OMAHA, Neb. – Villanova softball suffered its first loss of the BIG EAST calendar on Friday afternoon, falling 8-7 to the Creighton Bluejays in an eight-inning affair.
Elaina Wagner recorded a pair of base knocks in game one of the doubleheader for Villanova (18-15, 9-1 BIG EAST), while Victoria Sebastian (two-run homer) and Lilly St. Jean (two-RBI double) each plated a pair.
Alyssa Seidler went three innings in the start, striking out six Bluejays. Kat Gallant tossed 1.2 frames in relief with five runs surrendered despite only two earned, with Caroline Pellicano receiving the loss in a three-frame outing.
Creighton struck first in the matchup with a run in the opening frame, utilizing a leadoff single before a hit by pitch and two walks plated one.
The Bluejays put a pair of runners in scoring position to begin the home half of the second, then Seidler left them both there with a groundout and a couple strikeouts to keep the deficit at one.
The lineup rewarded their senior hurler right away as Brooklyn Ostrowski belted one over the right fielder's head for a long single before Sebastian lifted one to the opposite field for a two-run bomb and the first VU lead.
Tess Cites reached on an error shortly after and following a two-out walk, Wagner ripped a liner over the shortstop to score Cites and get the 'Cats ahead 3-1.
CU took one of those back with a solo shot to lead off the home half of that inning, turning it into a one-run ballgame.
The bats really came alive in the fifth for a combined nine-run frame from both sides, with Cites earning a leadoff walk to start things out before a hit parade came from the VU lineup. Ally Jones singled up the middle, Wagner put one through the right side then Ava Franz bounced one through the left side to score Cites.
St. Jean did some damage in a full count with the bases juiced, roping a ball into the gap for a two-run two-bagger before a wild pitch made it a 7-2 advantage.
The Jays were not going away though, answering with five tallies in their hacks. Their second ball out of the yard in game one started it, a single, two errors and a hit by pitch brought one more across the dish, then a bloop single plated two more to tie the matchup at seven-all.
Both sides were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh to force VU's first extras of BIG EAST play. After Villanova couldn't get any across in the top despite two baserunners, Creighton started their hacks with a pair of singles and a two-out double delivered the winning run.
UP NEXT: The 'Cats and Bluejays will square off again on Friday afternoon, playing in game two of the doubleheader around 5:20 p.m. ET in Omaha.
