Friday, February 7
Conway, S.C.
11:00 A.M.
Creighton University
1-0
8
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Purdue Fort Wayne
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Purdue Ft. Wayne
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Creighton
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14
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Photo by: Lara Zuk
Bluejay Softball Splits Pair of Contests on opening Day of Kickin’ Chicken Classic
2/7/2025 4:05:00 PM | Softball
CONWAY, S.C. - The Creighton softball team earned a split on the opening day of the 2025 season at the Kickin' Chicken Classic in Conway, S.C. The Bluejays began the day with an 8-4 win over Purdue Fort Wayne before suffering a 6-1 setback to Coastal Carolina on Friday afternoon.
Creighton 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
Creighton posted 14 hits in the season-opener, including five doubles, as the Bluejays opened the 2025 season with an 8-4 win over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Bluejays 14 hits were its most in a season-opener since CU recorded 17 base knocks against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the 2012 season-opener.
The Bluejays opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, exploding for four runs on three doubles and a pair of singles against PFW starter Alanah Jones. Junior Erika Perez got things started with a leadoff double to center, followed by the first career hit and double by sophomore Lynn Davis.
Senior Sydra Seville then lined a double of her own down the left field line to give the Bluejays a 2-0 lead. Junior Ashley Smetter replaced Seville at second with an RBI single and advancement of her own, before junior Lily West beat out an RBI single to push Creighton's lead out to 4-0.
After a scoreless third frame, Purdue Fort Wayne leveled the contest with four runs on three hits in the top half of the fourth inning. A two-run double from Grace Hollopeter put the Mastadon's on the scoreboard, before an RBI double from Bailey Manos and an RBI single from Aglaia Rudd tied the game at 4-4.
Creighton, however, answered with four runs with two-outs in the bottom half of the fourth to regain its four-run advantage. West opened with a single up the middle and came around to score on a double off the center field wall by sophomore Sydney Potter. Ella Dalton then reaching on a throwing error, putting runners on first and third before Perez blasted her first career home run to give Creighton an 8-4 lead.
Sophomore Brooke Shifflett would then close the game with three straight scoreless innings in the circle to earn her first career win as a Bluejay. Shifflett tossed a career-high 3.1 innings of hitless ball, striking out a career-high tying three batters along the way. Bluejay starter Kenzie Schopfer earned the season opening start for the second straight season, allowing four runs in 3.2 innings of work.
Seville led the way offensively with three hits, including a career-high two doubles, while extending her hit streak out to 16 straight games. Smetter, West, Perez and Davis each recorded a pair of hits, while Perez recorded a career-high three RBI on a double and the first home run of her career.
Coastal Carolina 6, Creighton 1
After opening the day with an 8-4 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne, Creighton suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a 6-1 decision to Coastal Carolina.
The Bluejays threatened to jump out to an early lead in the top of the first inning, as a leadoff walk by Seville and back-to-back hit-by-pitches loaded the bases for CU. Coastal Carolina's Nicolette Picone, however, got back-to-back groundballs to keep the Bluejays off the scoreboard.
Sophomore starter Brooklyn Patchen worked out of a jam of her own in the first and second inning but was unable to do the same in the third as the Chanticleer's got on the board with a three-run home run from Georgia Hood. Coastal Carolina then added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single to center from Clara Hudgens to open up a 4-0 lead.
Creighton answered with a run of their own in the top half of the fifth, as Seville recorded an infield single to push her hit streak to 17 consecutive games. Seville then came around to score on a single by West and a Chanticleer throwing error, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
Coastal Carolina, however, tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the 6-1 victory.
Seville and West each collected a pair of hits for the Bluejays, while Patchen suffered her first loss of the season, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of work. Freshman Abby Rusher provided 3.2 innings of relief in the circle, striking out four batters in her Bluejay debut.
The Bluejays continue action at the Kickin' Chicken Classic on Saturday with a pair of games beginning at 10 a.m. against Purdue Fort Wayne, followed by a matchup against Coastal Carolina at 3 p.m. CT.
NOTES: Sydra Seville recorded a hit both games today, pushing her hit streak to 17 straight games, tying Renae Sinkler and Jamie Reiss for the longest hit streak in program history since 1999 … Ella Dalton played in her 100th career game, earning the start in the season-opener against Purdue Fort Wayne … Creighton won its 24th straight game when scoring at least five or more runs and improved to 94-4 when scoring at least eight runs in a game … Head coach Krista Wood improved to 14-5 all-time in season-openers, including a 2-1 mark at Creighton … Kenzie Nakasawa earned her first career start and hit against Purdue Fort Wayne in the season-opener.
Creighton 8, Purdue Fort Wayne 4
Creighton posted 14 hits in the season-opener, including five doubles, as the Bluejays opened the 2025 season with an 8-4 win over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Bluejays 14 hits were its most in a season-opener since CU recorded 17 base knocks against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the 2012 season-opener.
