Creighton celebrates Sydra Seville's grand slam
Photo by: Justin Kreutzian
Slow Start Dooms Softball in High-Scoring Nightcap
3/29/2025 1:38:00 PM | Softball
Bluejays fall, 22-18
OMAHA, Neb. -- The Creighton Softball team allowed nine runs in the top of the first and couldn't pull off a second straight comeback win, dropping a 22-18 decision to UConn on Saturday afternoon at the CU Sports Complex. The game started on Friday afternoon but was suspended in the top of the sixth inning due to darkness.
The 40 combined runs were the most in any Creighton game in program history, and the highest-scoring game in the country this season.
UConn's Kaitlyn Breslin did her part to lead the Huskies, tying an NCAA single-game record with four home runs. She went 4-for-4 at the plate after walking in her first plate appearance, and was also walked in the seventh inning with a chance to set the record. She scored five times, tied for the NCAA lead this season.
UConn is now 17-12 overall and 6-2 in BIG EAST play, while Creighton fell to 12-17 on the year and 2-6 in league play.
A half-hour after squandering a 6-0 lead with three outs to play in Friday afternoon's series-opener, UConn wasted no time jumping on top. Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year Lexi Hastings walked and moved to third after back-to-back wild pitches off the arm of Bluejay starter Brooke Shifflett (6-5). Hastings scored the game's first run on a Grace Jenkins single and Shifflett was lifted after a hit-by-pitch. Reliever Brooklyn Patchen plunked Cat Petteys and walked Breslin before UConn broke open a close game with a grand slam by Savannah Ring. Two outs and two baserunners later, Jenkins jumped on a full-count offering with a three-run homer to right to push the UConn lead to 9-0. That start came after CU had allowed just eight runs in the first inning of its first 28 games combined.
Rather than be satisfied with its comeback earlier in the day, Creighton stayed in the fight. Sydra Seville singled and scored on a Lily West base hit for CU's first run. Two batters later West came plateward on Sydney Potter's two-run homer to trim the deficit to 9-3.
Breslin greeted Bluejay reliever Abby Rusher with a home run to open the second inning, but CU's Avery Barnard homered to lead off the home half of the second to get that run back. The Jays added three more runs in the second, as an Ashten Pierson flyout brought home Kenzie Nakasawa and Lily West's 150th career hit brought home Sydra Seville and Ella Dalton to make it 10-7.
The Huskies built their lead back to 13-7 as Hastings tripled and scored on a Jenkins groundout, and Breslin's second homer in as many innings scored Petteys. Creighton's responded with a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning by Seville, making it 13-11.
UConn continued the offensive explosion with back-to-back two-out RBI doubles off the bats of Hastings and Jenkins as the lead inched up to 15-11 for the visitors.
That margin was short-lived, as Potter launched her second homer of the game to close the gap to 15-12. That ended UConn pitcher Sydnee Koosh's start after 3+ innings, in which she allowed 10 hits, 12 runs (10 earned) and walked three while allowing four home runs.
The home run derby continued into the top of the fifth inning, as Petteys hit a leadoff homer and Bresling followed with her third round-tripper of the game,returning the UConn lead to 17-12 and ending Rushing's afternoon in the circle. The Huskies then tacked on two more unearned runs upon Shifflett's return on a single by Jenkins that scored a pair and withstood a replay review.
Creighton wasn't done yet. Pierson doubled and West walked before a single by Hannah Poole loaded the bases for Potter. Potter singled up the middle to score a pair, driving in her fourth and fifth runs of the nightcap. The hero who started Creighton's game one rally, Kaelan Schultz, came on to pinch-hit and crushed a third grand slam of the game to whittle the UConn lead to one at 19-18.
The Bluejays turned to their bullpen yet again, bringing in game one starter Kenzie Schopfer, in the sixth inning. She walked Petteys before Breslin's homered in her fourth straight at bat, tying the NCAA single-game record done by six players previously. As if the game wasn't bizarre enough, a bank of lights at the CU Sports Complex then went out, which delayed the game for more than 15 minutes, at which point the umpires elected to resume the game on Saturday at 1 p.m. Central.
Upon resumption, both teams stranded a runner at first base in the sixth inning, with game one starter Payton Kinney coming in to pitch for the Huskies.
The Huskies added to their lead in the seventh as Kaiea Higa singled to left to score Jenkins, who had reached via an error. Schultz doubled in the seventh but the Jays could not complete the comeback.
Stella Kiemele (2-0) was credited with the win with two innings of six-run relief, while Kinney picked up her first save of the season after recording the final six outs. Jenkins (4-for-6, 7 RBI), Breslin (4-for-4, 4 HR, 5 runs, 7 RBI) and Hastings (3-for-5, 3 runs) paced the Huskies. UConn had 18 hits and seven of its nine runners to reach via a walk would come around to score.
