Sunday, May 7
Omaha, Neb.
11:00 A.M.
Creighton University
22-31, 6-18
7
vs
12
St. John's
22-27, 8-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
St. John's
0
4
0
1
0
4
3
12
11
0
Creighton
1
0
1
0
3
0
2
7
10
0
Photo by: Catherine Grosdidier
Softball Falls In Season Finale To St. John’s, 12-7
5/7/2023 3:39:00 PM | Softball
Cayla Nielsen goes 3-for-4, falling a double shy of the cycle.
OMAHA, Neb. -- Junior Cayla Nielsen finished the game 3-for-4 with a triple and a home run as the Creighton softball team closed out the 2023 season with a 12-7 marathon loss to St. John's on Sunday at the Creighton Sports Complex.
Junior Jess Bianco went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while a three-run home run by London Jarrard lead St. John's (22-27, 8-13 BIG EAST) to the victory. With the win, St. John's secured a spot in next week's BIG EAST Tournament in Storrs, Conn.
Following a scoreless top of the first, Creighton jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first as Nielsen led off the game with a standup triple down the right field line. Nielsen would come in to score the first run of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly by freshman Lily West, making the score 1-0.
St. John's answered with four runs of their own in the top of the second inning to take their first lead of the game. Following a three-pitch strikeout to open the frame, the Red Storm used a pair of walks and a single by Totarsky to load the bases. St. John's would then plate their first three runs of the game on three-straight hit-by-pitches and a wild pitch to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bluejays would cut into the early deficit in the bottom of the third when Nielsen blasted a solo home run, her ninth of the season, over the left center field wall to make the score 4-2.
The Red Storm, however, would get the run back with in the top half of the fourth on an RBI single by Whittaker.
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Creighton plated three runs on six hits to even the game at 5-5. Freshman Ella Dalton lined a leadoff double into the left center field gap and advanced to third on a wild pitch. The Bluejays would then use five straight singles by Nielsen (RBI), West, Kailey Wilson (RBI), Emma Rosonke (RBI) and Madeline Vejvoda to level the score at 5-5.
The score would not stay tied for very long as Jarrard blasted a three-run home run to straight center to regain the lead for the Red Storm. A solo home run to right a few pitches later by Whittaker gave St. John's as 9-5 advantage.
The Red Storm would tack on three additional runs in the top half of the seventh inning to soar out to a 12-5 lead, before Creighton plated two runs on an RBI single by senior Saren Croker and an RBI fielder's choice by junior Alyssa Gappa.
Nielsen led Creighton 10-hit offense with three hits, falling a double shy of becoming the first Bluejay in program history to hit for the cycle. Croker added a pair of hits, while Wilson drove in a run and walked once in her final game as a Bluejay.
Creighton finishes its season with a 22-31 overall record, including a 6-18 mark in BIG EAST play.
Wilson wrapped up her career with the Bluejays ranked fifth in school history with a .353 career batting average. She also ranks fourth with 125 career RBI, fourth in career walks with 94, tied for fourth with 37 career home runs, tied for seventh with 35 career doubles and seventh with 316 career total bases. This season, Wilson recorded a .315 batting average with 47 hits, including 12 doubles, 11 home runs, 39 RBI and 32 walks. Her 32 walks this season are tied for sixth most in a single season in program history.
Croker closed out her career as a Bluejay with arguably the best season of her career. Croker ranked third on the team with a .319 batting average this season with 38 hits, including the first three home runs of her career.
Junior Jess Bianco went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while a three-run home run by London Jarrard lead St. John's (22-27, 8-13 BIG EAST) to the victory. With the win, St. John's secured a spot in next week's BIG EAST Tournament in Storrs, Conn.
Following a scoreless top of the first, Creighton jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first as Nielsen led off the game with a standup triple down the right field line. Nielsen would come in to score the first run of the game moments later on a sacrifice fly by freshman Lily West, making the score 1-0.
