Softball Hosts Seton Hall for Three-Game Set this Weekend
4/10/2015 8:13:00 PM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. - The Creighton softball team wraps up a five-game home stand, the longest of the season, with a three-game series against Seton Hall this weekend beginning with a doubleheader slated to start at noon CT Saturday at the CU Sports Complex.
Creighton (16-10, 2-5 BIG EAST) welcomes Seton Hall (15-19, 4-4 BIG EAST) for its second BIG EAST home series of the season. The Bluejays took one out of three from Butler on March 21-22 in their conference home opening series and went 1-3 on the road in league play at Georgetown and Villanova.
The Bluejays enter the weekend following a non-conference doubleheader split with South Dakota that saw an offensive explosion from both squads on Wednesday in Omaha. USD won game one 20-12 in eight innings before CU overcame an early four-run deficit to claim the nightcap 7-6.
The teams set CU program records for combined runs in a game (32) and combined hits in a game (34) as well as combined runs in a doubleheader (45).
The Pirates are 4-1 over their last five BIG EAST contests, sweeping Villanova before splitting an abbreviated series at Providence. Seton Hall went 1-1 on its trip up to Providence, where the third game was rained out with SHU leading 2-1 in the top of the fourth.
Seton Hall visits Omaha for the first time this weekend. Last season the Pirates took two out of three games from the Bluejays in a home series to lead the all-time series 2-1. Creighton won game one of the series in five innings in a 12-0 rout but Seton Hall swept the final two meetings by scores of 5-3 and 1-0.
Following the Jays
Live video stream and stats links for the weekend can be found on both the softball schedule and live stats pages of GoCreighton.com. Fans can also keep in touch with Creighton softball by following the Jays on Twitter @BluejaySoftball and liking the Jays on Facebook.com/CreightonSoftball.
Scouting the Creighton Bluejays (16-10, 2-5 BIG EAST)
The Bluejays enter the weekend following a doubleheader split with South Dakota that saw an offensive explosion by both squads on Wednesday in Omaha. USD won game one 20-12 in eight innings before CU overcame an early four-run deficit to claim the nightcap 7-6.
The teams set CU program records for combined runs in a game (32) and combined hits in a game (34) as well as combined runs in a doubleheader (45).
CU entered its home stand on a three-game losing streak after being swept at conference rival Villanova last week. Creighton fared 1-3 overall on its East Coast road swing with a 2-1 victory at Georgetown in the only game of a weather-shortened weekend preceding the series at VU.
Creighton found itself stymied at Villanova last week producing just three runs against the Wildcats and suffering a BIG EAST sweep in greater Philadelphia. The Bluejays fell 2-0 in the series opener on Wednesday at VU then lost a doubleheader by virtue of a 4-0 no-hitter and a 9-3 decision on Thursday.
Creighton is currently tied with Georgetown for seventh in the BIG EAST but finds itself only one game out of fourth place in the race for the final conference postseason berth with four league series remaining.
Senior Liz Dike leads the team with a dozen multi-hit games this season to account for an impressive .443 average at the plate this season to rank second in the BIG EAST. The shortstop ranks at No. 5 in the country in triples per game (0.19) this year and stands at No. 20 nationwide with a 0.911 slugging percentage. Dike leads the team with 30 RBI, 35 hits, 23 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
Sophomore Jen Daro is coming off of an impressive outing against South Dakota on Wednesday. She led the Jays' offense with three homers on the day including her first career grand slam in game one. Daro went 5-of-8 at the plate and knocked in six runs. She also pitched a complete-game victory in the nightcap. She is second on the squad with a .310 average at the plate.
Junior Kelsey Allender ranks third on the squad with a .301 batting average and 21 runs scored this year. She ranks only behind Dike in hits at 25. Allender boasts the longest reached base streak at 20 for the Bluejays; it was halted last week at Villanova.
Junior Blake Ringle took maintained her team-high home run count after drilling two home runs against USD on Wednesday to raise her total to nine this season. That count triples her home run output from a year ago and serves as a career high for homers in a season by Ringle. She increased her slugging percentage to .681 this week to rank second on the squad.
In the circle, Creighton ranks second in the BIG EAST with a team ERA of 3.23. Sophomore Sydnee Eck is third in the league with an ERA of 2.35 while standing 6-3 on the season. Junior Micaela Whitney claims an 8-6 record including three shutout wins. She ranks seventh in the conference with an ERA of 3.22.
