PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Creighton softball team fell to second-seeded UConn, 3-1, during the BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals on Thursday afternoon at Glay Field in Providence, R.I.
The loss drops the Bluejays to 34-21 on the season and into the consolation bracket where they will battle St. John’s in an elimination game on Friday at 2 p.m. UConn improved to 31-22 on the year, advancing to play top-seeded Villanova in the semifinals.
Using some timely hitting in the top of the second, Creighton soared out to an early 1-0 lead. A walk by sophomore Ella Dalton and a single from junior Sydra Seville set things into motions as freshman Sydney Potter delivered a two-out RBI single to left to push across the Bluejays lone run of the game.
The Huskies quickly responded plating two runs in the bottom half of the fourth to claim a 2-1 edge in the contest. A two-out double down the left field line by Lexi Hastings set the tone as Rosie Garcia blasted a two-run home run to straight away center to give UConn their first lead.
UConn would extend their lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly to left center by Kaitlyn Kibling, where Dalton made an incredible leaping catch at the wall.
Trailing 3-1 and down to their final six outs, Creighton threatened to push across runs in the sixth as Seville beat out an infield single and senior Alyssa Gappa slapped a dribbler back up the middle, but UConn’s Payton Kinney closed the door securing her 12th win of the season.
Seville paced the Bluejays offense with a pair of hits, extending her career-long hitting streak out to 12 games. Sophomore Natalia Puchino took the loss in the circle dropping to 25-7 on the year, with five strikeouts in the complete-game effort.
The Bluejays will continue play at the 2024 BIG EAST Softball Championships on Friday afternoon against St. John’s at 2 p.m.
Creighton loses to UConn in Big East Softball Tournament
