OMAHA, Neb. – Villanova softball suffered its first BIG EAST series loss this season, falling 12-4 in the rubber match on Saturday against the Creighton Bluejays.
The Wildcats took advantage of a windy day in Omaha initially with three players blasting early-inning homers for Villanova (19-16, 10-2 BIG EAST), Grace Reed sending out a two-run shot with Tess Cites and Brooklyn Ostrowski each launching solos.
Lilly St. Jean provided the only other hit for the 'Cats and Cites reached base all three times she stepped up to the the plate, adding two walks to her ledger.
Alyssa Seidler surrendered four runs in the start, Kelsey White picked up the loss despite striking out three and allowing zero earned runs and Maranda Runco made her second BIG EAST appearance in the circle.
The 'Cats threatened early on with a pair of leadoff walks and a throwing error by the catcher put runners on the corners, but a lineout turned into a double play and a popout ended the chance scoreless.
Creighton made Villanova pay for the lack of opening-frame runs, earning a leadoff baserunner with a walk, getting her into scoring position with a sacrifice and scoring on a bloop double.
St. Jean began the second stanza with a single through the left side and Reed delivered, sending one over the wall in right center for a 2-1 visiting advantage.
The Bluejays didn't take very long to respond, stringing together a hit by pitch, double and walk to load up the bags before a two-run single got the home side ahead again with nobody out. White entered the circle and settled things down, allowing one to score on a sacrifice fly but getting a subsequent groundout and strikeout to keep the damage at 4-2.
But the Villanova lineup kept on mashing as the BIG EAST home run leaders did just that with Cites and Ostrowski each putting solo shots over the wall in the third for a tie ballgame.
It wouldn't stay tied for long as four VU errors in the bottom half of that frame allowed five unearned tallies to cross, making the scoreboard read 9-4.
CU's ace came on and despite hard contact up and down the Villanova lineup, the 'Cats managed few baserunners and couldn't scratch any more across. Despite a pair of shutdown innings by White, Creighton added three runs in the sixth to go up 12-4, induce the run rule and take the weekend series.
UP NEXT: The Wildcats will return to the Villanova Softball Complex for a four-game swing, hosting the Delaware Blue Hens on Tuesday before a series opposite St. John's at the weekend.
