Creighton University
Wichita State
Oltman Ties Valley Wins Record as Softball Blanks Shockers, 2-0
5/2/2009 1:45:00 PM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. -- A pair of juniors helped make Creighton Softball's Senior Day a memorable one, as the Bluejays blanked visiting Wichita State, 2-0, in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday at the CU Sports Complex. Junior Michelle Koch hit her first homer of the season for the game's only runs, and classmate Tara Oltman tied the MVC career record with her 84th career win while tossing a two-hit shutout.
Oltman (27-10) did not allow a runner past second base all game and set down 18 of the final 20 batters she faced. She struck out nine and walked just one batter as she threw a complete game for the 32nd time in 33 starts this season. Oltman's 84 career wins match the all-time Valley mark held previously by Southern Illinois' Amy Harre (2002-05).
Creighton (33-14, 18-5 MVC) became the first team to dent the scoreboard with one out in the fifth when Koch crushed a 1-2 pitch to left-center for her first homer of the season. Koch's long ball came after a full-count walk by Liz McKewon.
Oltman retired 10 straight batters from the first through fourth innings before a 12-pitch walk to Kara L'Huillier with two down in the fourth frame. In the fifth, the Shockers moved their first runner of the day into scoring position with one out. Heather Gerritse reached on a smash single to second and pinch-runner Caley Roberts advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by BreAnna Brown. Oltman answered with consecutive strikeouts to escape any damage.
Wichita State dropped to 20-31 (9-14 MVC) with the setback. Kasha Kolb (14-23) allowed just three hits while striking out 11, but lacked the offense support and dropped her third straight decision.
NOTES: Tara Oltman's strikeout of Lindsie Mitts to open the sixth was her eighth of the game and 768th of her career, moving her into sixth on the MVC's all-time list and past Missouri State's Nora Cagwin (1996-99) ... The homer by Michelle Koch was the 37th homer allowed this season by Kolb, more than double anyone else in the MVC ... Creighton seniors Laura Kratochvil, Bailey Dawson, Jessica Wakasugi, Lau Emmsley-Chang and Cassidy Nee were honored between doubleheader games in a ceremony as part of Senior Day festivities ... Tara Oltman now has 12 shutouts this season and 32 in her career, also sixth on the MVC's all-time list ... Oltman's 27 wins this season are ninth-most in MVC history, and she is the only player with three seasons of 26 or more wins in league history.
