Friday, May 11
Rosemont, Ill.
3 PM
Creighton University
28-14
8
vs
1
#3 St. John's
24-26
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2
3
4
5
6
7
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H
E
St. John's
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
6
1
Creighton
5
0
0
2
0
1
X
8
11
0
Photo by: Steve Woltmann
Softball Defeats St. John's During BIG EAST Semifinal, 8-1, Plays DePaul For Title On Saturday
5/11/2018 5:18:00 PM | Softball
Creighton scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning, Miller strikes out seven
ROSEMONT, ILL. – The Creighton softball team defeated St. John's, 8-1, during the 2018 BIG EAST Softball Championship semifinals on Friday afternoon at The Ballpark at Rosemont.
All-BIG EAST Second Team pitcher Kiele Miller recorded seven strikeouts as she recorded her 14th victory of the season during a complete-game effort.
The Bluejays moved to 28-14 overall and will face DePaul in the BIG EAST Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Red Storm ended their season at 24-26.
Creighton jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ashley Cantu led off the home half of the opening frame with an infield single before Sam Crowley advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kelli Finan singled through the right side to drive in Cantu for the first run of the game. After a walk by Jordyn Sturgeon, Mileah McKelvy hit a single into left field to drive in Finan from second base.
Jayci McGill helped Creighton build a 3-0 lead as she reached on an error. The junior second baseman sent a grounder to the third baseman who threw wide of the base and allowed Sturgeon to score from second. Hope Moreno drove home the fourth Bluejay run with a single up the middle before pinch-hitter Mikaela Pechar grounded into a fielder's choice to send home the fifth and final run of the first inning.
Following Creighton's five-run first, St. John's had its first two reach base on a walk and hit by pitch during the top of the second inning before freshman Kiele Miller struck out three consecutive hitters to keep the Red Storm out of the run column.
Miller wiggled out of danger again during the top of the fourth inning. After recording two quick outs, St. John's loaded the bases with three free passes. Miller buckled down and ended the inning with a four-pitch strikeout to end the threat.
The Bluejays added to their lead during the bottom of the fourth. Tash Coffiel and Cantu each singled before Finan had an RBI fielder's choice and Sturgeon drove home the seventh Creighton run with a ground out to the shortstop.
St. John's scored its first run during the top of the sixth. A triple and bunt single cut the deficit to 7-1. The Red Storm put runners at first and second with two outs for BIG EAST Player of the Year Krystal Puga, but Miller forced a pop up to McGill at second base.
St. John's left 11 on base during Friday's game.
Creighton added to its run total with one during the bottom of the sixth. Cantu led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Crowley.
Cantu, the Bluejays' lead-off hitter, finished 3-for-3 with a double and walked once, while scoring three times to lead the team offensively.
Creighton's victory marked the program's first win at the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the league prior to the start of the 2014 season.
The Bluejays will be seeking their first conference tournament title since 2010 when Creighton earned the Missouri Valley Conference tournament crown.
First pitch for the title game of the 2018 BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep between Creighton and DePaul is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday. The contest will be televised on FS2.
All-BIG EAST Second Team pitcher Kiele Miller recorded seven strikeouts as she recorded her 14th victory of the season during a complete-game effort.
The Bluejays moved to 28-14 overall and will face DePaul in the BIG EAST Championship on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Red Storm ended their season at 24-26.
Creighton jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ashley Cantu led off the home half of the opening frame with an infield single before Sam Crowley advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt. Kelli Finan singled through the right side to drive in Cantu for the first run of the game. After a walk by Jordyn Sturgeon, Mileah McKelvy hit a single into left field to drive in Finan from second base.
Jayci McGill helped Creighton build a 3-0 lead as she reached on an error. The junior second baseman sent a grounder to the third baseman who threw wide of the base and allowed Sturgeon to score from second. Hope Moreno drove home the fourth Bluejay run with a single up the middle before pinch-hitter Mikaela Pechar grounded into a fielder's choice to send home the fifth and final run of the first inning.
Following Creighton's five-run first, St. John's had its first two reach base on a walk and hit by pitch during the top of the second inning before freshman Kiele Miller struck out three consecutive hitters to keep the Red Storm out of the run column.
Miller wiggled out of danger again during the top of the fourth inning. After recording two quick outs, St. John's loaded the bases with three free passes. Miller buckled down and ended the inning with a four-pitch strikeout to end the threat.
The Bluejays added to their lead during the bottom of the fourth. Tash Coffiel and Cantu each singled before Finan had an RBI fielder's choice and Sturgeon drove home the seventh Creighton run with a ground out to the shortstop.
St. John's scored its first run during the top of the sixth. A triple and bunt single cut the deficit to 7-1. The Red Storm put runners at first and second with two outs for BIG EAST Player of the Year Krystal Puga, but Miller forced a pop up to McGill at second base.
St. John's left 11 on base during Friday's game.
Creighton added to its run total with one during the bottom of the sixth. Cantu led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by Crowley.
Cantu, the Bluejays' lead-off hitter, finished 3-for-3 with a double and walked once, while scoring three times to lead the team offensively.
Creighton's victory marked the program's first win at the BIG EAST Tournament since joining the league prior to the start of the 2014 season.
The Bluejays will be seeking their first conference tournament title since 2010 when Creighton earned the Missouri Valley Conference tournament crown.
First pitch for the title game of the 2018 BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep between Creighton and DePaul is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday. The contest will be televised on FS2.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Miller, Kiele (14-7)
L: Madison Morris (13-13)
Batting:
3B: Elyse Morris 1
RBI: Amelia Ditolvo 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Elyse Morris 1
HBP: Krystal Puga 1 ; Christina Melendez 1 ; Elyse Morris 1
Batting:
2B: Cantu, Ashley 1
RBI: Crowley, Sam 1 ; Finan, Kelli 2 ; Sturgeon, Jordyn 1 ; McKelvy, Mileah 1 ; Moreno, Hope 1 ; Pechar, Mikaela 1
SH: Crowley, Sam 1 ; Finan, Kelli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cantu, Ashley 3 ; Finan, Kelli 1 ; Sturgeon, Jordyn 1 ; Fry, Kristin 1 ; Foster, Jayci 1 ; Coffiel, Tash 1
HBP: Crowley, Sam 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
C
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