Friday, February 28
Carbondale, Ill.
12:15 PM
Creighton University
8-5
14
vs
1
Purdue Fort Wayne
1-11
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Creighton
10
0
4
0
0
14
13
2
Purdue Fort Wayne
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
3
Photo by: Catherine Grosdidier
Softball Uses 10-Run First Inning To Down Purdue Fort Wayne, 14-1
2/28/2020 3:05:00 PM | Softball
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Creighton softball team scored 10 runs in the first inning before finishing off Purdue Fort Wayne in five innings, 14-1, on Friday afternoon at the Coach B Classic, hosted by Southern Illinois.
The Bluejays improved to 8-5 overall and picked up their fifth win in the past six games.
Four different played posted multiple hits for Creighton. Cayla Nielsen finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Mikaela Pechar went 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Ashley Cantu scored twice and went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Mileah McKelvy tallied two hits in three at-bats and had three RBIs.
Mikayla Santa Cruz allowed only one hit during a complete-game effort for her team-leading fourth victory of the season. The sophomore walked two and struck out one during five innings of work.
The Bluejays sent 14 hitters to the plate during their 10-run opening frame. Cantu led off the contest by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Nielsen posted an infield single and Kailey Wilson reached first base after being hit by the pitch to load the bases. Kiara Mills drove in the first run of the game with an infield single. Pechar added to the early edge by lacing a 1-1 delivery off the right-center field wall to drive in Nielsen and pinch-runner Mikayla Paulson. After a foul out, Sam Alm walked on four pitches to reload the bases. Pinch-hitter Ryann Glenn produced a single through the center of the diamond to drive in a pair of runs and push Creighton's lead to 5-0. Cantu tallied an RBI single during her second at-bat of the inning and McKelvy recorded a two-RBI single up the middle to drive in two more runs. Wilson drove in the final two runs of the inning. The sophomore hit a single through the right side to drive in one and the 10th run scored as the right fielder misplayed the ball.
Creighton scored its final four runs of the game during the top of the third. Nielsen led off the inning with a single to center before McKelvy doubled to the left-field wall to drive in the 11th Bluejay run. Pechar singled home pinch-runner Sydney Jenkins and Wilson crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Alm produced the final run by reaching on an error. The Omaha native sent the ball towards third-base line before the Mastodon third baseman threw the ball up the right-field line as Alm reached safely and Pechar scored.
Purdue Fort Wayne recorded its lone run with an RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth. The Mastodons nearly scored a second run on a sacrifice fly, but the Bluejays appealed the tag up at third base and the umpire ruled that the runner left early for the third out.
In addition to scoring 14 runs, Creighton left 10 runners on bases with two in the second, fourth and fifth innings and left the bases loaded in the third. The Bluejays ended with 13 hits and walked a season-high eight times on Friday afternoon.
McKelvy recorded her fifth game of the season with three or more RBIs. The senior leads the Bluejays with 17 RBIs this season. Nielsen moved into the team-lead for runs scored with 11, as the Bluejays recorded more than 10 runs for the second time this season and improved to 7-0 when scoring six or more runs. Creighton had more than 10 hits or more for the seventh time this season and moved its team average to a BIG EAST-best .319.
Creighton returns to Charlotte West Field in Carbondale on Saturday for a pair of game. The Bluejays will face Southern Illinois at 2:30 p.m. before playing Murray State at 4:45 p.m.
The Bluejays improved to 8-5 overall and picked up their fifth win in the past six games.
Four different played posted multiple hits for Creighton. Cayla Nielsen finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Mikaela Pechar went 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Ashley Cantu scored twice and went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Mileah McKelvy tallied two hits in three at-bats and had three RBIs.
Mikayla Santa Cruz allowed only one hit during a complete-game effort for her team-leading fourth victory of the season. The sophomore walked two and struck out one during five innings of work.
The Bluejays sent 14 hitters to the plate during their 10-run opening frame. Cantu led off the contest by reaching on an error by the shortstop. Nielsen posted an infield single and Kailey Wilson reached first base after being hit by the pitch to load the bases. Kiara Mills drove in the first run of the game with an infield single. Pechar added to the early edge by lacing a 1-1 delivery off the right-center field wall to drive in Nielsen and pinch-runner Mikayla Paulson. After a foul out, Sam Alm walked on four pitches to reload the bases. Pinch-hitter Ryann Glenn produced a single through the center of the diamond to drive in a pair of runs and push Creighton's lead to 5-0. Cantu tallied an RBI single during her second at-bat of the inning and McKelvy recorded a two-RBI single up the middle to drive in two more runs. Wilson drove in the final two runs of the inning. The sophomore hit a single through the right side to drive in one and the 10th run scored as the right fielder misplayed the ball.
Creighton scored its final four runs of the game during the top of the third. Nielsen led off the inning with a single to center before McKelvy doubled to the left-field wall to drive in the 11th Bluejay run. Pechar singled home pinch-runner Sydney Jenkins and Wilson crossed home plate on a wild pitch. Alm produced the final run by reaching on an error. The Omaha native sent the ball towards third-base line before the Mastodon third baseman threw the ball up the right-field line as Alm reached safely and Pechar scored.
Purdue Fort Wayne recorded its lone run with an RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the fourth. The Mastodons nearly scored a second run on a sacrifice fly, but the Bluejays appealed the tag up at third base and the umpire ruled that the runner left early for the third out.
In addition to scoring 14 runs, Creighton left 10 runners on bases with two in the second, fourth and fifth innings and left the bases loaded in the third. The Bluejays ended with 13 hits and walked a season-high eight times on Friday afternoon.
McKelvy recorded her fifth game of the season with three or more RBIs. The senior leads the Bluejays with 17 RBIs this season. Nielsen moved into the team-lead for runs scored with 11, as the Bluejays recorded more than 10 runs for the second time this season and improved to 7-0 when scoring six or more runs. Creighton had more than 10 hits or more for the seventh time this season and moved its team average to a BIG EAST-best .319.
Creighton returns to Charlotte West Field in Carbondale on Saturday for a pair of game. The Bluejays will face Southern Illinois at 2:30 p.m. before playing Murray State at 4:45 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Santa Cruz, Mikayla (4-2)
L: Megan Segree (0-3)
Batting:
2B: McKelvy, Mileah 1 ; Pechar, Mikaela 1
RBI: Cantu, Ashley 1 ; McKelvy, Mileah 3 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Mills, Kiara 1 ; Pechar, Mikaela 3 ; Glenn, Ryann 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Cantu, Ashley 2 ; Nielsen, Cayla 3 ; McKelvy, Mileah 1 ; Jenkins, Sydney 1 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Paulson, Mikayla 1 ; Mills, Kiara 1 ; Pechar, Mikaela 2 ; Alm, Sam 1 ; Hunt, Kaitlynn 1
HBP: Wilson, Kailey 1
Batting:
2B: Rachel Everson 1
RBI: Rachel Everson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kyndell Ethridge 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
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