Saturday, March 4
Madeira Beach, Fla.
2:00 P.M.
Creighton University
7-8
11
vs
2
Bethune-Cookman
1-17
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Creighton
6
3
0
0
0
0
2
11
10
1
Bethune-Cookman
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
6
3
Photo by: Gabriella Cortez
Softball Opens THE Spring Games With Sweep
3/4/2023 8:29:00 PM | Softball
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Creighton softball team opened play at THE Spring Games with a 11-2 win over Bethune-Cookman and a 3-2 victory over Albany on Saturday, March 4 from the Madeira Beach R.O.C. Complex.
Creighton has now won five consecutive games, improving their overall record to 8-8.
The first game of the day saw the Bluejays erupt for six runs in the first, three in the second and two in the seventh on the way to a 11-2 win over Bethune-Cookman.
Creighton soared out to and early 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning as senior Saren Croker delivered a two-run single and junior Emma Rosonke hit the second grand slam of her career. Freshman Lily West got Creighton started with a double off the left field wall before the Bluejays loaded the bases with a walk and a Bethune-Cookman error. Croker then drove in two runs with a blooper to center to give Creighton a 2-0 lead. Following a walk, Rosonke hit a grand slam over the center field wall to push the Bluejays advantage out to 6-0.
In the top of the second, Creighton tacked on three addition runs to surge out to a 9-0 lead. Senior Kailey Wilson delivered a two-run single down the right field line to make it 8-0 before Vejvoda scored on a hard-hit ball by Seville to extend the lead out to 9-0.
Bethune-Cookman, however, answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second to cut the deficit to 9-2. A leadoff walk by Maria Galvan and a single from Shania Owens got the Wildcats started. Katelynn Perez then beat out an infield single, while a throwing error on the play allowed two runs to come around to score.
The two teams would settle in defensively over the next four innings as neither team was able score until Creighton plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning. West and Vejvoda got the Bluejays rolling with back-to-back singles before scoring on a deep fly ball by Wilson and an RBI single by freshman Ella Dalton to secure an 11-2 win for the Bluejays.
Freshman Natalia Puchino (4-3) struck out five while allowing four hits and just one earned run in the win. West led the offense with a season-high tying three hits, while Croker added two of her own. As a team, the Bluejays recorded 10 hits and walked eight times, the most walks in a game since the Bluejays also had eight against Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 28, 2020.
In game two, the Bluejays used a pair of runs in the fifth inning and a run in the sixth to rally for a 3-2 win over Albany.
Bluejay starter Alexis Wiggins was fabulous early as the Adams, Nebraska native kept Albany at bay through the first three innings.
Albany, however, would place the first dent on the scoreboard with a solo home run from Maddi Petrella in the top of the fourth inning.
The Great Danes lead didn't last long as Creighton scored two runs in the bottom half of the fifth to grab a 2-1 advantage. Seville led off the inning with a single down the left field line before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rosonke. Nielsen would draw a walk, placing runners on first and second with two down, before West reached on an error which allowed Seville to come around to score. Vejvoda followed with an RBI single to left center to give Creighton a 2-1 lead.
Albany would answer with a run of their own in the top half of the sixth as Morgan Petty blasted a solo shot to left field to level the contest at 2-2.
With the game tied, the Bluejays used a leadoff triple down the left field line by Dalton to get Creighton back in business. Following a groundout by Seville, Rosonke hit a towering fly ball to center. Dalton tagged on the catch and looked to be thrown out at home, but the Great Danes were called for obstruction as Dalton slid into home.
Creighton would then retire the side in order in the top of the seventh to secure the 3-2 win.
Junior Payton Akers (2-2) earned the win for the Bluejays, allowing one run in 2.0 innings of work, while Wiggins tossed 5.0 innings of one run ball with five strikeouts. Vejvoda collected a pair of hits, while Nielsen extended her career-long on-base streak to 13-games with three walks and a run to lead the Creighton offense.
Creighton returns to action on Sunday with a pair of games against Coastal Carolina (10:30 a.m.) and Holy Cross (1 p.m.) at the Madeira Beach R.O.C. Complex.
Creighton has now won five consecutive games, improving their overall record to 8-8.
