Saturday, April 16
Omaha, Neb.
12:00 pm
Creighton University
0, 0
5
vs
10
Villanova
0, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Villanova
1
0
0
0
3
6
0
10
12
0
Creighton
1
3
1
0
0
0
0
5
8
0
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Softball’s Falls During Slugfest, 10-5, To Villanova in Series Finale
4/16/2022 3:30:00 PM | Softball
Bluejays hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for first time since March 23, 2019.
OMAHA, Neb. – Despite hitting four home runs and taking a 5-1 lead the Bluejays dropped the series finale 10-5 to Villanova on Saturday afternoon at the Creighton Sports Complex.
The Bluejays fell to 14-20 on the year and 4-12 in BIG EAST play with the loss, while Villanova improved to 22-19 overall and 10-4 in conference action to hold second place in the BIG EAST standings.
Villanova scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning as Megan Kern drew a four-pitch walk before Ryan Henry lined an RBI single off the centerfield wall push Kern across the plate for the early 1-0 advantage.
Creighton countered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the innings when Junior Kailey Wilson showed the Bluejays muscle by launching her seventh home run of the season over the right centerfield fence to even the score up at 1-1.
After a pair of strikeouts from junior starting pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz in the top half of the second inning, the Bluejays blast three straight home runs to take a 4-1 lead. Junior Sam Alm led off the bottom half of the second with a home run to right field before sophomore Emma Rosonke took the very next pitch deep over the right centerfield wall to give the Bluejays a 3-1 lead. Senior Shayna Dahlen then stepped up to the plate and hit a deep fly ball down the left field line that bounced off the Wildcat's left fielders' glove for the Bluejays third straight home run.
It was the third time since joining the BIG EAST that the Bluejays have hit back-to-back-to-back home runs and is the first time since March 23, 2019, when Jayci Foster, Mileah McKelvy and Kiara Mills hit three straight home runs in the top of the sixth inning against Georgetown.
Creighton tacked on another run in the bottom of the third inning as Wilson drew a four-pitch walk and Mills singled through the right side of the infield. Alm was then hit by a pitch, which sent the BIG EAST RBI leader (Rosonke) up to the plate with bases loaded. Rosonke flew out to right field, but it was deep enough to score pinch runner Brittney Manthie from third for her 40th RBI of the season and the 5-1 lead.
Villanova then scored nine unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to grab a 10-5 lead and the win.
The Wildcats plated three runs in the top of the fifth innings to cut the deficit to 5-4. Pinch hitter's Ava Franz and Amanda DeSantis each singled to lead off the innings while Chloe Smith followed with a single to load the bases. Paige Rauch drew a RBI walk, while Kern and Henry each scored one on a fielder's choice and a ground out to cut the Bluejays lead down to one at 5-4.
Villanova would tie the game at 5-5 with a leadoff home run by Ally Jones in the top half of the seventh inning. Following a walk and a single by Tess Cites and Sydney Hays, sophomore Cayla Nielsen cut off the go-head run at the plate as she threw out Cites from centerfield. Villanova, however, took an 8-5 lead on a three-run home run by Smith. Rauch kept the inning going with a double into the right center field gap before Henry lined a home run just over the centerfield wall to give the Wildcats a 10-5 lead.
The Bluejays starting pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz struck out seven Villanova batter overs five innings of work before giving way to junior Kate Mullally and freshman Alexis Wiggins.
Rosonke drove in a pair of runs, finishing 1-for-2 with a home run and a sacrifice fly from the plate to lead the Bluejays offense. Mills also collected two hits, while Wilson, Manthie Alm and Dahlen each scored a run.
Henry led the charge for the Wildcats, closing the day by going 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, while Smith and Hayes each collected two hits. Sara Kennedy earned her sixth win of the season, firing 5.1 innings and allowing just one run.
The Bluejays will return to action on Tuesday for a midweek non-conference clash with crosstown rival Omaha. First pitch between the Bluejays and Mavericks is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Creighton Sports Complex.
The Bluejays fell to 14-20 on the year and 4-12 in BIG EAST play with the loss, while Villanova improved to 22-19 overall and 10-4 in conference action to hold second place in the BIG EAST standings.
Villanova scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning as Megan Kern drew a four-pitch walk before Ryan Henry lined an RBI single off the centerfield wall push Kern across the plate for the early 1-0 advantage.
