VILLANOVA, Pa. – It was a thrilling day for Villanova softball as the Wildcats secured two come-from-behind victories in a Friday doubleheader against Creighton.
Villanova (12-13, 4-1 BIG EAST) totaled 12 runs on the day, with nine of those coming in their last chances at the plate.
The first contest saw the 'Cats take a 4-3 win over the Bluejays, with senior Chloe Smith leading the way with two hits and two RBIs. Kat Gallant earned the victory for VU after pitching all seven innings while allowing just two earned runs and one walk while striking out five.
The Wildcats began the scoring in the second inning as outfielder Kelsey White blasted the first pitch of her at bat to left field, clearing the fence for her first home run of the season.
In the third frame, Smith rocketed a pitch off the top of the second baseman's glove that scored a run after a near baserunning snafu ended positively for VU when the Creighton catcher made an error on a throw to second base to bring the score to 2-0.
The Bluejays proceeded to score the next three runs, utilizing a fifth inning sacrifice fly, sixth inning home run and seventh stanza RBI double to take the lead.
With two outs in the home half of the seventh, Smith saved the day by putting a ball over the wall in right-center field to tie the game and kick off a two-out rally.
Lilly St. Jean walked, Ally Jones singled and White was hit by a pitch before sophomore Ava Franz delivered the game-winning hit on a 2-1 count with a single through the left side for a walkoff win.
The second game was all Creighton in the early going, but a seven-run sixth frame put the Wildcats ahead and allowed them to secure an 8-7 win. Tess Cites recorded three hits, two runs and two RBIs in the game, while Jones added two hits of her own.
White earned the victory for the 'Cats, tossing five innings and allowing four earned runs while striking out three and inducing 12 batted-ball outs. Peyton Schnackenberg also appeared in the circle for VU, striking out one in her nine batters faced as the starter.
Creighton struck straight away in the contest, using a leadoff double, bunt single and sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead on the opening three batters.
That advantage grew in the ensuing frames as the top of the third brought two more runs across, then an RBI single in the fourth gave CU a 4-0 edge.
Villanova finally got on the board in the fifth as Cites laced a two-out double and consecutive walks then loaded the bases before Cites came home on a wild pitch.
The Bluejays snatched momentum back with a no-out, three-run homer to bring the score to 7-1 in the top of the sixth.
But the VU bats finally awoke in the sixth, as Jones and Franz each singled to lead off the frame. Ryan Henry then doubled into the right-center gap to pick up two RBIs before Kendall Spivey reached on an error and Dani Dabroski singled through the left side.
The Wildcats' hit leader Cites came to the dish and delivered for her squad, singling through the left side to score two and advancing to second to put two runners in scoring position.
White then doubled down the left field line, missing her second home run of the day by inches, to bring the score even. After a walk by Smith and a wild pitch, St. Jean lifted a pitch into center field that was deep enough to score White from third, and suddenly, it was an 8-7 lead after a seven-run inning.
White returned to the circle for the final stanza, working through a one-out single and getting two straight ground-ball outs to pick up the second victory of the day for Villanova.
The wins move VU's all-time record against Creighton to 14-9, with Villanova having a five-game winning streak going into the final game of the 2023 series.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats and Bluejays will square off in the series finale on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at the Villanova Softball Complex.
