Creighton University
12-4
Hampton
3-12
Softball Extends Win Streak to Nine at Rebel Spring Games
3/13/2015 5:24:00 PM | Softball
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Creighton softball team dominated its opponents on Friday with an 8-2 decision over Hampton and a five-inning 11-0 shutout of Albany at the Osceola Softball Complex.
Creighton (13-4) crushed three home runs and ripped a trio of doubles as part of 20 hits on the day to outscore its opponents 19-2 in just 11 innings of work. The Bluejays have allowed just four total scores during its current nine-game win streak. Hampton (3-12) scored two of those four runs in game one on Friday before the Jays stunned Albany (6-6) in five innings.
Seven Bluejays hit .333 or better on the day including five that went .500 or better at the dish. Nine of the 10 Jays batters scored a run during the two-game set. Sophomore Jen Daro led the offense by going 4-of-6 (.667) at the plate and blasted her first home run of the season. Junior Michelle Trulin also connected on four hits while senior Liz Dike and sophomore Allie Reinhart each added three knocks. Besides Daro, Dike and junior Blake Ringle also hammered homers Friday. Daro and Dike led the Bluejays with four RBI while Ringle and Reinhart each posted three.
Both Bluejay hurlers were stellar on the final day of the Rebel Spring Games. Sophomore Sydnee Eck pitched a two-hit shutout of Albany after Micaela Whitney earned a complete-game victory over Hampton. The duo allowed just one earned run and seven hits on the day resulting in a 0.58 ERA and .152 opponent batting average.
Whitney started game one in the circle against Hampton.
After a scoreless opening inning, Creighton began to build its lead in the top of the second.
Ringle singled through the left side and was replaced on the base paths by freshman Paige Nekola. A bunt single by Reinhart and a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Anna O'Gorman advanced the runners before another sacrifice bunt by Daro scored Nekola for an early 1-0 CU edge.
The Bluejays scored three more in the top of the third frame. Junior Erin McGonigal drew a one-out walk before a sacrifice bunt from junior Kelsey Allender. Trulin reached on an error to put runners on the corners and then stole second base. Dike drew a walk to load the bases for Reinhart who came up clutch again with two outs this week with a three-RBI double to right center to put the Jays up 4-0.
Hampton cut the CU lead to 4-1 with a run in the bottom of the frame thanks to a pair of Pirate singles.
Two scoreless innings followed before the Bluejays put the game out of reach in the top of the sixth inning. O'Gorman connected on a double to right center with one out. Freshman Sam Crowley came into the game as a pinch runner. Daro followed with a single up the middle then pinch hitter Hayleigh Evans drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Sophomore Jessica Lewis re-entered the game to run at first base.
The Jays then began a two-out scoring rally started by an Allender infield single to score Crowley and make it 5-1. Trulin followed with a single through the left side to score Daro for a 6-1 lead. Dike followed suit with a single through the left side to plate two more runs to give Creighton an 8-1 advantage.
Hampton scored in its final at-bat but could only come up with one run thanks to a pair of Creighton errors to produce the final tally of 8-2.
Whitney improved to 8-2 overall with the win.
Eck earned the start in game two against Albany.
The leadoff batter got on for the Great Danes and advanced to third with one out but Eck posted a strike out and drew a ground ball to end the UAlbany threat.
Creighton wasted no time scoring runs in the bottom of the first. Allender reached on an error and Trulin singled before Ringle blasted her fourth homer of the season to put Creighton up 3-0.
The Bluejays added four more scores in the bottom of the second. Daro singled down the left field line and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Lewis. Eck helped her cause with a pinch-hit RBI double to score Daro and give CU a 4-0 advantage. McGonigal re-entered the lineup to run for Eck and later scored on an Allender ground out to make the score 5-0 in favor of CU.
Trulin put down a bunt single and then advanced on an errant throw before Dike hammered her fifth home run of 2015 over the left center fence to give Creighton a 7-0 lead and force a Great Dane pitching change.
Creighton added one more run in the third. Lewis reached on an error following a one-out single by Daro. A fielder's choice by McGonigal left runners at the corners. A walk to Allender loaded the bases before Trulin hit an RBI single to score Daro to put CU out front by eight.
The Jays finished the scoring in the bottom of the fourth to put the game away. A walk by Reinhart and a single up the middle by O'Gorman preceded Daro's home run blast that made the final score 11-0.
Eck pitched a two-hit shutout and finished her four starts at the Rebel Spring Games with an amazing 0.00 ERA to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Creighton opens its BIG EAST schedule at home against Butler with a three-game series against the Bulldogs beginning March 21.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Whitney, Micaela (8-2)
L: PRATT,Jecoliah (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Reinhart, Allie 1 ; O'Gorman, Anna 1
RBI: Allender, Kelsey 1 ; Trulin, Michelle 1 ; Dike, Liz 2 ; Reinhart, Allie 3 ; Daro, Jen 1
SH: Allender, Kelsey 1 ; O'Gorman, Anna 1 ; Daro, Jen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allender, Kelsey 1 ; Trulin, Michelle 1 ; Dike, Liz 1 ; Nekola, Paige 1 ; Crowley, Sam 1 ; Daro, Jen 1 ; Lewis, Jessica 1 ; McGonigal, Erin 1
SB: Trulin, Michelle 1
CS: Reinhart, Allie 1
Batting:
RBI: BABINSACK,Allyson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: PONDS,Diamond 2
HBP: REIMAN,Jessica 1 ; DESCHEPPER,Kayla 1
