nationally-ranked power.
Sarah Akamine (10-3) took the loss for Arizona, lasting just 2.1 innings. She allowed five hits, three earned runs, walked one and did not record a strikeout. Jennifer Martinez relieved and tossed the final 4.2 innings, allowing just two hits and no earned runs ? as all three runs she surrendered came after an Arizona error.
The shutout of a ranked opponent was the first by the Bluejays since blanking No. 22 Southern Illinois 3-0 on April 23, 2005.
Dawson finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored in game one.
The Wildcat offense bounced back in the night cap to put up 19 runs in a run-rule shortened win for the hosts. Arizona scored five runs in both the first and second innings and scored in all five innings, en route to handing the Bluejays the worst margin of defeat in school history (it had been 14, done three times previously). The 19 runs were the most scored by a CU opponent since Nebraska had 19 on Feb. 24, 1996.
Creighton scored an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Dawson led off the game for CU with a single and she would cross the plate on a throwing error by K'Lee Arredondo.
CU's only other run of the game came on a solo home run by Sinkler in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sinkler's third round-tripper of the year extended her hitting streak to 12 games.
Freshman Kylie Hovinga (2-2) toughed out a complete game for the Jays. The left-hander struck out five and walked four in the loss.
Arizona's Lindsey Sisk (9-2) surrendered just two hits in the complete game effort, striking out five.
The Bluejays conclude play at the Hillenbrand Invitational on Sunday morning with one game against Minnesota.
Players Mentioned
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