Scouting the Seton Hall Pirates (15-19, 4-4 BIG EAST)
Seton Hall visits Omaha for the first time this weekend. The Pirates are 4-1 over their last five BIG EAST contests, sweeping Villanova before splitting an abbreviated series at Providence. Seton Hall went 1-1 on its trip up to Providence, where the third game was rained out with SHU leading 2-1 in the top of the fourth.
This season Seton Hall is batting .275 at the plate with a lot of power, including 38 home runs. In the circle, Pirate pitchers have combined for a 5.05 ERA to rank sixth in the conference and have given up 33 homers to the opposition, just slightly under one per game this season.
Yasmin Harrell leads the Pirates with a .357 batting average, 40 hits and 10 stolen bases this season. Alexis Walkden ranks second on the squad with a .349 average at the plate and leads the team with 12 home runs and a .837 slugging percentage. Sara Haefell bats .313 at the dish and leads the Pirates with 32 RBI to go along with her 11 home runs this year.
Lauren Fischer and Danielle DeStaso have shared the pitching duties for SHU this season with 15 starts apiece. Fischer holds the team's ERA lead at 4.23 yielding a 6-8 record. DeStaso owns a 4.70 ERA leading to a 7-9 ledger this season, however she pitched both complete-game victories over CU last season in South Orange.
Creighton-Seton Hall All-Time Series
Seton Hall leads the all-time series 2-1 on the results from the programs' first meeting last season in New Jersey.
Last year the Pirates took two out of three games from the Bluejays. Creighton won game one of the series in five innings in a 12-0 rout but Seton Hall swept the final two meetings by scores of 5-3 and 1-0.
Last Time Out
Creighton split a doubleheader with South Dakota in a record-setting evening as the teams combined for 45 runs and 53 hits, including 14 home runs, on the day at the CU Sports Complex on Wednesday.
Creighton dropped game one of the doubleheader to South Dakota in eight innings by a score of 20-12. The Bluejays rebounded from an early four-run deficit to take game two in a 7-6 decision. Every CU starter posted a hit and 10 Jays scored at least one run in the doubleheader.
Sophomore Jen Daro led the Jays offense with three homers on the day including her first career grand slam in game one. She went 5-of-8 at the plate and drew a walk. Daro knocked in six runs to produce a staggering 1.75 slugging percentage. She also pitched a complete-game victory in the nightcap.
Junior Blake Ringle and senior Liz Dike also belted a pair of homers on the day. Ringle batted in five runs and Dike drove in three scores. Freshman Tash Coffiel-Nelson returned to the lineup and went 2-of-3 at the plate while fellow infielder Erin McGonigal went 2-of-4 at the dish.
Jays and 'Yotes Rewrite the Record Books Wednesday
If you like offense, close games and somewhat dreary weather, than Wednesday night was for you.
Creighton and South Dakota lit up the scoreboard like the Fourth of July in their midweek doubleheader on April 8 that saw near-constant drizzle throughout the late afternoon and evening at the CU Sports Complex.
CU lost game one 20-12 in eight innings but won 7-6 in the nightcap. The Jays posted 14 hits in game one and added nine more in game two while the Coyotes totaled 20 and 10 hits, respectively, in the twin bill.
The teams set CU program records for combined runs in a game (32) and combined hits in a game (34) as well as combined runs in a doubleheader (45). The teams also hit seven home runs apiece on the day to combine for 14 total that included two grand slams, one for each side.
The teams actually just missed the record for combined hits in a doubleheader by registering 53, two shy of the all-time mark of 55 set against Nebraska at home in the 1996 season opener on Feb. 24.
That day against the Cornhuskers held all of the previous combined distinctions for a game, at 27 runs and 31 hits, and a series with 38 scores and 55 knocks until Wednesday night's first contest.
USD's 20 runs scored against CU in game one is the most recorded against the Bluejays in program history and stands as the most runs scored at the CU Sports Complex since the Cornhuskers' 19 touches of the plate in the 1996 opener.
Villanova Series Recap
Villanova swept Creighton in a three-game midweek series prior to Easter weekend. After opening with a 2-0 win against CU in the Wednesday opener, the Wildcats continued their success with a 4-0 no-hitter and a 9-3 decision in a Thursday doubleheader.
The Bluejays did connect on seven hits in the nightcap and jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third, but the Wildcats took over the lead at 3-1 in the bottom of the frame. The Jays closed to within one run at 4-3 in the top of the sixth on junior Blake Ringle's seventh home run of the season, but a five-run sixth by the 'Cats put the game out of reach.
