Softball Splits Twin Bill with Seton Hall

OMAHA, Neb. – The Creighton softball team split a twin bill with Seton Hall on Saturday as the Bluejays won the opener 8-3 before the Pirates claimed the nightcap 9-7 at the CU Sports Complex.

Creighton (17-11, 3-6 BIG EAST) scored six runs in the fifth and sixth frames to pull away from Seton Hall (16-20, 5-5 BIG EAST) in game one. SHU jumped out to an early lead in game two. The teams traded the lead three more times in the game before the Pirates came out on top with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth to break a 7-all tie.

Sophomore Allie Reinhart led the Jays' offense with a 5-of-6 day at the plate that included three extra-base hits – two doubles and her second home run of the season. Senior Liz Dike belted a pair of homers, including a grand slam in game two, in the second consecutive CU doubleheader to increase her team-leading total to 10 on the year. They were two of nine Bluejays to record a knock Saturday.

CU junior Micaela Whitney earned the starting nod in the circle for game one of the double dip.

After a scoreless first inning, Seton Hall opened the scoring in the top of the second with an RBI-single. The Pirates added a run in the top of the third on a solo home run to make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors.

Creighton tied the score in the bottom of the frame. Three straight walks issued to CU batters loaded the bases before SHU pegged Reinhart with a pitch to produce her first RBI of the day. A grounder off the bat of sophomore Anna O'Gorman scored another Creighton run to knot the game at 2-2.

The Bluejays took over the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Jen Daro reached on a Pirate error before Reinhart and O'Gorman hit back-to-back RBI doubles to make it 4-2 Creighton.

Senior Bri McMahon connected on a single through the left side to put runners on the corners for freshman Hayleigh Evans' first career hit – an RBI-single up the middle - to give the Jays a 5-2 lead.

A sacrifice bunt by junior Kelsey Allender put runners in scoring position for classmate Michelle Trulin who came through with an RBI-single to put CU up by four at 6-2.

An RBI-double from SHU cut the Jays' lead in half at 6-3 in the top of the sixth.

Creighton sophomore pitcher Sydnee Eck came on to close out the game and earn her first career save for the Bluejays.

CU added two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Daro drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Reinhart placed a single into left center to put runners on the corners. McMahon put down a sacrifice bunt to score a run before Reinhart scored on a wild pitch to yield the final score of 8-2.

Whitney improved to 9-6 with the victory.

Eck earned the start in the circle for the Bluejays in game two.

Seton Hall belted back-to-back solo home runs in the top of the first to jump out to a 2-0 advantage.

That lead held up until the bottom of the fourth when the Bluejays popped a pair of homers of their own to take over the lead. Dike hit a solo shot over the center field wall to close CU to within 2-1. Daro reached on a two-out walk before Reinhart drilled her second homer of the year to give the Jays a 3-2 edge after four innings.

Both teams lit up the scoreboard in sixth inning with a total of nine runs.

The Pirates posted five runs with two outs in the board as they drew four walks and posted three hits to run out to a 7-3 lead.

Creighton responded with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning to knot the game at 7-7. After a walk to McMahon, a pair of one-out singles from Allender and Trulin loaded the bases. Dike then smashed a grand slam to bring across the four CU runs to tie the contest after five frames.

Seton Hall got a timely two-run homer after a CU pitching change in the top of the sixth that proved to be the difference in the ball game.

Eck dropped to 6-4 on the season following the loss.

The Bluejays and Pirates decide the series with a rubber match at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday at the CU Sports Complex.

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Team Stats

Allie Reinhart

Michelle Trulin

Liz Dike

Tash Coffiel

Players Mentioned

Kelsey Allender

Jen Daro

Liz Dike

Sydnee Eck

Hayleigh Evans

Bri McMahon

Anna O'Gorman

Allie Reinhart

Michelle Trulin

Micaela Whitney