Creighton Softball Season Ends With Title Game Defeat
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- The Creighton Softball team's quest for its first BIG EAST Tournament crown in program history came up just short, as the Bluejays fell 8-3 to Connecticut on Saturday evening at the BIG EAST Championships Presented by JEEP in Rosemont, Ill. The Bluejays gave up three runs in the top of the first inning, fought all the way back to tie it in the fifth inning, but allowed five runs in the sixth inning to come up one game short of securing the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 2010.
Creighton ends its season with a 32-27 mark after falling in the title game for the third straight season. Connecticut improved to 31-26 with its second title game victory over the Bluejays in as many years. The NCAA Softball Selection Show is Sunday at 6 p.m. Central on ESPN2.
After being held to just six singles and two runs in the first game of the day, Connecticut scored three times in the top of the first inning of the nightcap with a pair of extra-base hits doing much of the damage. Savannah Ring opened the game with a walk to cap an 11-pitch at bat before BIG EAST Player of the Year Cat Petteys doubled to plate Ring. Petteys scored on Kaitlyn Breslin's double off the wall and Emma Willers drove home Breslin with a sacrifice fly.
CU got one run back when Lily West reached on a fielder's choice, then scored on a hit by Keegan Mayhue that was Creighton's 100th double of the season.
Creighton tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ella Dalton and Tara Vandewater singled and West was plunked to load the bases. Mayhue then ripped a double down the left field line to knot the score at 3-all.
The Huskies sent 10 women to the plate in the decisive sixth inning. Heidi Barber tripled to score Bella Cruz for the go-ahead run and then scored on a sac fly by Ring. Petteys homered with two outs to make it 6-3. The Huskies extended their lead with a double by Willers and Kaitlyn Kibling's run-scoring single.
CU had a runner reach with two outs in both the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to mount a rally.
Mayhue was the star offensively for the Bluejays, finishing her freshman year with a 3-for-4 day that featured a pair of doubles and three RBI.
Audrey Gilman (16-10) started the game in the circle for CU, allowing three runs (two earned) before being lifted after retiring just one of the first five batters. Landrie Harris, who threw a complete game earlier today against the Huskies, came on in relief and threw five scoreless innings before being running into trouble and being charged with all five runs in the sixth. Creighton was trying to become the first team to win the title after going through the loser's bracket since Villanova in 2021, when the Wildcats beat UConn twice on the final day.
Jessica Walter (8-8) went the distance for the Huskies, scattering eight hits. Petteys went 4-for-5 and was a triple shy of the cycle to lead the UConn offense, which compiled five extra-base hits on a windy day at Parkway Bank Softball Complex. With the victory, Connecticut became the first team to win back-to-back BIG EAST Tournament titles since Villanova in 2021 and 2022.