Saturday, February 25
El Paso, Texas
2:00 P.M.
Creighton University
4-8
7
vs
0
Kansas City
3-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
UMKC
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
CREIGHTON
3
0
1
2
0
1
X
7
9
0
Photo by: Brenden Willsch
Softball Offense Explodes in Pair of Win on Second Day of UTEP Invitational
2/25/2023 11:38:00 PM | Softball
Junior Alyssa Gappa sets school record with three doubles in win over Kansas City
EL PASO, Texas. – Junior Alyssa Gappa became the first Bluejay to hit three doubles in a game as the Creighton softball team manufactured 17 runs on 24 hits in a pair of victories during day two of the UTEP Invitational. The Bluejays opened the day with a 7-0 win over Kansas City before run-ruling UTEP 10-2 in six innings on Saturday, February 25.
The Bluejays improved to 5-8 on the year with the pair of victories.
In game one, Gappa led the Bluejays offense with a career-high four hits, including a school-record three doubles and three RBI as Creighton cruised to a 7-0 win over Kansas City.
The Bluejays scored three in the first inning as junior's Cayla Nielsen and Madeline Vejvoda drew a pair of walks to open the inning. Senior Kailey Wilson then launched her team-leading fourth home run over the center field wall to give Creighton an early 3-0 lead.
Creighton tacked on an additional run in the third as Gappa lined her first double of the game into the left center field gap. Sophomore Sydra Seville followed suit with an RBI double of her own down the left field line to make the score 4-0.
The Bluejays added two more runs in the fourth on a pair of singles from Nielsen and Vejvoda before the second double of the game from Gappa gave Creighton a 6-0 advantage.
Creighton would close the game with a run in the sixth as Gappa lined her third double of the game off the right field wall, allowing Elliot Smith to score from first and give seal thee 7-0 win for the Bluejays.
Freshman Natalia Puchino earned her second win of the season after allowing no runs on just five hits in 5.0 innings of work.
In game two, the Bluejays picked up right where they left off scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Nielsen led off the game with a double to left center before scoring on a double to right center by freshman Lily West. Vejvoda then singled to right to place runners at the corners. Following a groundout that moved Vejvoda to second, Seville reached on an error that allowed both West and Vejvoda to score. Senior Saren Croker then blasted the first home run of her career on the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to extend Creighton's lead out to 5-0.
Creighton would add three more runs in the second inning as Nielsen and West opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Vejvoda then delivered an RBI single of her own down the left field line, making the score 6-0. A hit-by-pitch from Gappa loaded the bases before Seville drew an RBI walk to push the advantage out to 7-0. Croker would then reach on a fielder's choice that allowed Vejvoda to score from third and extend the lead out to 8-0.
UTEP cut the deficit out to six in the bottom of the fourth innings as Peyton Angulo hit a double into the left center field gap to open the inning. A single by Idalis Mendez places runners on the corners before Ashlynn Allen lined an RBI double to right scoring Angulo for the Miners first run of the game. Following a pitching change, Rylan Dooner would deliver a sacrifice fly to right, cutting the deficit to 8-2.
The Bluejays would seal the run-rule win in the top of the sixth as freshman Ensley Frame singled to left, followed by a double to left by Nielsen. Both would come around to score on a single to right by West.
Nielsen, West, and Vejvoda each finished the game with three hits, while West drove in a season-high three runs. Junior Payton Akers earned her second win of the season after striking out four in 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. Sophomore Alexis Wiggins allowed just two runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Creighton closes out its stay at the UTEP Invitational on Sunday, February 26 at 10 a.m. when they take on Tarleton State.
The Bluejays improved to 5-8 on the year with the pair of victories.
In game one, Gappa led the Bluejays offense with a career-high four hits, including a school-record three doubles and three RBI as Creighton cruised to a 7-0 win over Kansas City.
The Bluejays scored three in the first inning as junior's Cayla Nielsen and Madeline Vejvoda drew a pair of walks to open the inning. Senior Kailey Wilson then launched her team-leading fourth home run over the center field wall to give Creighton an early 3-0 lead.
Creighton tacked on an additional run in the third as Gappa lined her first double of the game into the left center field gap. Sophomore Sydra Seville followed suit with an RBI double of her own down the left field line to make the score 4-0.
The Bluejays added two more runs in the fourth on a pair of singles from Nielsen and Vejvoda before the second double of the game from Gappa gave Creighton a 6-0 advantage.
Creighton would close the game with a run in the sixth as Gappa lined her third double of the game off the right field wall, allowing Elliot Smith to score from first and give seal thee 7-0 win for the Bluejays.
Freshman Natalia Puchino earned her second win of the season after allowing no runs on just five hits in 5.0 innings of work.
In game two, the Bluejays picked up right where they left off scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Nielsen led off the game with a double to left center before scoring on a double to right center by freshman Lily West. Vejvoda then singled to right to place runners at the corners. Following a groundout that moved Vejvoda to second, Seville reached on an error that allowed both West and Vejvoda to score. Senior Saren Croker then blasted the first home run of her career on the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to extend Creighton's lead out to 5-0.
Creighton would add three more runs in the second inning as Nielsen and West opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Vejvoda then delivered an RBI single of her own down the left field line, making the score 6-0. A hit-by-pitch from Gappa loaded the bases before Seville drew an RBI walk to push the advantage out to 7-0. Croker would then reach on a fielder's choice that allowed Vejvoda to score from third and extend the lead out to 8-0.
UTEP cut the deficit out to six in the bottom of the fourth innings as Peyton Angulo hit a double into the left center field gap to open the inning. A single by Idalis Mendez places runners on the corners before Ashlynn Allen lined an RBI double to right scoring Angulo for the Miners first run of the game. Following a pitching change, Rylan Dooner would deliver a sacrifice fly to right, cutting the deficit to 8-2.
The Bluejays would seal the run-rule win in the top of the sixth as freshman Ensley Frame singled to left, followed by a double to left by Nielsen. Both would come around to score on a single to right by West.
Nielsen, West, and Vejvoda each finished the game with three hits, while West drove in a season-high three runs. Junior Payton Akers earned her second win of the season after striking out four in 2.2 scoreless innings of relief. Sophomore Alexis Wiggins allowed just two runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Creighton closes out its stay at the UTEP Invitational on Sunday, February 26 at 10 a.m. when they take on Tarleton State.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Puchino, Natalia (2-3)
L: Danielson (1-2)
Batting:
2B: L. Smith 1
Batting:
2B: Gappa, Alyssa 3 ; Seville, Sydra 1
HR: Wilson, Kailey 1
RBI: Wilson, Kailey 3 ; Gappa, Alyssa 3 ; Seville, Sydra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nielsen, Cayla 2 ; Vejvoda, Madeline 2 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Smith, Elliot 1 ; Gappa, Alyssa 1
SB: Chairez, Mikayla 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
4
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ 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
