Softball Picks Up First Win Of 2017 With Victory Over Saint Mary's, Falls to Stanford

TEMPE, Ariz. -- After opening the Kajikawa Classic on Thursday with a pair of losses, Creighton split two games on Friday in Tempe, Ariz.

The Bluejays picked up their first win of the season with a 2-1 victory against Saint Mary's on Friday morning, and fell 7-2 to Stanford during the afternoon.

Bryana Clark pitched a complete game five-hitter to lead Creighton past the Gaels. The South Dakota State transfer allowed five hits and walked four, but the Bluejays turned one double play and held 10 runners stranded on the base paths.

After the first nine hitters over the first inning and a half were retired, Saint Mary's put pressure on the Jays by having its lead-off hitter of the second inning reach base via a fielding error. The Gaels pushed across the run to take an early 1-0 lead, but also left a runner in scoring position to end the inning.

Creighton responded with an offensive burst in the top of the third.

Jordyn Sturgeon led off the inning with a single and Sam Crowley sacrificed pinch runner Kristin Fry to second. Next, Aujanae McCoy attempted to send Fry to third with a bunt, but also reached on an error to put runners on the corners with only one out. The Bluejays tied the game on a sacrifice fly to center field from Tash Coffiel before Anna O'Gorman drove in the eventual game-winning run with a single to right.

After scoring two runs on two hits and an error, Creighton did not have a baserunner during the final four innings.

An error and sacrifice bunt put the Gaels in business to tie the game in the bottom half of the third, but the Bluejays turned an 8-4 double play to prevent any runs from scoring.

Hailey Sparacino flew out to center field before Crowley fired the ball in to McCoy to double off the Saint Mary's runner at second base.

The Gaels also put two runners on with only one out in the fourth inning. However, Creighton ended the inning with two fielder's choice plays at third base to end yet another threat.

Additionally, Saint Mary's left runners at second base in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

O'Gorman and Sturgeon's second-inning hits were the only hits allowed by Saint Mary's pitcher Katie Moss. Moss tossed a complete game and stuck out five while walking none and retiring the final 13 Creighton hitters she faced in a losing effort.

In the second game of the day the Cardinal had runners on base in each of the first three innings before breaking through with two runs in the fourth. Stanford left two runners on in the first, second and third innings, and tallied a crooked number in the run column during the fourth following an error and RBI double.

Creighton responded by taking advantage of a Cardinal error in the bottom of the fourth as Sturgeon drove in McCoy for the Bluejays' first run of the game.

Stanford loaded the bases in the fifth with one out and ended the inning scoring five runs on three hits to take a six-run lead.

The Bluejays put runners at each base with only one out in the bottom of the fifth in hopes for a late rally. Crowley drove in Creighton's second run of the game on a fielder's choice, but the Jays could not shrink the deficit any further.

Stanford ended the game with 12 hits and left 14 runners on base. Bessie Noll led the way going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs.

Allie Reinhart, Sam Dellinger, O'Gorman and Sturgeon each recorded hits for the Bluejays who were held to only six hits in 14 innings of play on Friday.

Senior Jen Daro's streak of 129 consecutive starts was snapped during the second game of the day. She did enter the game as a pinch hitter, and has now played in all 147 games since enrolling.

Creighton concludes play at the Kajikawa Classic with a single game on Saturday against Cal Poly. First pitch for the contest between the Bluejays and Mustangs is scheduled for 10 am (CST).

Softball Picks Up First Win Of 2017 With Victory Over Saint Mary's, Falls to Stanford

Players Mentioned

Bryana Clark

Tash Coffiel

Sam Crowley

Jen Daro

Sam Dellinger

Kristin Fry

Aujanae McCoy

Anna O'Gorman

Allie Reinhart

Jordyn Sturgeon