By: Wichita State
WICHITA, Kan.- Creighton (19-17, 5-5) used a seven-run seventh inning to break away and top Wichita State (12-22, 2-8), 12-0, to sweep the three-game series Sunday afternoon at Wilkins Stadium.
The Bluejays touched up the scoreboard first with a two-run second inning. Lauren Larson led off the inning with a double to left. A sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Kari Sakamoto to third and she scored on a close play at the plate when Jessi Jadlowski grounded to first.
WSU first baseman
Hilary Fort tried to throw out Sakamoto at home, but her throw was not in time. Christa Ruf made it 2-0 with an RBI double to drive in Jadlowski.
Hayley Temple tried to rally the Shockers in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff single to left. A gutsy sacrifice bunt with two strikes from fellow freshman
Sammie Shook moved her to second. But the Shockers were kept off the scoreboard when CU starter Tara Oltman got two strikeouts to end the inning.
The Jays added on to their lead in the fifth after a two-run homer by Amy Baker. With two outs and two strikes, reliever
Brianna Smet nearly got out of the inning unscathed but Baker took a close pitch with two strikes before sending Smet's next offering over the wall in center.
A walk and a single set up Larson's RBI single to make it 5-0.
That would prove to be more than enough for Oltman, who went the distance allowing three hits and four walks while striking out seven.
After the seven-run seventh, WSU had its best chance to score in the bottom half of the inning.
Pinch hitter
Brittney Osborn led off the inning with a double to left, her fourth extra base hit of the season. Two batters later,
Danika Miller lined a one-out single to right to put runners on the corners.
But Oltman got a groundout and a strikeout to end the game.
Kasha Kolb took the loss for the Shockers, falling to 7-13 on the season after going 2.0 innings and allowing two runs on two hits while recording one strikeout.
The return to Missouri Valley Conference action on Wed., April 14, as they travel to Springfield, Mo., for a doubleheader against the Missouri State Bears. First pitch of game one is set for 5 p.m.