Creighton softball triumphed over the Indiana State University Sycamores with a three-game series sweep last weekend. The Jays recorded 28 runs over the weekend with scores of 3-1, 16-5 and 9-1.
“I was really proud of the way our team focused last weekend,” head coach Brent Vigness said. “I thought we had maybe our best focus and one of our more complete games of the year.”
The two conference teams opened the series with a doubleheader at Price Field in Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday. Scoring only three runs in the first face-off, the Jays went on to outscore ISU 19-6 on the day. Nine different Bluejays recorded hits on Saturday including six with two or more.
“The first game was a little off,” junior utility player Blair Lowe said. “But by the second game we were acting like it was batting practice.”
Lowe dominated the plate on Saturday with five hits, scoring her first home run of the season. Senior infielder Amy Baker, sophomore infielder Liz Dike and freshman utility player Blake Ringle each contributed three runs. Together those four claimed all five CU home runs on the day, with Baker blasting two of them.
Juniors Becca Changstrom and Alexis Cantu each pitched a game on Saturday, combining for a pair of complete-game wins. The two struck out 15 Sycamores and held ISU to a .233 average at the plate.
Creighton completed the series with a 9-1 victory over ISU Sunday afternoon. Dike led the Jays going 4-for-4 at the plate. Cantu and Lowe each put up a home run for the Jays, while Baker and senior pitcher Sammy Snygg, sophomore utility player Bri Lingl and freshmen outfielder Kelsey Allender and utility player Kim Jacobson all connected at the plate as well.
Changstrom pitched the final game of the series. With a complete-game win, the junior struck out 10 Sycamores and improved her record to 17-6.
In a fight to remain conference leaders, Creighton plans to focus on one game at a time.
“There’s 27 conference games, and each game counts the same,” Vigness said. “I like our mentality right now. We’ve been playing pretty well lately, and if we keep that same approach, I think we’re going to be fine.”
The Jays lead the Missouri Valley Conference with a 10-2 record, 24-11 overall. The Jays were scheduled to host second place Drake University on Wednesday, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Bluejays will take on the Southern Illinois University Salukis in a three-game match-up this weekend followed by a Monday doubleheader against Illinois State University on the Jays’ home field.