See-Ya Softball
Sophomore Jen Daro, junior Blake Ringle and senior Liz Dike accounted for all seven home runs in the doubleheader against South Dakota on Wednesday night.
Daro belted three long balls including her first career grand slam against the Coyotes while Ringle and Dike each drilled a pair of homers on the day. Ringle batted in five runs and Dike drove in three scores.
As a result Ringle maintained the team home run lead at nine, a new career high for the junior and tripling her home run output of 2014. Dike enters the midpoint of the conference slate with eight homers while Daro upped her season total to five.
Sophomore Allie Reinhart entered the round trip club with her first homer of the season against Butler. She joined senior Bri McMahon who hammered her first home run of the year in Florida and junior Kelsey Allender who blasted her third career homer at the Kajikawa Classic to begin 2015.
Marching Into Spring
The Bluejays are 40-13 over the last three seasons in the month of March.
Creighton finished the month of March with an 11-3 record this year. The Jays closed out the month with a 2-1 victory at Georgetown. CU put together mid-month nine-game win streak to conclude the Rebel Spring Games.
Creighton finished the month of March with a 15-5 record last year. The Jays closed out March 2014 on a three-game losing streak to Georgetown that snapped a mid-month 10-game, season-best win streak.
In 2013 the Bluejays finished the month at 14-5.
Free Pass to First
Sophomore Jen Daro attracted a lot of pitches at the plate in her first season at Creighton. In 2015 Daro already has six HBPs to add to her career total to place her in a tie at No. 6 all-time in program history.
Last season Daro became the first freshman in Creighton history to incur double-digit number when hit by an opposing pitch. The first baseman took a dozen hurls to the body during her first year in Omaha. Daro finished the year just three shy of the single-season HBP mark of 15 set by former teammate Alexis Cantu in 2013.
Daro and Eck Nab BIG EAST Honor Roll Spots
CU sophomores Jen Daro and Sydnee Eck, earned spots on the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll with their performances at Georgetown.
Daro belted the game-winning home run in a 2-1 victory at Georgetown on March 29, the Bluejays' lone game of the week. She also led the team with 12 putouts.
Meanwhile Eck improved to 6-1 on the season by not allowing an earned run and just three hits at Georgetown. She struck out five and walked just one in a complete-game victory.
Georgetown Game Recap
Creighton edged Georgetown 2-1 at the Hoyas' Guy Mason Field in the only game of the series on March 29.
Weather and poor field conditions postponed two of the contests of the three-game set. Creighton took advantage of a Georgetown miscue to jump out to an early 1-0 lead. In the top of the sixth frame, sophomore Jen Daro's solo home run proved to be the difference in the game breaking a 1-1 tie to give CU the one-run victory.
Butler Series Recap
CU posted a doubleheader split with Butler in the BIG EAST opening series for both teams at the CU Softball Complex March 21-22. The Bulldogs won game one 4-1 before the Bluejays claimed the second contest 7-4.
Five Bluejays posted multiple knocks on the day led by sophomore Anna O'Gorman who connected on three base hits including a two-RBI triple in game two. Junior Blake Ringle belted her fifth homer of the season and brought in three runs on the day while sophomore Allie Reinhart drilled her first round tripper of the season for the Jays.
In the Sunday finale, Creighton softball team jumped out to an early 5-0 lead but a seven-run performance by Butler in the fifth frame gave the visiting Bulldogs a 7-5 victory in the series finale at the CU Softball Complex on Sunday.
Nine Bluejays posted a hit in the series rubber match. Senior Liz Dike logged two knocks as did sophomores Anna O'Gorman and Jen Daro. One of Dike's hits was her sixth home run of the season that preceded junior Blake Ringle's sixth homer of the season for back-to-back round trippers in the Creighton third inning.
O'Gorman and Eck Garner BIG EAST Honor Roll Laurels
Two CU sophomores, Anna O'Gorman and Sydnee Eck, earned spots on the weekly BIG EAST Honor Roll with their performances against Butler.
O'Gorman hit .500 in three starts at designated player. She connected on a two-RBI triple in CU's 7-4 win in game 2 of the series and posted a slugging percentage of .700 on the weekend.
Meanwhile Eck pitched a complete-game win against Butler in game two of series in her BIG EAST debut. She later came on in relief of game three for two innings, striking out two and not allowing a base hit. The dual threat also posted a hit versus BU in game three - marking her third hit in just her fourth at-bat of the season.
