ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Creighton softball team closed out the DePaul Dome Tournament on Sunday at The Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Ill with a pair of losses as the Bluejays fell to Eastern Kentucky, 9-6, and St Thomas, 6-4.
Creighton finished its opening weekend in the windy city with a 2-2 overall record.
In game one, the Bluejays pitching staff allowed only four earned runs as the defensive committed four errors. Senior Kailey Wilson led the Bluejays offense going 2-3 with a double, home run and three RBI. Wilson’s home run was the 27th of her career, moving her into a tie for 10th on Creighton all-time career home run list.
After a scoreless first inning, the Bluejays opened the scoring in the top of the second as freshman Mikayla Chairez came around to score on a single to left field by freshman Ensley Frame. Frame would steal second a few pitches later, before Sydra Seville delivered an RBI single back up the middle to giving Creighton a 2-0 lead.
The Colonels would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning as Nikola Schwarzingerova drove in a run with a single to left and later scored on a throwing error by Alyssa Gappa.
In the bottom of the third inning, Eastern Kentucky used a pair of ground-rule doubles, a hit batter and a wild pitch to take its first lead of the game. Jeanay Riley led off the inning with a ground-rule double and later scored on a double from Jasmine Miller. After a Bluejay pitching change, a wild pitch allowed the Colonels to take a 4-2 lead. EKU would add an additional run in the inning with an RBI groundout by Schwarzingerova to give the Colonels a 5-2 lead.
The Colonels would extend their lead with four additional runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on just one hit but three Bluejay errors. EKU’s only hit in the inning was a two-run single from Miller as Easter Kentucky took a 9-2 lead.
Creighton answered with a run of their own in the top of the fifth inning as Seville led off the inning with a single to center. Following a strikeout and a fly out, Wilson lined her fourth double of the weekend into the left center field gap, scoring Seville all the way from first cutting the Colonels lead down to 9-3.
Down by six entering the top of the seventh inning, the Bluejays looked to build a comeback as Seville and freshman Lily West hit back-to-back singles to open the frame. Following a groundout, Wilson stepped up and launched a three-run home run over the right field wall cutting the deficit in half to 9-6. It was not enough as Eastern Kentucky earned the win.
In game two, the Bluejays jumped out to an early lead in the first inning with a trio of runs on two hits. Seville led off the game by beating out an infield single, while West and Wilson reached on an error and a walk. Junior Madeline Vejvoda then laced a bases clearing triple into the right field corner giving the Bluejays an early 3-0 lead.
Creighton added to its lead in the top of the third inning as Emma Rosonke led off the frame with a single back up the middle. Vejvoda then singled to right, moving Rosonke over to second before scoring on a single down the right field line by freshman Erika Perez as Creighton took a 4-0 lead.
The Tommies answered with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the third to even the game at 4-4. St. Thomas led off the inning with five straight singles from the top of the order before the Bluejays were able to retire the side.
The game would remain tied until St. Thomas took their first lead of the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Tommies led off the inning with a walk by Avery Wukawitz, while Brooke Ellestad reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Wukawitz to advance to second. After a wild pitch that moved runners to second and third, Goelz delivered a two-run double giving St. Thomas a 6-4 lead.
The Bluejays threatened to close the game out strong in the seventh as Mikayla Chairez drew a walk to lead off the inning. Alyssa Gappa then lined a double into the right center field gap, placing runners on second and third with no outs. The Bluejays, however, left Chairez and Gappa stranded on base as the Tommies claimed the 6-4 victory.
Creighton collected seven hits in the game, led by Vejvoda who went 2-3 with a triple and three RBI. Junior transfer Payton Akers suffered her first loss of the season, allowing two runs on a hit in 1.1 innings of work. Freshman Natalia Puchino also tossed 2.0 innings, allowing six hits and four runs in the Bluejays loss.
Creighton will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 17 when it travels to Stephenville, Texas for five games at the Texas Invitational hosted by Tarleton State. The Bluejays faceoff against Akron at 9:30 a.m. on Friday morning before battling Tarleton State at 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon.
