OMAHA, Neb. — The Creighton softball team fell 10-5 to UConn during the series finale on Sunday at the Creighton Sports Complex.
After a 1-2 showing during the home-opening weekend against the Huskies, the Bluejays moved their league record to 3-3 and overall mark to 7-7, while the Huskies improved to 2-1 in league action and 9-10 overall after claiming two out of three games in Omaha.
Kiara Mills and Kailey Wilson each homered for Creighton during the setback. Mills hit a two-run homer in the fifth for her second of the season, and Wilson launched her team-leading fourth of the year with a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh.
The Bluejays opened the game by taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ashley Cantu singled and both Wilson and Mills walked to load the bases before Mikaela Pechar recorded an RBI on a full-count walk. The inning ended with a fielders choice at second base and limited Creighton to the single run.
After UConn went down in order in the top of the second, Victoria Alvarez singled on the first pitch in the bottom half of the frame but did not move past first base as the Huskies went to their bullpen and ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts and pop out.
The visitors led off the third with a walk and put runners at second and third with two outs. Jana Sandan gave UConn a 3-1 advantage with a two-strike, two-out home run over the right-center field wall.
Creighton put two on in the third but failed to score before the Huskies added to their lead with two runs on three hits and an error during the top of the fourth.
Alvarez scored the second Bluejay run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. The junior shortstop led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and crossed home plate on a single by Ashley Cantu.
UConn gained a five-run edge with a two-run homer in the top of the fifth.
Creighton needed only two hitters to break into the Huskies lead in home half of the fifth frame. Sam Alm walked on four pitches before Mills lifted a two-run homer over the left-center field wall to cut the deficit back to three runs, 7-4.
Sanden delivered for the Huskies in the top of the sixth by recording her second three-run homer of the day to help UConn take a 10-4 lead.
Wilson hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the seventh but the Bluejays did not score again before a foul out near the Creighton dugout ended the game.
Cantu led the Bluejays with a pair of hits, while Mills tallied a team-high two RBIs. Parker Boyd pitched five innings and recorded the loss, while Mikayla Santa Cruz posted two innings of relief work.
Creighton returns to action on Wednesday for a game against UNO, which was originally scheduled for March 17. First pitch between the Bluejays and Mavericks at Connie Claussen Field is scheduled for 5 p.m.
