Creighton Softball Opens Up Big East Tournament Play Thursday
The Creighton softball team (29-25, 17-7 BE) enters the BIG EAST Softball Championships Presented by JEEP as the no. 3 seed looking to claim its first BIG EAST Tournament title in program history, as well as its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2010.
The Bluejays start play in the double elimination tournament on Thursday, May 7 at 3 p.m. CT against second-seeded UConn (28-25, 18-6 BE).
The loser of the CU/UConn game would play in an elimination game at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday against the loser of No. 1 Providence and No. 4 Providence, while the winner will advance to play in the semifinals on Friday afternoon.
Scouting Creighton (29-25, 17-7 BE)
Creighton heads to the BIG EAST Softball Championships for the third consecutive season sporting a 29-25 overall record and finishing third in BIG EAST with a 17-7 mark in league play.
Owning one of the most potent offenses in the BIG EAST, Creighton has eight starters hitting better than .290. Sophomore Tara Vandewater paces the Bluejays and ranks eighth in the BIG EAST with a .374 batting average. She also ranks tied for fourth in the league with 53 RBI on 58 hits, including 11 doubles, four triples and nine home runs.
Senior Lily West has continued her hot hitting, boasting a .355 batting average on a team-best 60 hits, including nine doubles, five home runs, 26 walks, 34 RBI and 36 runs scored. She is closely followed by junior Kaelan Schultz, who is hitting .348 with 12 doubles, seven home runs while freshman Zoey Greenwood is hitting at a .324 clip with 59 hits, a BIG EAST-leading 15 doubles and 24 stolen bases.
Senior Erika Perez, meanwhile, has stepped into more of a leadership role this season and is showcasing her power, hitting .338 with 12 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 21 walks and 36 RBI. Perez and veteran returners, Avery Barnard (.294 BA, 11 2B, 35 R, 29 RBI) and Ashten Pierson (.292 BA, 28 Hits, 29 R) have been relied on to lead this talented group.
Freshman Audrey Gilman and sophomore Landrie Harris have been relied on to lead the Bluejays pitching staff this season. Gilman paces the Jays with a 4.33 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 166.1 innings of work, while Harris owns a 4.56 ERA and 28 punchouts in 58.1 innings pitched.
As a team, Creighton leads the BIG EAST batting average (.315), doubles (89), triples (15), RBI (313), runs (341), and stolen bases (121), while the pitching staff owns a 4.83 ERA with 201 strikeouts in 353.1 innings of work.
Head coach Krista Wood is in her fourth season with the Bluejays and holds a 625-421 career record, including a 117-103 mark at Creighton.
Scouting UConn (28-25, 17-6 BIG EAST)
UConn has won 18 of their last 21 games and is 28-25 on the season. The Huskies claimed a share of the BIG EAST Regular Season title for the third time in the last five years after posting a 18-6 mark in league play.
UConn is led offensively by sophomore Cat Petteys and her .385 batting average on a team-leading 65 hits. She paces the Huskies and leads the BIG EAST with 17 home runs, 15 doubles, 56 runs scored and 54 RBI.
She is supported by senior Savannah Ring, who owns a .344 batting average with 63 hits, including 12 doubles, 30 RBI and 40 runs scored, while junior Kaitlyn Breslin boasts a .291 average with nine doubles, 11 home runs and 51 RBI.
Graduate Jessica Walters and freshman Caprice Bohmer have split the duties in the circle for the Huskies this season. Walters leads the team with a 3.45 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 101.1 innings pitched, while Bohmer owns an 12-8 record with a 4.05 ERA and a team-high 120 strikeouts in 117.2 innings of work.
As a team, UConn is hitting .287 with 86 doubles, 12 triples, 52 home runs and 309 runs scored, while owning a 4.32 ERA with 251 strikeouts in 337.1 innings or work.
UConn was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll as head coach Laura Valentino is in her seventh year at the helm of the Huskies.