Rebel Spring Games Recap
The Bluejays went 9-1 at the 2015 Rebel Spring Games March 8-13. The wins increased Creighton's all-time record at the tourney to 69-11 (.863) in eight appearances at the Florida tourney all under current head coach Brent Vigness.
After an opening 5-3 setback to Akron, CU won nine straight contests including five shutouts against Presbyterian, Lehigh, Niagara, Saint Peter's and Albany.
Creighton went 11-1 last year at the 2014 Rebel Spring Games.
Softball Sweeps Weekly BIG EAST Awards after 8-0 Week
Two Creighton softball players swept the weekly BIG EAST Awards as senior Liz Dike won BIG EAST Player of the Week honors while the conference named sophomore Sydnee Eck its Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced March 16.
Eck and Dike were just two of the contributors for the Bluejays as they finished last week with an 8-0 mark at the Rebel Spring Games after opening at 1-1 in central Florida.
Dike continued to record amazing offensive numbers in 2015. The CU starting shortstop hit .520 at the plate while posting at least one hit and scoring at least one run in all eight starts. Dike led the starters with four home runs, 13 hits, 14 RBI, 28 total bases, 1.120 slugging percentage, .567 on-base percentage and 21 assists on defense. She recorded multiple defensive assists in six of eight games and also initiated two double plays during the week. The Lincoln, Neb., native currently owns a 14-game hitting streak.
On March 10, Dike went 5-for-7 (.714) at the plate with three extra-base hits including a pair of solo homers against Saint Peter's and an RBI double against Fairfield, finishing the day with an incredible 1.71 slugging percentage.
It marks the first BIG EAST Player of the Week Award for Dike this season and second weekly career laurel from the conference. She also garnered recognition from the league last year on March 24.
Eck was just as spectacular in the circle. She posted a .000 ERA in 19 innings of work through three contests last week with one unearned run surrendered against Southern Illinois. The right-hander went 3-0 with a pair of complete-game shutouts of Saint Peter's and Albany. She struck out 16 while allowing just 11 total hits and walking one batter. Eck registered the Jays' first early-inning regulation victory of 2015 over Albany (11-0) in five frames of work and held opposing teams to a .169 batting average for the week.
The dual threat also connected on an RBI double in the first at-bat of her Creighton career against SIU. Eck went 2-of-3 as a pinch hitter at the plate during the tournament by adding another RBI double against Albany to end the week.
The award marks the first career BIG EAST weekly accolade for Eck. It also stands as the third time a Bluejay hurler earned a Pitcher of the Week laurel this season from the conference following a pair of awards given to fellow CU hurler Micaela Whitney.
Hey, Long Time No See
Creighton only played seven contests in the month of February, the fewest since the Jays played only five in the first month of 2006.
Sixteen dates flipped on the calendar between Creighton's last outing on Feb. 20 against Northern Colorado and its Rebel Spring Games opener versus Akron on March 8.
The two-week and two-day drought of games is the longest for Creighton since 2000 when the there was another 16-date gap between games on the schedule in mid-February.
Meet Me in McCook
After the cancellation of the Razorback Invitational at the University of Arkansas Creighton took the field on Feb. 20 against Northern Colorado. The teams decided to play a doubleheader halfway between their campuses at the home field of McCook (Neb.) Community College after the schools' scheduled tournament was cancelled.
Creighton split the doubleheader with UNC by edging the Bears 3-2 in game one before falling 11-3 in the second contest at the Jaycees Sports Complex.
CU sophomore Jen Daro led the Creighton offense with five hits on the day. Senior Liz Dike went 4-for-6 at the plate while junior Blake Ringle belted her third home run of the year and posted a team high three RBI. Eight Bluejays connected on a hit in the twin bill.
Junior Micaela Whitney earned the win for CU in game one. She opened with four strikeouts in the first two frames and retired the Bears in order through three straight innings.
Daro came through with the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the sixth frame to plate the winning score. Later, Whitney struck out the side in the top of the seventh to secure the Creighton victory and improve to 4-1 on the year.
In game two Daro made her career debut at pitcher for the Bluejays. Northern Colorado's bats erupted early with nine runs and 10 hits on three home runs, including a grand slam, and never looked back. Creighton scored three in the top of the third to cut the margin to 9-3 but it was not enough as UNC wrapped up the contest in the bottom of the sixth with a home run and an RBI single.
