Creighton Softball Completes Series Sweep with 12-5 Victory Over DePaul

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Creighton Softball team racked up 12 hits and seven walks to complete their third BIG EAST series sweep of the season with a 12-5 victory over DePaul on Sunday afternoon at Cacciatore Stadium in Chicago, Ill.
 
With the win, The Bluejays remained in fifth place in the league standing, improving to 22-23 overall and 12-9 in BIG EAST action. DePaul fell to 14-31 on the year and 1-20 in league play.
 
Creighton wasted no time taking an early lead as Ashten Pierson drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a fly out to right before stealing home for the Bluejays first run of the game. Pierson has now scored in the first inning in seven of the last 10 contests, while becoming the first Bluejay to steal home since Ella Dalton stole home against South Dakota on April 25, 2023.
 
The Bluejays lead ballooned to 4-0 in the top of the second with three runs on three hits, two hit batters and a walk. Erika Perez opened the frame reaching on a hit by pitch, while back-to-back singles from Hannah Poole and Kenzie Nakasawa loaded the bases for Dalton. Dalton then delivered a sacrifice fly to right to score Perez from third, while an RBI single from Sydra Seville gave Creighton a 3-0 lead. Pierson was then hit by a pitch to load the bases again for Lily West, who drew an RBI walk to extend the Jays advantage out to 4-0.
 
DePaul, however, answered with four runs in the home half of the third as Chelsea Parker blasted a grand slam, the first home run of her career, to straight away center to knot thing up at 4-4.
 
Creighton quickly regained the lead for good in the fourth as Dalton launched a leadoff solo home run over the right center field wall to give the Jays a 5-4 lead. Seville followed with a double to left before racing around to score on a sacrifice bunt from Pierson to extend the lead to 6-4.
 
The Bluejays offense continued to deliver in the sixth as Seville singled and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Pierson, before a fielder’s choice puts runners on the corners with one away. Seville then slid into home safely on a passed ball, while an RBI single from Kaelan Schultz gave CU an 8-4 edge in the contest.
 
Creighton’s lead grew to 12-4 in the top of the seventh as the Bluejays plated four runs on three hits and four walks. The Jays loaded the bases with a single from Ashley Smetter and back-to-back walks from Dalton and Seville, before a two-run single from Pierson pushed the lead out to 10-4. Pierson stole second moments later, before coming around to score on a two-run single to right from West to make the score 12-4.
 
DePaul would get a run back in the bottom half of the seventh on a Baylee Cosgrove RBI double before a diving catch from Dalton in center secured the 12-5 victory for the Bluejays.
 
Brooke Shifflett earned her seventh win (7-7) of the season, limiting DePaul to five runs on four hits with a career-high tying six strikeouts in her third complete game effort of the season. Offensively, Seville closed the game 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored, while Pierson went 1-for-1 with three RBI, two runs scored and a career-high three stolen bases. West added in three RBI of her own, while Dalton went 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
DePaul’s Bella Nigey suffered her second loss of the series, eight runs on nine hits and two walks in 3.1 innings of work. Parker led the Blue Demon’s offense with four RBI on a grand slam, while Cosgrove added in an RBI double of her own.
 
Creighton returns to the field on Tuesday, April 29 when they close out non-conference play with a midweek doubleheader against Kansas City at 3 and 5 p.m. at the Creighton Sports Complex.