Creighton Softball Falls To UCONN In Big East Semi's

VILLANOVA, Pa. -- The fourth-seeded Creighton softball team had its 10-game winning streak snapped, falling to second-seeded UConn, 12-1, during the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals on Friday night at the Villanova Softball Complex in Villanova, Pa.
 
The loss drops the Bluejays to 29-24 on the season and into an elimination game against the winner of St. John's/Providence on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Central. UConn improved to 34-17 on the year, advancing to the BIG EAST Title game on Saturday.
 
UConn struck first, taking advantage of free bases to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. A single up the middle from Grace Jenkins got things started while a single from Kaiea Higa and a Bluejay fielding error put runners on the corners with one away. Rosie Garcia following with a walk to load the bases, before Kaitlyn Breslin was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the game.
 
The Huskies added to their lead in the top of the third as Jenkins blasted a solo home run to straight away center to give UConn a 2-0 lead.
 
UConn extended their lead in the fifth inning, plating five runs on five hits to open up a 7-0 advantage. Lexi Hasting opened the frame with a leadoff single to left before Jenkins launched her second home run of the game and her BIG EAST-leading 21st homer of the season to put the Huskies out in front, 4-0. Following a Bluejay pitching change, Higa drew a five-pitch walk, before Cat Petteys, the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, lifted a two-run shot to right to push the lead out to 6-0. One out later, Haley Coupal singled to left and came around to score moments later as Kaitlyn Kibling delivered an RBI double into the left center field gap to make it 7-0.
 
Creighton would answer with a run of their own in the home half of the fifth, loading the bases with a single from pinch-hitter Avery Barnard, a walk to Sydra Seville and a hit-by-pitch from Ashten Pierson, before a four-pitch walk from Lily West push across the Bluejays lone run of the contest to cut the deficit to 7-1.
 
UConn added five additional runs in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Petteys, an RBI single from Breslin and a three-run homer from Coupal to capture the 12-1 victory.

CU collected three hits in the contest with Seville recording Creighton's single season hits record with her 77th hit of the season. Senior Kenzie Schopfer suffered her first loss since April 1st, snapping a nine-game win streak that was the longest by a CU pitcher since Tara Oltman in 2009. 

Jenkins led an explosive UConn offense, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and a BIG EAST Tournament record four runs scored, while Higa and Coupal each collected two hits. Peyton Kinney earned her 14th win of the season, firing 4.0 scoreless innings of one hit ball. 
 
The Bluejays will continue play at the 2025 BIG EAST Softball Championships on Saturday afternoon against the winner of St. John's/Providence in an elimination game at 12:30 p.m. CT in a contest that will air on the BIG EAST Digital Network.