Creighton Softball Falls Short in Series Finale at Villanova, 10-7
VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Creighton softball teams comeback fell short as Villanova claimed a 10-7 victory on Sunday morning in the series finale at the Villanova Softball Complex in Villanova, Pa.
The loss dropped the Bluejays to 11-12 on the year and 1-5 in BIG EAST play, while Villanova moved to 4-2 in league action and 12-13 overall with the win.
Creighton took an early lead with a run in the top of the first as senior Sydra Seville laced a leadoff double off the left field wall, before coming around to score on a Villanova wild pitch.
Villanova answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame, using a four-pitch walk to Brooklyn Ostrowski and an RBI single from Kelsey White to knot things up at 1-1.
Creighton would regain the lead in the top half of the third as sophomore Ashten Pierson was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a bunt single from Seville. Sophomore Avery Barnard would then deliver a clutch two-out RBI single back up the middle to give the Jays a 2-1 lead.
The Bluejays lead, however, did not last long as the Wildcats took advantage of four hits and three Bluejay errors to plate nine unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. Maranda Runco capped off the frame with a three-run home run to give Villanova a 10-2 advantage.
Creighton would not go down quietly, responding with three runs in the fourth inning to cut into the deficit. Junior Ashley Smetter and graduate senior Hannah Poole led off the frame with back-to-back singles, before a two-run double from Erika Perez cut the Wildcats lead down to 10-4. Following a groundout, Pierson delivered an RBI single through the left side, scoring Perez from third to cut the deficit to 10-5.
After a scoreless fifth, the Bluejays used a walk to Poole and a double from Pierson to put runners on second and third, before a two-out, two-run single from Seville made the score 10-7. The Wildcats, however, closed the door on the Bluejays offense, securing the victory and the series sweep.
The Bluejays were paced by a career-high tying three hits by Seville, including a double and two RBI. With the three hits today, Seville extended her on-base streak to a career-long 19 straight games and her hit streak out to double-digits at 10 consecutive contests. Pierson added in a pair of hits and a double of her own, while sophomore Brooke Shifflett suffered her third loss of the season, allowing seven runs, two earned, on just two hits and four walks.
Villanova’s Lexi Kovryn (4-7) earned the win in the circle, while Elizabeth Gray paced the Wildcats with two hits while Runco drove in a game-high three RBI.
Creighton will return home and begin a 10-game homestand with a doubleheader against Kansas City on Wednesday, March 19. The first game between the Bluejays and Roos is set for 3 p.m. at the Creighton Sports Complex.