The first game of the day saw the Bluejays erupt for six runs in the first, three in the second and two in the seventh on the way to a 11-2 win over Bethune-Cookman.
Creighton soared out to and early 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning as senior Saren Croker delivered a two-run single and junior Emma Rosonke hit the second grand slam of her career. Freshman Lily West got Creighton started with a double off the left field wall before the Bluejays loaded the bases with a walk and a Bethune-Cookman error. Croker then drove in two runs with a blooper to center to give Creighton a 2-0 lead. Following a walk, Rosonke hit a grand slam over the center field wall to push the Bluejays advantage out to 6-0.
In the top of the second, Creighton tacked on three addition runs to surge out to a 9-0 lead. Senior Kailey Wilson delivered a two-run single down the right field line to make it 8-0 before Vejvoda scored on a hard-hit ball by Seville to extend the lead out to 9-0.
Bethune-Cookman, however, answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the second to cut the deficit to 9-2. A leadoff walk by Maria Galvan and a single from Shania Owens got the Wildcats started. Katelynn Perez then beat out an infield single, while a throwing error on the play allowed two runs to come around to score.
The two teams would settle in defensively over the next four innings as neither team was able score until Creighton plated two runs in the top of the seventh inning. West and Vejvoda got the Bluejays rolling with back-to-back singles before scoring on a deep fly ball by Wilson and an RBI single by freshman Ella Dalton to secure an 11-2 win for the Bluejays.
Freshman Natalia Puchino (4-3) struck out five while allowing four hits and just one earned run in the win. West led the offense with a season-high tying three hits, while Croker added two of her own. As a team, the Bluejays recorded 10 hits and walked eight times, the most walks in a game since the Bluejays also had eight against Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 28, 2020.
In game two, the Bluejays used a pair of runs in the fifth inning and a run in the sixth to rally for a 3-2 win over Albany.
Bluejay starter Alexis Wiggins was fabulous early as the Adams, Nebraska native kept Albany at bay through the first three innings.
Albany, however, would place the first dent on the scoreboard with a solo home run from Maddi Petrella in the top of the fourth inning.
The Great Danes lead didn't last long as Creighton scored two runs in the bottom half of the fifth to grab a 2-1 advantage. Seville led off the inning with a single down the left field line before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rosonke. Nielsen would draw a walk, placing runners on first and second with two down, before West reached on an error which allowed Seville to come around to score. Vejvoda followed with an RBI single to left center to give Creighton a 2-1 lead.
Albany would answer with a run of their own in the top half of the sixth as Morgan Petty blasted a solo shot to left field to level the contest at 2-2.
With the game tied, the Bluejays used a leadoff triple down the left field line by Dalton to get Creighton back in business. Following a groundout by Seville, Rosonke hit a towering fly ball to center. Dalton tagged on the catch and looked to be thrown out at home, but the Great Danes were called for obstruction as Dalton slid into home.
Creighton would then retire the side in order in the top of the seventh to secure the 3-2 win.
Junior Payton Akers (2-2) earned the win for the Bluejays, allowing one run in 2.0 innings of work, while Wiggins tossed 5.0 innings of one run ball with five strikeouts. Vejvoda collected a pair of hits, while Nielsen extended her career-long on-base streak to 13-games with three walks and a run to lead the Creighton offense.
Creighton returns to action on Sunday with a pair of games against Coastal Carolina (10:30 a.m.) and Holy Cross (1 p.m.) at the Madeira Beach R.O.C. Complex.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Puchino, Natalia (4-3)
L: Mallary, A. (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Nielsen, Cayla 1 ; West, Lily 1
HR: Rosonke, Emma 1
RBI: Wilson, Kailey 2 ; Croker, Saren 2 ; Dalton, Ella 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 4
SH: Seville, Sydra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nielsen, Cayla 1 ; West, Lily 2 ; Vejvoda, Madeline 3 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Gappa, Alyssa 1 ; Croker, Saren 1 ; Seville, Sydra 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 1
HBP: Rosonke, Emma 1
Batting:
RBI: Perez, K. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gibbs, Es. 1 ; Owens, S. 1
SB: Robinson, C. 1 ; Gibbs, Es. 1 ; Owens, S. 1
CS: Robinson, C. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
3
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
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