Friday, February 24
Las Cruces, N.M.
3:00 P.M.
Creighton University
3-7
0
vs
4
New Mexico
6-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Creighton
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
New Mexico
2
0
2
0
0
0
X
4
5
1
Softball Opens UTEP Invitational With Pair of Losses to New Mexico and New Mexico State
2/24/2023 10:27:00 PM | Softball
Las Cruces, N.M. – The Creighton softball team opened the UTEP Invitational, co-hosted by New Mexico State, with a pair of losses at NM State Softball Complex in Las Cruces, N.M. on Friday.
The Bluejays fell 4-0 to New Mexico before dropping an 8-7 decision to New Mexico State.
The pair of losses dropped the Bluejays to 3-8 on the young season.
In the opening game of the day, New Mexico jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-run single from Chloe Yeatts, the third straight single of the opening frame by the Lobos.
New Mexico would extend its lead out to 4-0 in the bottom half of the third inning as Rachael Hathoot drew a walk and Lauren Garcia blasted a two-run home run over the left field wall.
The Bluejay missed out on key scoring opportunities that would have cut into the deficit in both the fifth and seventh innings as the Bluejays placing runners on second with only one-out in both innings. Junior Alyssa Gappa led off the fifth with a double to left but was left stranded, while junior Emma Rosonke singled and Gappa drew a walk in the seventh but were unable to come around to score.
Bluejays starter Natalia Puchino took the loss (1-3), allowing two runs on four hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of work. Junior Payton Akers also allowed two runs on just one hit and two walks in 4.2 innings of relief. New Mexico starter Amber Linton earned the (4-2), limiting Creighton to just four hits and one walk while striking out nine in the complete game shutout.
After suffering the 4-0 loss to New Mexico in the afternoon, Creighton built an 6-0 lead before New Mexico State rallied to claim an 8-7 victory in the night cap.
Kailey Wilson opened the scoring for the Bluejays with a two-run home run in the opening frame. The senior lined her third home run of the season over the left center field wall to give Creighton a 2-0 edge.
The Bluejays continued to pile on the runs with four more in the top half of the second inning. Gappa opened the frame with a solo home run to right center. Senior Saren Croker and freshman Ensley Frame then hit back-to-back singles and junior Cayla Nielsen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Croker would score on an RBI groundout by Lily West before an RBI single from junior Madeline Vejvoda made the score 5-0. The Bluejays would tack on an addition run as Nielsen came home to score on a New Mexico State wild pitch as Creighton built a 6-0 lead in the game.
New Mexico State cut the deficit in half with three runs of their own as Hannah Lindsay led off the inning with a solo home run. After a single from Riley Carley, Kristen Boyd launched a two-run home run to make the score 6-3.
The Aggies would tack on an addition run in the third, cutting the Bluejays lead down to 6-4. Kayla Bowen hit a triple down the right field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaylin Jackson.
Creighton answered with a single run in the top half of the fifth, behind the second home run of the game by Gappa to push the Bluejays advantage out to 7-4. It was Gappa's first multi home run game of her career.
New Mexico State responded in a big way, taking the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. A pair of walks followed by an RBI single from Jackson made the score 7-5, before the Aggies loaded the bases with a single from Carley. Boyd then cleared the bases with a three-run double to right, giving New Mexico State its first lead of the game at 8-7.
The Aggies would retire the Bluejays in order over the final two innings to secure the win.
Junior Jena Lawrence suffered her first loss of the season, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks. New Mexico State's Aydenne Brown earned the win after allowing just one run on a pair of hits in 5.1 innings of work.
The Bluejays recorded seven hits in the contest, led by a pair of solo home runs from Gappa. The Aggies collected nine hits in the game, including a double, home run and five RBI from Boyd.
Creighton returns to the diamond on Saturday, February 25 when they take on Kansas City at 2 p.m., followed by a matchup against UTEP at 8 p.m. in El Paso, Texas.
The Bluejays fell 4-0 to New Mexico before dropping an 8-7 decision to New Mexico State.
The pair of losses dropped the Bluejays to 3-8 on the young season.
In the opening game of the day, New Mexico jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-run single from Chloe Yeatts, the third straight single of the opening frame by the Lobos.
New Mexico would extend its lead out to 4-0 in the bottom half of the third inning as Rachael Hathoot drew a walk and Lauren Garcia blasted a two-run home run over the left field wall.
The Bluejay missed out on key scoring opportunities that would have cut into the deficit in both the fifth and seventh innings as the Bluejays placing runners on second with only one-out in both innings. Junior Alyssa Gappa led off the fifth with a double to left but was left stranded, while junior Emma Rosonke singled and Gappa drew a walk in the seventh but were unable to come around to score.
Bluejays starter Natalia Puchino took the loss (1-3), allowing two runs on four hits and a walk in 1.1 innings of work. Junior Payton Akers also allowed two runs on just one hit and two walks in 4.2 innings of relief. New Mexico starter Amber Linton earned the (4-2), limiting Creighton to just four hits and one walk while striking out nine in the complete game shutout.
After suffering the 4-0 loss to New Mexico in the afternoon, Creighton built an 6-0 lead before New Mexico State rallied to claim an 8-7 victory in the night cap.
Kailey Wilson opened the scoring for the Bluejays with a two-run home run in the opening frame. The senior lined her third home run of the season over the left center field wall to give Creighton a 2-0 edge.
The Bluejays continued to pile on the runs with four more in the top half of the second inning. Gappa opened the frame with a solo home run to right center. Senior Saren Croker and freshman Ensley Frame then hit back-to-back singles and junior Cayla Nielsen was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Croker would score on an RBI groundout by Lily West before an RBI single from junior Madeline Vejvoda made the score 5-0. The Bluejays would tack on an addition run as Nielsen came home to score on a New Mexico State wild pitch as Creighton built a 6-0 lead in the game.
New Mexico State cut the deficit in half with three runs of their own as Hannah Lindsay led off the inning with a solo home run. After a single from Riley Carley, Kristen Boyd launched a two-run home run to make the score 6-3.
The Aggies would tack on an addition run in the third, cutting the Bluejays lead down to 6-4. Kayla Bowen hit a triple down the right field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaylin Jackson.
Creighton answered with a single run in the top half of the fifth, behind the second home run of the game by Gappa to push the Bluejays advantage out to 7-4. It was Gappa's first multi home run game of her career.
New Mexico State responded in a big way, taking the lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. A pair of walks followed by an RBI single from Jackson made the score 7-5, before the Aggies loaded the bases with a single from Carley. Boyd then cleared the bases with a three-run double to right, giving New Mexico State its first lead of the game at 8-7.
The Aggies would retire the Bluejays in order over the final two innings to secure the win.
Junior Jena Lawrence suffered her first loss of the season, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks. New Mexico State's Aydenne Brown earned the win after allowing just one run on a pair of hits in 5.1 innings of work.
The Bluejays recorded seven hits in the contest, led by a pair of solo home runs from Gappa. The Aggies collected nine hits in the game, including a double, home run and five RBI from Boyd.
Creighton returns to the diamond on Saturday, February 25 when they take on Kansas City at 2 p.m., followed by a matchup against UTEP at 8 p.m. in El Paso, Texas.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LINTON (4-2)
L: Puchino, Natalia (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Gappa, Alyssa 1
Batting:
HR: GARCIA, L. 1
RBI: GARCIA, L. 2 ; YEATTS 2
Base Running:
RUNS: CHAVEZ 1 ; HATHOOT 1 ; WALKER 1 ; GARCIA, L. 1
SB: ARCHULETA 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
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