Friday, March 14
Villanova, Pa.
2:00 P.M.
Creighton University
11-10, 1-3
2
at
3
Villanova
10-13, 2-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
Creighton
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
7
0
Villanova
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
3
4
0
Photo by: Joel Deman
Bluejay Softball Drops Series Opener to Villanova in Extras, 3-2
3/14/2025 5:01:00 PM | Softball
VILLANOVA, Pa. – Despite a strong pitching performance from senior Kenzie Schopfer, the Creighton softball team dropped the series opener to Villanova, 3-2, in eight innings on Friday afternoon at the Villanova Softball Complex in Villanova, Pa.
With the loss, the Bluejays fell to 11-10 overall and 1-3 in BIG EAST play, while Villanova improved to 2-2 in league action and 10-13 on the season with the extra inning victory.
Despite striking out a season-high seven batter in 7.1 innings of work, Schopfer was the hard-luck loser, falling to 0-3 on the year in the circle. Junior Lily West and sophomore Ashten Pierson paced the Bluejays offense with two hits apiece, while Sydra Seville, Sydney Potter and Hannah Poole each collected a hit in the contest.
Villanova's Kat Gallant recorded her fifth win of the season (5-4), after allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks in the complete-game effort. Maranda Runco and Maddie Burrows combined for all four of Villanova's hits, with Runco drove in all three runs for the Wildcats.
Locked into a scoreless pitcher's duel early, Creighton finally broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to give the Bluejays a 2-0 lead. West and Potter opened the frame with back-to-back singles before a walk to Kaelan Schultz loaded the bases for Poole. Poole then blooped an RBI single into shallow center, scoring West from third to give the Jays a 1-0 lead. Junior Erika Perez followed with an RBI sacrifice fly down the left field line to extend the Bluejays advantage out to 2-0.
After another two scoreless innings of work from Schopfer, Villanova draw even at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run inside the park home run from Runco after a hard collision in the left center field gap left the ball sitting on the warning track.
Following a scoreless seventh, Villanova got a one-out double from Burrows and a walk from Lilly St. Jean, before Runco delivered the walk-off single into the left center field gap to secure the 3-2 series opening win for the Wildcats.
The Bluejays and Wildcats will continue their three-game series on Saturday, March 15 with a single game set for 11 a.m. Central.
With the loss, the Bluejays fell to 11-10 overall and 1-3 in BIG EAST play, while Villanova improved to 2-2 in league action and 10-13 on the season with the extra inning victory.
Despite striking out a season-high seven batter in 7.1 innings of work, Schopfer was the hard-luck loser, falling to 0-3 on the year in the circle. Junior Lily West and sophomore Ashten Pierson paced the Bluejays offense with two hits apiece, while Sydra Seville, Sydney Potter and Hannah Poole each collected a hit in the contest.
Villanova's Kat Gallant recorded her fifth win of the season (5-4), after allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks in the complete-game effort. Maranda Runco and Maddie Burrows combined for all four of Villanova's hits, with Runco drove in all three runs for the Wildcats.
Locked into a scoreless pitcher's duel early, Creighton finally broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to give the Bluejays a 2-0 lead. West and Potter opened the frame with back-to-back singles before a walk to Kaelan Schultz loaded the bases for Poole. Poole then blooped an RBI single into shallow center, scoring West from third to give the Jays a 1-0 lead. Junior Erika Perez followed with an RBI sacrifice fly down the left field line to extend the Bluejays advantage out to 2-0.
After another two scoreless innings of work from Schopfer, Villanova draw even at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run inside the park home run from Runco after a hard collision in the left center field gap left the ball sitting on the warning track.
Following a scoreless seventh, Villanova got a one-out double from Burrows and a walk from Lilly St. Jean, before Runco delivered the walk-off single into the left center field gap to secure the 3-2 series opening win for the Wildcats.
The Bluejays and Wildcats will continue their three-game series on Saturday, March 15 with a single game set for 11 a.m. Central.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: GALLANT, K. (5-4)
L: Schopfer, Kenzie (0-3)
Batting:
RBI: Poole, Hannah 1 ; Perez, Erika 1
SH: Seville, Sydra 1
SF: Perez, Erika 1
Base Running:
RUNS: West, Lily 1 ; Potter, Sydney 1
SB: Seville, Sydra 1 ; West, Lily 1
CS: Ramos, Reese 1
Batting:
2B: BURROWS, M. 1
HR: RUNCO, M. 1
RBI: RUNCO, M. 3
Base Running:
RUNS: RUNCO, M. 1 ; BURROWS, M. 1 ; GRAY, E. 1
SB: GRAY, E. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
rf/cf
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF/INF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
Creighton 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