February Finishes
The Bluejays wrapped an abbreviated February schedule with a 4-3 overall record after a 3-2 mark at the Kajikawa Classic to open the season and a doubleheader split with Northern Colorado two weeks later.
Creighton has finished eight of the last nine seasons with a winning record in the first month of the season under head coach Brent Vigness.
Last season CU finished the month of February 2014 with a disappointing 4-8 ledger. The Jays ended February 2013 with a 5-4 record.
The Bluejays now stand at 54-35 in February spanning the last nine seasons to the beginning of 2007.
Whitney Tabbed BIG EAST POTW for Second Time in 2015
Junior Micaela Whitney claimed her second BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honor this season the league office announced on Feb. 23.
Whitney pitched a complete game to help the Jays win the opener of the twin bill against Northern Colorado on Feb. 20 to improve to 4-1 on the year with a 0.66 ERA, tops among pitchers in the BIG EAST. She struck out 10 UNC batters, allowed one earned run on just three hits and walked one. Whitney's total of 33 K's ranked second in the conference at the time of the award.
It marks the second BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week Award for Whitney this year. The Omaha native also garnered recognition from the league on Feb. 9 after starting the season and her Creighton career by hurling a no-hitter in the Bluejays' 2015 season opener against Pacific at the Kajikawa Classic.
Daro Leads CU at the Dish to Attain BIG EAST Honor Roll Recognition
Sophomore Jen Daro earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll. The first baseman sparked the Bluejay offense against UNC by going 5-of-7 at the plate for a .714 batting average, adding a pair of RBI and a stolen base.
Daro posted the game-winning RBI in the bottom of sixth inning in a 3-2 win over the Bears. She later made her Creighton pitching debut in the circle for game two. The Omaha native ranked third in the BIG EAST for on-base percentage (.583) and fourth in the league in batting average (.444) through that week.
After No-Hitter Whitney Named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week
Junior Micaela Whitney capped off an impressive opening week by claiming BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week honors the league office announced on Feb. 9.
Whitney started the season and her Creighton career by hurling a no-hitter in the Bluejays' 2015 season opener against Pacific at the Kajikawa Classic on Feb. 5.
The junior struck out 11 in that game and started two other tilts over the weekend along with one additional appearance for a 3-1 record, 0.56 earned run average and 23 strikeouts. Opponents batted just .189 over 25 innings of work with Whitney in the circle.
In her three complete-game starts Whitney went 2-1 with a 0.33 ERA, surrendered just one earned run, posted 20 K's and opponents hit .187 against her. That one earned run was against Cal Poly in a 1-0 loss to give her the only setback of the season. Whitney came on in relief against Western Michigan to secure another win. She gave up one earned run to WMU and struck out three in four innings of work.
Dike Hits .471 to Earn BIG EAST Honor Roll Spot
Senior Liz Dike earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll on Feb. 9. The shortstop sparked the Bluejay offense with a .471 batting average, belting three triples and knocking in three runs while scoring four times herself.
Dike started each game for the Bluejays last weekend and leads team in batting average, hits, doubles, triples, total bases and slugging percentage. Her .471 clip at the plate ranks third overall in the BIG EAST this week.
Recapping the 2015 Kajikawa Classic
The Bluejays finished the weekend at 3-2 with wins over Pacific, Western Michigan, and UC Riverside at the Kajikawa Classic hosted by then-No. 16 Arizona State Feb. 5-7.
Whitney posted a no-hitter against Pacific in the season opener in a 2-0 decision. Later that evening, Creighton forced the No. 16 Sun Devils into a pitching change with two outs in the seventh inning at ASU's Farrington Field. The Bluejays rallied with two runs and brought the tying run to the plate but could not bring them around in a 7-4 setback.
On day two, the Bluejays surrendered just one earned run but that held up in a 1-0 loss to Cal Poly on day two of the classic. Creighton came from behind to defeat Western Michigan 8-5 to even its record at 2-2.
The Jays toppled UC Riverside 5-2 on day three of the Classic to move to 3-2 on the year.
Creighton History at Kajikawa Classic
The Bluejays have participated in the Kajikawa, pronounced “KAH-gee-cow-uh”, Classic four times in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015. The Bluejays are now 11-10 all-time at the event hosted by Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz., after a 3-2 showing during the opening weekend of 2015.
Creighton completed the 2014 Kajikawa Classic with a 3-2 ledger. CU lost its season opener to San Jose State 11-2 before falling 3-0 to host No. 7 Arizona State. The Jays bounced back to shut out Western Michigan 9-0 in five innings and blank Boise State 4-0 on day two. CU wrapped up the Classic with a 6-4 upset victory over No. 24 California of the Pac-12.
