OMAHA, Neb. – Senior Cayla Nielsen broke the all-time career runs scored record, surpassing Stacey Rybar with 133 career runs scored as the Creighton softball team rolled to a series sweep of DePaul on Sunday with an 8-1 victory.
Creighton improved to 31-19 on the season with their sixth consecutive victory, while climbing back into second place in the BIG EAST with a 14-7 league record. The Bluejays six game winning streak is the longest streak of its kind since 2018, while the Bluejays 14 home wins this season are the most since Creighton finished the 2008 season with a 19-2 home record.
DePaul, however, fell to 8-36 on the year and to 3-18 in league action with the loss.
Battling temperatures in the mid-50’s and constant rain, the Bluejays used early momentum to open up a 7-0 lead after three innings of play.
Creighton opened the scoring in the bottom half of the first as sophomore Lily West came around to score on an RBI single up the middle by senior Emma Rosonke to give the Bluejays a 1-0 lead.
The Jays lead quickly ballooned to 6-0 in the bottom of the second as Creighton plated five runs on five hits. A lead-off double down the left field line by sophomore Ella Dalton sent things into motion as junior Sydra Seville followed with an infield single. Dalton then came into score after juking out the catcher at home on a sacrifice fly to right by sophomore Erika Perez, before an RBI single up the middle by freshman Ashten Pierson gave the Jays a 3-0 lead. Following a 10-pitch walk to Nielsen, West delivered a three-run home run over the left center field wall to give the Bluejays a 6-0 advantage.
Creighton added on another insurance run in the bottom of the third as Perez came around to score on a single and a two-base error by the DePaul centerfield to give CU a 7-0 led.
DePaul would score their lone run of the game in the top half of the fourth, using a walk to Riley Pool and an RBI single to center by Carly Alvers to cut the deficit down to 7-1.
The Bluejays, however, answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame as West doubled to leadoff the innings before scoring on an RBI single to center by senior Madeline Vejvoda.
Puchino would then keep the Blue Demons at bay over the final three innings to record her 22nd win of the season. Her 22 wins are tied with Kelly Brookhart (1990) for the seventh most in a single season in program history.
West, Vejvoda and Pierson each collected a pair of hits in the win, while West drove in a trio of runs with a double and home run. As a team the Bluejays recorded 10 hits and improved to 20-0 this season when scoring five or more runs.
Creighton returns to action on Friday, May 3 when they close out the regular season with a three-game series against Providence.
Nielsen Breaks Runs Scored Record for Creighton Softball