St. John's answered with four runs of their own in the top of the second inning to take their first lead of the game. Following a three-pitch strikeout to open the frame, the Red Storm used a pair of walks and a single by Totarsky to load the bases. St. John's would then plate their first three runs of the game on three-straight hit-by-pitches and a wild pitch to take a 4-1 lead.
The Bluejays would cut into the early deficit in the bottom of the third when Nielsen blasted a solo home run, her ninth of the season, over the left center field wall to make the score 4-2.
The Red Storm, however, would get the run back with in the top half of the fourth on an RBI single by Whittaker.
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Creighton plated three runs on six hits to even the game at 5-5. Freshman Ella Dalton lined a leadoff double into the left center field gap and advanced to third on a wild pitch. The Bluejays would then use five straight singles by Nielsen (RBI), West, Kailey Wilson (RBI), Emma Rosonke (RBI) and Madeline Vejvoda to level the score at 5-5.
The score would not stay tied for very long as Jarrard blasted a three-run home run to straight center to regain the lead for the Red Storm. A solo home run to right a few pitches later by Whittaker gave St. John's as 9-5 advantage.
The Red Storm would tack on three additional runs in the top half of the seventh inning to soar out to a 12-5 lead, before Creighton plated two runs on an RBI single by senior Saren Croker and an RBI fielder's choice by junior Alyssa Gappa.
Nielsen led Creighton 10-hit offense with three hits, falling a double shy of becoming the first Bluejay in program history to hit for the cycle. Croker added a pair of hits, while Wilson drove in a run and walked once in her final game as a Bluejay.
Creighton finishes its season with a 22-31 overall record, including a 6-18 mark in BIG EAST play.
Wilson wrapped up her career with the Bluejays ranked fifth in school history with a .353 career batting average. She also ranks fourth with 125 career RBI, fourth in career walks with 94, tied for fourth with 37 career home runs, tied for seventh with 35 career doubles and seventh with 316 career total bases. This season, Wilson recorded a .315 batting average with 47 hits, including 12 doubles, 11 home runs, 39 RBI and 32 walks. Her 32 walks this season are tied for sixth most in a single season in program history.
Croker closed out her career as a Bluejay with arguably the best season of her career. Croker ranked third on the team with a .319 batting average this season with 38 hits, including the first three home runs of her career.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Zamudio, Carolina (9-5)
L: Lawrence, Jena (2-3)
Batting:
HR: Jarrard, London 1 ; Whittaker, Katie 1
RBI: Bianco, Jess 1 ; Jarrard, London 4 ; Whittaker, Katie 2 ; Thompson, Anese 2 ; Totarsky, Sydney 1 ; Seaton, Sabrina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bianco, Jess 2 ; Jarrard, London 2 ; Whittaker, Katie 1 ; Casto, Natalie 1 ; Cody, Peyton 1 ; Stouffer, Cassidy 1 ; Totarsky, Sydney 1 ; Mallah, Amy 1 ; Seaton, Sabrina 1 ; Marra, Maeve 1
SB: Bianco, Jess 2
HBP: Bianco, Jess 1 ; Jarrard, London 1 ; Stouffer, Cassidy 1 ; Totarsky, Sydney 1 ; Seaton, Sabrina 1
Batting:
2B: Dalton, Ella 1
3B: Nielsen, Cayla 1
HR: Nielsen, Cayla 1
RBI: Nielsen, Cayla 2 ; West, Lily 1 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Rosonke, Emma 1 ; Croker, Saren 1 ; Gappa, Alyssa 1
SF: West, Lily 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nielsen, Cayla 3 ; West, Lily 1 ; Beeson, Elly 1 ; Wilson, Kailey 1 ; Dalton, Ella 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
2
dp/c
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballCreighton Softball Hit-A-Thon 2025
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Creighton BET Postgame vs. St John's, 5/8/25
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Creighton Softball Highlights vs. Seton Hall, 5/4/25
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