Sunday, April 10
Springfield, Mo.
12:00 PM
Creighton University
4
at
3
Missouri State
Softball Comes From Behind to Win 4-3 at Missouri State
4/10/2011 2:48:00 PM | Softball
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Freshman Becca Changstrom labored through a 164-pitch complete game, but helped her cause by going 2-for-2 with two RBI and was rewarded for her effort as her teammates scored twice in the top of the seventh inning for a come-from-behind 4-3 win at Missouri State Sunday afternoon at a windy Killian Softball Stadium. The win gives Creighton its third Missouri Valley Conference series win in as many tries, improving the Bluejays to 6-3 in conference play and 16-17 overall.
Creighton trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh inning when Danai Martin led off the inning by chopping an 0-2 pitch over the third baseman for a single. Martin moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Changstrom and scored easily on Ellen Homan's first career triple, tying the game at 3-3. One day after the Bluejays lost in the bottom of the seventh on a squeeze bunt, the Jays turned the tables on the Bears with Christa Ruf dropping down a bunt to score Homan with the go-ahead run.
The comeback helped the Jays overcome three errors and several free bases given to the Bears (15-17, 5-6 MVC) earlier in the game.
Three walks and a hit batter in the bottom of the first inning allowed the Bears to score two runs with the aid of only one hit. Changstrom walked Kirstin Cutter to lead off the inning and with one away she walked Jenna Schwark. MSU clean-up hitter Lauren Eisenreich followed with the inning's only hit, scoring Cutter from second with the first run. Changstrom then walked Savannah Wiggins to load the bases for Ashley Knehans. Knehans was hit by a pitch to earn an RBI the hard way and the Bears were up 2-0 after one.
Creighton responded in their next at bat, tying the game in the top of the second inning. Ashley Frutos and Jennifer Bohle singled with one out to set the table for the lower part of the Bluejay lineup. With two out, pinch-hitter MaKenzie Michael reached on an infield single to load the bases for Changstrom. The rookie battled MSU starter Natalie Rose in a 10-pitch at bat, fouling off seven pitches before hustling to beat out an infield single, which scored two runs to tie the game at 2-2.
The Bears responded in the bottom of the second, scoring an unearned run without a hit as the result of two Bluejay errors. MSU would hold that 3-2 lead until the seventh inning
Changstrom (12-7) allowed only four hits in the game, but walked five and hit two batters in the hard-earned victory. The right-hander, who forced 11 stranded runners in the game, set down the Bears in order in the seventh to improve to 4-0 in MVC road games this season. The rookie, who collected her first hit on Saturday, was the only Jay with more than one hit in Sunday's win, finishing 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Homan's seventh-inning triple kept her hitting streak alive, moving it to eight games, tying for the longest streak by a Bluejay this year. Her hit was CU's only base knock from the top four spots in the order however, as the Jays top four hitters finished 1-for-12 in the win. The five-through-nine spots in the line up had at least one hit, including Changstrom's two in the ninth spot and two from the eighth spot (Michael and Martin).
Rose dropped to 10-14 in defeat, she allowed eight hits and four earned runs, while finishing with one walk and no strike outs.
Creighton will take Monday off before beginning a busy week at home. The Bluejays host North Dakota in a doubleheader at the CU Sports Complex at 3 pm on Tuesday and then welcome 11th-ranked Nebraska on Wednesday at 6 pm. Creighton continues its longest home stand of the season with a three-game MVC series against Wichita State next weekend.
Creighton trailed 3-2 heading into the seventh inning when Danai Martin led off the inning by chopping an 0-2 pitch over the third baseman for a single. Martin moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Changstrom and scored easily on Ellen Homan's first career triple, tying the game at 3-3. One day after the Bluejays lost in the bottom of the seventh on a squeeze bunt, the Jays turned the tables on the Bears with Christa Ruf dropping down a bunt to score Homan with the go-ahead run.
The comeback helped the Jays overcome three errors and several free bases given to the Bears (15-17, 5-6 MVC) earlier in the game.
Three walks and a hit batter in the bottom of the first inning allowed the Bears to score two runs with the aid of only one hit. Changstrom walked Kirstin Cutter to lead off the inning and with one away she walked Jenna Schwark. MSU clean-up hitter Lauren Eisenreich followed with the inning's only hit, scoring Cutter from second with the first run. Changstrom then walked Savannah Wiggins to load the bases for Ashley Knehans. Knehans was hit by a pitch to earn an RBI the hard way and the Bears were up 2-0 after one.
Creighton responded in their next at bat, tying the game in the top of the second inning. Ashley Frutos and Jennifer Bohle singled with one out to set the table for the lower part of the Bluejay lineup. With two out, pinch-hitter MaKenzie Michael reached on an infield single to load the bases for Changstrom. The rookie battled MSU starter Natalie Rose in a 10-pitch at bat, fouling off seven pitches before hustling to beat out an infield single, which scored two runs to tie the game at 2-2.
The Bears responded in the bottom of the second, scoring an unearned run without a hit as the result of two Bluejay errors. MSU would hold that 3-2 lead until the seventh inning
Changstrom (12-7) allowed only four hits in the game, but walked five and hit two batters in the hard-earned victory. The right-hander, who forced 11 stranded runners in the game, set down the Bears in order in the seventh to improve to 4-0 in MVC road games this season. The rookie, who collected her first hit on Saturday, was the only Jay with more than one hit in Sunday's win, finishing 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Homan's seventh-inning triple kept her hitting streak alive, moving it to eight games, tying for the longest streak by a Bluejay this year. Her hit was CU's only base knock from the top four spots in the order however, as the Jays top four hitters finished 1-for-12 in the win. The five-through-nine spots in the line up had at least one hit, including Changstrom's two in the ninth spot and two from the eighth spot (Michael and Martin).
Rose dropped to 10-14 in defeat, she allowed eight hits and four earned runs, while finishing with one walk and no strike outs.
Creighton will take Monday off before beginning a busy week at home. The Bluejays host North Dakota in a doubleheader at the CU Sports Complex at 3 pm on Tuesday and then welcome 11th-ranked Nebraska on Wednesday at 6 pm. Creighton continues its longest home stand of the season with a three-game MVC series against Wichita State next weekend.
Players Mentioned
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