Creighton countered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the innings when Junior Kailey Wilson showed the Bluejays muscle by launching her seventh home run of the season over the right centerfield fence to even the score up at 1-1.
After a pair of strikeouts from junior starting pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz in the top half of the second inning, the Bluejays blast three straight home runs to take a 4-1 lead. Junior Sam Alm led off the bottom half of the second with a home run to right field before sophomore Emma Rosonke took the very next pitch deep over the right centerfield wall to give the Bluejays a 3-1 lead. Senior Shayna Dahlen then stepped up to the plate and hit a deep fly ball down the left field line that bounced off the Wildcat's left fielders' glove for the Bluejays third straight home run.
It was the third time since joining the BIG EAST that the Bluejays have hit back-to-back-to-back home runs and is the first time since March 23, 2019, when Jayci Foster, Mileah McKelvy and Kiara Mills hit three straight home runs in the top of the sixth inning against Georgetown.
Creighton tacked on another run in the bottom of the third inning as Wilson drew a four-pitch walk and Mills singled through the right side of the infield. Alm was then hit by a pitch, which sent the BIG EAST RBI leader (Rosonke) up to the plate with bases loaded. Rosonke flew out to right field, but it was deep enough to score pinch runner Brittney Manthie from third for her 40th RBI of the season and the 5-1 lead.
Villanova then scored nine unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to grab a 10-5 lead and the win.
The Wildcats plated three runs in the top of the fifth innings to cut the deficit to 5-4. Pinch hitter's Ava Franz and Amanda DeSantis each singled to lead off the innings while Chloe Smith followed with a single to load the bases. Paige Rauch drew a RBI walk, while Kern and Henry each scored one on a fielder's choice and a ground out to cut the Bluejays lead down to one at 5-4.
Villanova would tie the game at 5-5 with a leadoff home run by Ally Jones in the top half of the seventh inning. Following a walk and a single by Tess Cites and Sydney Hays, sophomore Cayla Nielsen cut off the go-head run at the plate as she threw out Cites from centerfield. Villanova, however, took an 8-5 lead on a three-run home run by Smith. Rauch kept the inning going with a double into the right center field gap before Henry lined a home run just over the centerfield wall to give the Wildcats a 10-5 lead.
The Bluejays starting pitcher Mikayla Santa Cruz struck out seven Villanova batter overs five innings of work before giving way to junior Kate Mullally and freshman Alexis Wiggins.
Rosonke drove in a pair of runs, finishing 1-for-2 with a home run and a sacrifice fly from the plate to lead the Bluejays offense. Mills also collected two hits, while Wilson, Manthie Alm and Dahlen each scored a run.
Henry led the charge for the Wildcats, closing the day by going 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, while Smith and Hayes each collected two hits. Sara Kennedy earned her sixth win of the season, firing 5.1 innings and allowing just one run.
The Bluejays will return to action on Tuesday for a midweek non-conference clash with crosstown rival Omaha. First pitch between the Bluejays and Mavericks is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Creighton Sports Complex.
Team Stats
Batting:
2B: Paige Rauch 1
HR: Chloe Smith 1 ; Ryan Henry 1 ; Ally Jones 1
RBI: Chloe Smith 3 ; Paige Rauch 1 ; Megan Kern 1 ; Ryan Henry 4 ; Ally Jones 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chloe Smith 2 ; Paige Rauch 1 ; Megan Kern 1 ; Ryan Henry 1 ; Ally Jones 1 ; Sydney Hayes 2 ; Dani Dabroski 2
SB: Tess Cites 2 ; Sydney Hayes 1
Batting:
2B: Nielsen, Cayla 1
HR: Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Alm, Sam 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 1 ; Dahlen, Shayna 1
RBI: Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Alm, Sam 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 2 ; Dahlen, Shayna 1
SF: Rosonke, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Manthie, Brittney 1 ; Alm, Sam 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 1 ; Dahlen, Shayna 1
HBP: Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Alm, Sam 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballCreighton Softball Hit-A-Thon 2025
Thursday, August 21
Creighton Baseball & Softball Fields Groundbreaking - 6/11/25
Wednesday, June 11
Creighton BET Postgame vs. St John's, 5/8/25
Thursday, May 08
Creighton Softball Highlights vs. Seton Hall, 5/4/25
Sunday, May 04
