Long Ball and Walk-Offs Help Creighton Softball Blast Kansas City In DH
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton Softball’s final week of games at the CU Sports Complex started in fine fashion as a walk-off grand slam by Hannah Poole and a walk-off single from Avery Barnard guided the Bluejays to a pair of run-rule victories over Kansas City on Tuesday afternoon.
Creighton claimed game one 9-1 in five innings, before securing an 12-4 victory in game two to improve to 24-23 on the year. Kansas City dropped to 5-39 with the loss, falling in run-rule fashion the 21st and 22nd time this season.
Game 1: Creighton 9, Kansas City 1 (5 innings)
Creighton hit four homers in the opening contest, including two by Sydney Potter and one each by Kaelan Schultz and Poole, which was more than enough offense for Kenzie Schopfer (6-6), who struck out six and allowed just one run on four hits in the complete game effort.
Potter opened the scoring in the bottom of the second blasting a leadoff solo home run out to right center to give the Jays an early 1-0 lead.
The Bluejays would extend the lead in the third as Schultz drew a two-out to extend the frame, allowing Potter to launch her second home run of the game open up a 3-0 advantage.
Following a scoreless fourth, Kansas City scratched the scoreboard, taking advantage of a Bluejay miscue to plate their first run of the contest on an RBI single up the middle from Gianna Lickel to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Creighton, however, plated six two-out runs in the home half of the frame to secure the 9-1 run-rule victory. Lily West got things started with a single to left, before Schultz gave the Jays a 5-1 lead, demolishing the first pitch she saw for her 10th home run of the season.
Potter followed with a four-pitch walk, while a double to center from Ella Dalton and a hit by pitch by Perez loaded the bases for Poole. Following a Kansas City pitching change, Poole launched the first pitch she saw over the left center field fence to record the 9-1 walk-off victory and the Bluejays first walk-off grand slam home run since Amy Baker blasted a game-winning grand slam against Youngstown State on March 12, 2013.
Game 2: Creighton 12, Kansas City 4 (6 innings)
Creighton blasted three additional home runs and added in three doubles as Potter, Schultz and Poole each homered in the Bluejays 12-4 six-inning run-rule victory.
The Bluejays picked up right where they left run in game one, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first, behind an RBI double from Schultz and a two-run home run from Potter, who collected her third home run of the day.
CU opened things up in the second, tacking on four additional runs on an RBI single up the middle from Sydra Seville and back-to-back sacrifice flies from Ashten Pierson and West, before a solo shot from Schultz gave the Jays a 7-0 lead.
Kansas City got on the board in the top of the third on an RBI single from Katelyn Maciel, but the Jays answered with a two-run home run from Poole in the home half of the frame to take a 9-1 lead.
The Bluejays would tack on two additional runs of support in the fourth on a two-run single from Avery Barnard to push the advantage out to 11-1, before a three-run fifth from Kansas City extended the contest.
Leading 11-4 heading into the bottom half of the sixth, Creighton put runners on with back-to-back leadoff walks and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, before Barnard raced out an infield walk-off single to capture the 12-4 victory.
Barnard led the Bluejays offense with a pair of hits and three RBI, while Schultz, Dalton and Poole each record a pair of base knocks. Bluejay starter Brooke Shifflett (8-7) earned her eighth win of the season striking out six in 4.0 innings of work.
Overall, Potter hits went 3-for-3 (1.000) with three home runs, four walks and five RBI on the day, as the Bluejays hit a blistering .396 (19-of 48) with four doubles, seven home runs, nine walks and 21 runs scored.
The Bluejays will close out the regular season and the CU Sports Complex with a three-game home series against Seton Hall, beginning on Friday at 4 p.m.