The win over Cal marked the third straight Kajikawa Classic appearance where the Bluejays knocked off a team from a power conference. CU beat fellow Pac-12 squad Oregon State 5-3 in 2013. Creighton edged Northwestern of the Big Ten 2-1 and also knocked off Oregon State by the same 5-3 margin in 2010.
The Bluejays posted a 2-3 record at the 2013 Kajikawa Classic. CU won its season opener against New Mexico 5-1 before falling 5-2 to San Diego State. The Jays dropped a 13-3 contest in five innings to No. 14 Florida on day two but bounced back to defeat Pac-12 foe Oregon State 5-3. CU ended the tourney with a disappointing 4-3 setback to Stephen F. Austin on the Jays' final day in Tempe.
The Jays opened the 2010 season with a 3-3 ledger at the season-opening tournament. Creighton began 2010 with three losses before rebounding with a trio of victories including the one-run defeat of No. 15 Northwestern on Valentine's Day 2010 to even its record.
Preseason Predictions
Creighton was picked to finish fifth overall in its second BIG EAST season, the league office announced in January.
CU collected 23 points, just three behind fourth-place Butler who amassed 26 points. Defending champion DePaul claimed first place with 48 points. St. John's came in at second place with 42 markers and Georgetown placed third with 36 points.
Rounding out the poll is Seton Hall in sixth place with 20 points, Villanova with 17 markers in seventh place and Providence with 12 points in the eighth spot. Marquette and Xavier do not sponsor softball.
The Bluejays advanced to the BIG EAST Softball Championship semifinals last season after finishing fourth in the conference with a 29-24 record overall and a 10-10 mark in conference play. The Bluejays were picked second last preseason.
Creighton has finished lower than fourth in the conference regular season standings just three times in the past 17 seasons.
Season-Opening Lid Lifters
The Bluejays' 2015 season-opening, no-hit win over Pacific is CU's fourth opening-day victory in the last five seasons.
A three-year first-game win streak from 2011-13 is tied for the longest in program history when the Jays previously won three consecutive openers from 2006-08 and 1998-2000. All three streaks were under the direction of current head coach Brent Vigness.
Creighton is 20-19 overall in season-opening contests including a 12-10 record under head coach Brent Vigness.
Creighton Head Coach Brent Vigness
The winningest coach in Creighton athletics history, Brent Vigness enters his 22nd season at the helm of one of the most successful softball programs in the Midwest.
Vigness led Creighton into its inaugural BIG EAST campaign last year, after coaching 20 seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). The Bluejays advanced to the semifinals of the BIG EAST Softball Championship in their first year in the league. Fittingly, Vigness reached the 800-win career mark in conjunction with the program's first BIG EAST victory at Butler on March 22, 2014.
A four-time MVC Coach of the Year, Vigness has led the Bluejays to seven MVC regular-season titles (1998-2000, 2007-09, 2013), six Valley tournament titles (1999, 2003-05, 2007, 2010) and seven NCAA regional appearances (1999, 2003-05, 2007-08, 2010). He claimed MVC Coach of the Year honors in 1998 and guided the MVC Coaching Staffs of the Year in 2013, 2008 and 2007.
Last Season
The Bluejays return 10 players from last season's team that advanced to the conference semifinals in its inaugural year in the BIG EAST. Senior shortstop Liz Dike was one of three Bluejays to earn All-BIG EAST First Team recognition last season. She led the conference in home runs and RBI in 2014. Classmate Bri McMahon returns for her final season behind the plate after leading the team in putouts and finishing third in total bases for CU a season ago.
In 2014 the Bluejays finished fourth in their inaugural season as a member of the BIG EAST Conference. CU finished with an overall record of 29-24 and a conference ledger of 10-10. The Bluejays finished conference play strong by reeling off four straight victories to earn a bid to the BIG EAST Softball Championship before top-seeded DePaul ended their NCAA tournament hopes by defeating the Jays.
Departed senior Becca Changstrom finished her outstanding four-year career second all-time in starts (115), appearances (133) and complete games (93) in Creighton history. She also ranked third in wins (74), strikeouts (860) and innings pitched (766). Changstrom was a four-time all-conference team selection including a 2014 All-BIG EAST First team honor. Fellow 2014 seniors Alexis Cantu and Blair Lowe also earned spots on All-BIG EAST teams as did Dike.
