Sunday, March 22
Omaha, Neb.
12:00 PM
Creighton University
15-17, 7-2
10
vs
1
Villanova
6-25, 2-7
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
Villanova
0
0
1
0
0
1
5
0
Creighton
4
0
1
1
4
10
12
0
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Softball Hits Third Consecutive Walk-Off to Sweep Villanova with 10-1 Run-Rule Victory
3/22/2026 3:34:00 PM | Softball
OMAHA, Neb. – Sophomore Tara Vandewater hit a two-run walk-off homer over the right field wall to help the Bluejays capture the series sweep with a 10-1 run-rule victory over Villanova on Sunday afternoon. Vandewater's walk-off home run marked the third straight walk-off victory for the Bluejays this weekend.
With the win, Creighton improved its BIG EAST record to 7-2 and overall record to 15-17, while Villanova fell to 6-25 overall and 2-7 in league play.
The Bluejays tagged Villanova starter Kat Gallant from the jump, plating four runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Freshman Zoey Greenwood got the Jays started with a leadoff home run to right, the Bluejays second leadoff home run of the season, to put CU up 1-0. Junior Avery Barnard followed with a double to left center and Lily West singled up the middle before coming in to score on a sacrifice fly from junior Kaelan Schultz and an RBI single from Erika Perez to jump out in front 3-0. Perez and Vandewater then perfected a double steal with Vandewater scoring the Jays fourth run of the game.
Following a scoreless second inning, Villanova trimmed the deficit to three in the top of the third as Carly Zych led off the frame with a double and scored two batters later on an RBI single from Maranda Runco.
Creighton countered with an RBI groundout from Ashten Pierson in the third and an RBI double from Vandewater in the fourth to extend the Bluejays lead out to 6-1.
Heading to the fifth with a five-run advantage, Creighton delivered its third walk-off win of the series with three runs in the home half of the frame. Pierson led off the inning with a bunt single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and stole third, before coming in to score on a pass ball. West then doubled to right center and scored on an RBI single from Schultz to make it 8-1, before Vandewater blasted the Bluejays second walk-off home run of the series to cap off the 10-1 victory.
Four different Bluejays recorded two hits in the contest with Vandewater leading the way with three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Audrey Gilman, meanwhile, picked up her eighth win of the season, striking out a career-high six batters in the one-run complete-game effort.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m. when they travel across town to battle Omaha at Connie Clausen Field.
With the win, Creighton improved its BIG EAST record to 7-2 and overall record to 15-17, while Villanova fell to 6-25 overall and 2-7 in league play.
The Bluejays tagged Villanova starter Kat Gallant from the jump, plating four runs in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Freshman Zoey Greenwood got the Jays started with a leadoff home run to right, the Bluejays second leadoff home run of the season, to put CU up 1-0. Junior Avery Barnard followed with a double to left center and Lily West singled up the middle before coming in to score on a sacrifice fly from junior Kaelan Schultz and an RBI single from Erika Perez to jump out in front 3-0. Perez and Vandewater then perfected a double steal with Vandewater scoring the Jays fourth run of the game.
Following a scoreless second inning, Villanova trimmed the deficit to three in the top of the third as Carly Zych led off the frame with a double and scored two batters later on an RBI single from Maranda Runco.
Creighton countered with an RBI groundout from Ashten Pierson in the third and an RBI double from Vandewater in the fourth to extend the Bluejays lead out to 6-1.
Heading to the fifth with a five-run advantage, Creighton delivered its third walk-off win of the series with three runs in the home half of the frame. Pierson led off the inning with a bunt single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and stole third, before coming in to score on a pass ball. West then doubled to right center and scored on an RBI single from Schultz to make it 8-1, before Vandewater blasted the Bluejays second walk-off home run of the series to cap off the 10-1 victory.
Four different Bluejays recorded two hits in the contest with Vandewater leading the way with three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Audrey Gilman, meanwhile, picked up her eighth win of the season, striking out a career-high six batters in the one-run complete-game effort.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m. when they travel across town to battle Omaha at Connie Clausen Field.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gilman, Audrey (8-6)
L: Kat Gallant (2-9)
Batting:
2B: Carly Zych 1
RBI: Maranda Runco 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carly Zych 1
Batting:
2B: Barnard, Avery 1 ; West, Lily 1 ; Schultz, Kaelan 1 ; Vandewater, Tara 1 ; Dalton, Ella 1
HR: Greenwood, Zoey 1 ; Vandewater, Tara 1
RBI: Greenwood, Zoey 1 ; Schultz, Kaelan 2 ; Vandewater, Tara 3 ; Perez, Erika 1 ; Pierson, Ashten 1
SH: Greenwood, Zoey 1
SF: Schultz, Kaelan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Greenwood, Zoey 1 ; Barnard, Avery 1 ; West, Lily 2 ; Schultz, Kaelan 1 ; McCutcheon, Meghan 1 ; Vandewater, Tara 2 ; Bailey, Emma 1 ; Pierson, Ashten 1
SB: Greenwood, Zoey 1 ; Vandewater, Tara 1 ; Perez, Erika 1 ; Pierson, Ashten 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballC/UTL
/ Softball
Creighton Softball Highlights vs. Villanova, 3/22/26
Sunday, March 22
Creighton Softball Postgame Interview vs. Villanova, 3/21/26
Saturday, March 21
Creighton Softball Highlights vs. Villanova, 3/21/26
Saturday, March 21
Creighton Softball Highlights vs. Villanova, 3/20/26
Saturday, March 21