The Bluejays opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, exploding for four runs on three doubles and a pair of singles against PFW starter Alanah Jones. Junior Erika Perez got things started with a leadoff double to center, followed by the first career hit and double by sophomore Lynn Davis.
Senior Sydra Seville then lined a double of her own down the left field line to give the Bluejays a 2-0 lead. Junior Ashley Smetter replaced Seville at second with an RBI single and advancement of her own, before junior Lily West beat out an RBI single to push Creighton's lead out to 4-0.
After a scoreless third frame, Purdue Fort Wayne leveled the contest with four runs on three hits in the top half of the fourth inning. A two-run double from Grace Hollopeter put the Mastadon's on the scoreboard, before an RBI double from Bailey Manos and an RBI single from Aglaia Rudd tied the game at 4-4.
Creighton, however, answered with four runs with two-outs in the bottom half of the fourth to regain its four-run advantage. West opened with a single up the middle and came around to score on a double off the center field wall by sophomore Sydney Potter. Ella Dalton then reaching on a throwing error, putting runners on first and third before Perez blasted her first career home run to give Creighton an 8-4 lead.
Sophomore Brooke Shifflett would then close the game with three straight scoreless innings in the circle to earn her first career win as a Bluejay. Shifflett tossed a career-high 3.1 innings of hitless ball, striking out a career-high tying three batters along the way. Bluejay starter Kenzie Schopfer earned the season opening start for the second straight season, allowing four runs in 3.2 innings of work.
Seville led the way offensively with three hits, including a career-high two doubles, while extending her hit streak out to 16 straight games. Smetter, West, Perez and Davis each recorded a pair of hits, while Perez recorded a career-high three RBI on a double and the first home run of her career.
Coastal Carolina 6, Creighton 1
After opening the day with an 8-4 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne, Creighton suffered its first loss of the season, dropping a 6-1 decision to Coastal Carolina.
The Bluejays threatened to jump out to an early lead in the top of the first inning, as a leadoff walk by Seville and back-to-back hit-by-pitches loaded the bases for CU. Coastal Carolina's Nicolette Picone, however, got back-to-back groundballs to keep the Bluejays off the scoreboard.
Sophomore starter Brooklyn Patchen worked out of a jam of her own in the first and second inning but was unable to do the same in the third as the Chanticleer's got on the board with a three-run home run from Georgia Hood. Coastal Carolina then added to its lead in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single to center from Clara Hudgens to open up a 4-0 lead.
Creighton answered with a run of their own in the top half of the fifth, as Seville recorded an infield single to push her hit streak to 17 consecutive games. Seville then came around to score on a single by West and a Chanticleer throwing error, cutting the deficit to 4-1.
Coastal Carolina, however, tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure the 6-1 victory.
Seville and West each collected a pair of hits for the Bluejays, while Patchen suffered her first loss of the season, allowing three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of work. Freshman Abby Rusher provided 3.2 innings of relief in the circle, striking out four batters in her Bluejay debut.
The Bluejays continue action at the Kickin' Chicken Classic on Saturday with a pair of games beginning at 10 a.m. against Purdue Fort Wayne, followed by a matchup against Coastal Carolina at 3 p.m. CT.
NOTES: Sydra Seville recorded a hit both games today, pushing her hit streak to 17 straight games, tying Renae Sinkler and Jamie Reiss for the longest hit streak in program history since 1999 … Ella Dalton played in her 100th career game, earning the start in the season-opener against Purdue Fort Wayne … Creighton won its 24th straight game when scoring at least five or more runs and improved to 94-4 when scoring at least eight runs in a game … Head coach Krista Wood improved to 14-5 all-time in season-openers, including a 2-1 mark at Creighton … Kenzie Nakasawa earned her first career start and hit against Purdue Fort Wayne in the season-opener.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shifflett, Brooke (1-0)
L: A Jones (0-1)
Batting:
2B: G Hollopeter 1 ; B Manos 1
RBI: G Hollopeter 2 ; B Manos 1 ; A Rudd 1
SH: Bro Lickey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: G Hollopeter 1 ; B Manos 1 ; F McClain 1 ; G McMenemy 1
HBP: G Hollopeter 1 ; Bro Lickey 1
Batting:
2B: Seville, Sydra 2 ; Potter, Sydney 1 ; Perez, Erika 1 ; Davis, Lynn 1
HR: Perez, Erika 1
RBI: Seville, Sydra 2 ; Smetter, Ashley 1 ; West, Lily 1 ; Potter, Sydney 1 ; Perez, Erika 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Seville, Sydra 1 ; Smetter, Ashley 1 ; West, Lily 1 ; Smith, Elliot 1 ; Dalton, Ella 1 ; Perez, Erika 2 ; Davis, Lynn 1
CS: Seville, Sydra 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
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