Seville went 3-for-6, driving in four while scoring three times and also swiping a pair of bases. Potter was 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBI, while Schultz came off the bench to go 2-for-2 with a double and a home run. The Bluejays had a season-high 17 hits in the contest. Creighton homered in each of the first five innings, with those five blasts tied for third-most in CU single-game history. The 18 runs scored were tied for fourth-most in program history.
The teams are scheduled to wrap-up the three-game series later today at 2:05 p.m.
The 40 combined runs were the most in any Creighton game in program history, and the highest-scoring game in the country this season.
UConn's Kaitlyn Breslin did her part to lead the Huskies, tying an NCAA single-game record with four home runs. She went 4-for-4 at the plate after walking in her first plate appearance, and was also walked in the seventh inning with a chance to set the record. She scored five times, tied for the NCAA lead this season.
UConn is now 17-12 overall and 6-2 in BIG EAST play, while Creighton fell to 12-17 on the year and 2-6 in league play.
A half-hour after squandering a 6-0 lead with three outs to play in Friday afternoon's series-opener, UConn wasted no time jumping on top. Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year Lexi Hastings walked and moved to third after back-to-back wild pitches off the arm of Bluejay starter Brooke Shifflett (6-5). Hastings scored the game's first run on a Grace Jenkins single and Shifflett was lifted after a hit-by-pitch. Reliever Brooklyn Patchen plunked Cat Petteys and walked Breslin before UConn broke open a close game with a grand slam by Savannah Ring. Two outs and two baserunners later, Jenkins jumped on a full-count offering with a three-run homer to right to push the UConn lead to 9-0. That start came after CU had allowed just eight runs in the first inning of its first 28 games combined.
Rather than be satisfied with its comeback earlier in the day, Creighton stayed in the fight. Sydra Seville singled and scored on a Lily West base hit for CU's first run. Two batters later West came plateward on Sydney Potter's two-run homer to trim the deficit to 9-3.
Breslin greeted Bluejay reliever Abby Rusher with a home run to open the second inning, but CU's Avery Barnard homered to lead off the home half of the second to get that run back. The Jays added three more runs in the second, as an Ashten Pierson flyout brought home Kenzie Nakasawa and Lily West's 150th career hit brought home Sydra Seville and Ella Dalton to make it 10-7.
The Huskies built their lead back to 13-7 as Hastings tripled and scored on a Jenkins groundout, and Breslin's second homer in as many innings scored Petteys. Creighton's responded with a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning by Seville, making it 13-11.
UConn continued the offensive explosion with back-to-back two-out RBI doubles off the bats of Hastings and Jenkins as the lead inched up to 15-11 for the visitors.
That margin was short-lived, as Potter launched her second homer of the game to close the gap to 15-12. That ended UConn pitcher Sydnee Koosh's start after 3+ innings, in which she allowed 10 hits, 12 runs (10 earned) and walked three while allowing four home runs.
The home run derby continued into the top of the fifth inning, as Petteys hit a leadoff homer and Bresling followed with her third round-tripper of the game,returning the UConn lead to 17-12 and ending Rushing's afternoon in the circle. The Huskies then tacked on two more unearned runs upon Shifflett's return on a single by Jenkins that scored a pair and withstood a replay review.
Creighton wasn't done yet. Pierson doubled and West walked before a single by Hannah Poole loaded the bases for Potter. Potter singled up the middle to score a pair, driving in her fourth and fifth runs of the nightcap. The hero who started Creighton's game one rally, Kaelan Schultz, came on to pinch-hit and crushed a third grand slam of the game to whittle the UConn lead to one at 19-18.
The Bluejays turned to their bullpen yet again, bringing in game one starter Kenzie Schopfer, in the sixth inning. She walked Petteys before Breslin's homered in her fourth straight at bat, tying the NCAA single-game record done by six players previously. As if the game wasn't bizarre enough, a bank of lights at the CU Sports Complex then went out, which delayed the game for more than 15 minutes, at which point the umpires elected to resume the game on Saturday at 1 p.m. Central.
Upon resumption, both teams stranded a runner at first base in the sixth inning, with game one starter Payton Kinney coming in to pitch for the Huskies.
The Huskies added to their lead in the seventh as Kaiea Higa singled to left to score Jenkins, who had reached via an error. Schultz doubled in the seventh but the Jays could not complete the comeback.
Stella Kiemele (2-0) was credited with the win with two innings of six-run relief, while Kinney picked up her first save of the season after recording the final six outs. Jenkins (4-for-6, 7 RBI), Breslin (4-for-4, 4 HR, 5 runs, 7 RBI) and Hastings (3-for-5, 3 runs) paced the Huskies. UConn had 18 hits and seven of its nine runners to reach via a walk would come around to score.
Seville went 3-for-6, driving in four while scoring three times and also swiping a pair of bases. Potter was 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBI, while Schultz came off the bench to go 2-for-2 with a double and a home run. The Bluejays had a season-high 17 hits in the contest. Creighton homered in each of the first five innings, with those five blasts tied for third-most in CU single-game history. The 18 runs scored were tied for fourth-most in program history.
The teams are scheduled to wrap-up the three-game series later today at 2:05 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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