Creighton University
10-4
Niagara
0-12
Softball Records a Pair of Impressive Shutouts at Rebel Spring Games
3/12/2015 10:30:00 PM | Softball
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Creighton softball team recorded a pair of impressive shutout victories on Thursday with a six-inning 8-0 win over Niagara followed by a 10-0 blanking of Saint Peter's at the Osceola Softball Complex.
Creighton (11-4) outscored its opponents 18-0 and out-hit its foes 22-7. Only three of CU's 22 hits went for extra bases. The Jays have allowed just two scores during its current seven-game win streak. Neither Niagara (0-12) nor Saint Peter's (0-4) could produce a run against the Bluejays on the day.
Eight Bluejays hit .333 or better on the day including five that went .500 or better at the dish. Junior Kelsey Allender led the offense by going 4-of-6 (.667) at the plate. Classmate Michelle Trulin and sophomore Allie Reinhart also added four hits apiece.
Reinhart led the Bluejays with four RBI Thursday. Three others knocked in three runs apiece including senior Liz Dike, junior Blake Ringle and sophomore Anna O'Gorman. CU was also good on the base paths going 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts, including two by Dike.
Both Bluejay hurlers were on point again Thursday. Junior Micaela Whitney and sophomore Sydnee Eck each pitched complete-game shutouts. The pitching duo allowed only seven combined hits, posted 12 total strikeouts and held opponents to a .159 batting average at the plate.
Whitney started game one in the circle against Niagara.
Creighton, the designated home team, wasted no time scoring runs. Allender opened the bottom of the first with a walk and Trulin put down a bunt single. A one-out fielder's choice from senior Bri McMahon scored Allender for an early 1-0 CU lead.
A walk to Ringle loaded the bases and freshman Paige Nekola came on to run for McMahon at second. Reinhart stepped up to the plate with three runners on and two outs and delivered a single up the middle to score two more runs and put Creighton up 3-0.
Another two-out single off the bat of sophomore Jessica Lewis plated one more run to build CU a 4-0 advantage after one inning.
After three scoreless innings, Creighton posted two more scores in the bottom of the fifth frame. Dike led off with a single through the left side. A one-out double by Ringle scored Dike from first base for a 5-0 CU lead. Sophomore Jen Daro reached on a fielder's choice before Reinhart belted another single up the middle to score Daro and give the Jays a 6-0 lead.
Creighton finished off the Purple Eagles in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Erin McGonigal drew a walk to open the inning and forced an NU pitching change. Allender singled through the left side and Trulin reached on an error to score McGonigal and put CU out front 7-0.
Dike singled to third base to load the bases for pinch hitter Kelsey Biaggi in her first at-bat of the season. Biaggi reached on a fielder's choice to score Allender and end the game at 8-0 in favor of the Bluejays.
Whitney improved to 7-2 with the win and recorded her third complete-game shutout of the season.
Eck earned the starting pitcher nod in game two against Saint Peter's.
Creighton started the scoring in the top of the first.
A bunt single from Allender started things off. Dike reached on an error to place two runners on. With two outs, O'Gorman ripped a ball down the left field line to score Allender and give CU a 1-0 edge.
CU extended the lead to 4-0 in the second. Daro was hit by a pitch and advanced to second by a sacrifice bunt from McGonigal. She later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Creighton.
Walks to Allender and Trulin set up more fireworks off the bat of Dike. The senior hammered a triple down the line to deep right field to plate two more scores for a 4-0 lead.
The CU bats took a break in the third inning before scoring one a run in the fourth. The Peacocks intentionally walked Dike with one out. Reinhart singled later in the inning to score Dike and put Creighton up 5-0.
Creighton added two runs in the fifth frame. A walk to McGonigal and a single by Allender put two on with one out. A bunt single by Trulin loaded the bases. Dike stepped up to the plate and delivered a long sacrifice fly to score a run for the Jays and push the lead to 6-0. A two-out double off the bat of Ringle scored one more to make it 7-0.
The Bluejays posted three more runs to complete the scoring in the top of the seventh. Allender posted a one-out single as did Trulin. Dike was intentionally walked to load the bases. Ringle hit a sacrifice fly to make it 8-0. A single down the left field line by O'Gorman plated the Jays' last two runs to yield the final score of 10-0.
Creighton concludes its 10-contest Rebel Spring Games set with matchups against Hampton and Albany on Friday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Whitney, Micaela (7-2)
L: Grieger, Taylor (0-3)
Batting:
SH: Gruarin, Katelyn 1
Base Running:
CS: Moddy,Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Ringle, Blake 1
RBI: McMahon, Bri 1 ; Biaggi, Kelsey 1 ; Ringle, Blake 1 ; Reinhart, Allie 3 ; Lewis, Jessica 1
SH: Trulin, Michelle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allender, Kelsey 2 ; Trulin, Michelle 1 ; Dike, Liz 1 ; Nekola, Paige 1 ; Ringle, Blake 1 ; Daro, Jen 1 ; McGonigal, Erin 1
SB: Reinhart, Allie 1 ; Lewis, Jessica 1
