OMAHA, NE ? The Creighton Bluejays (40-14, 18-3 MVC) proved why they currently sit atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings as they swept the Indiana State softball team in a three-game set this weekend. After dropping back-to-back games yesterday, the Sycamores (19-26-1, 7-13 MVC) were unable to redeem themselves today as they lost to the league-leading Bluejays 4-0.
The Bluejays Tara Oltman (29-6) left off where she did yesterday only allowing four hits to the Sycamores in the entire seven innings.
Meredith Simpson singled to lead off the first inning for the Sycamores and reached second thanks to a Christina Meyers sacrifice bunt. Simpson would eventually reach third on a Katie Armour groundout but that's as far as she would get.
The Bluejays plated all four runs within the first three innings; one in the first, one in the second, and two in the fourth. Bailey Dawson hit a solo homerun to right field for the Bluejays in the bottom of the third inning to up their lead 3-0. The fourth run would be unearned as a Bluejay batter reached first base on a Sycamore error and the final run crossed home plate after what should have been three outs.
Katie Armour pitched just the first two innings for the Sycamores but receives the loss for giving up all four runs. Meagan McCurdy finished out the game giving up four hits in five innings but not allowing anymore runs.
Simpson and Lindsey Starwalt were the only two Sycamores who tallied hits in the game. Simpson went 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk while Starwalt went 2-for-3 also with two singles.
Oltman once again dominated on the mound and picked up her eleventh straight win. With the sweep of the Sycamores, the Bluejays clinched at least a share of the MVC regular-season title with one weekend still remaining in the season.
The Sycamores will conclude regular season play with a visit to Evansville, Indiana to take on the Purple Aces (22-19, 8-12 MVC) in a three-game series beginning Saturday. The Purple Aces faced last-place Bradley this weekend and won 2-of-3 games including game three this afternoon.
Bradley shut out the Aces 1-0 in the first game but the Aces battled back for eight runs in the second game to win 8-5. Bradley's Ashley Birdsong tossed a one-hit shutout in the Aces' 1-0 loss. The Aces took the third game and series win over Bradley this afternoon 5-0 behind senior Jacki Bradley. Bradley went the distance in the circle for her team-leading tenth win of the season and allowed just five hits and struck out seven in the game.
The Aces (22-19, 8-12) will travel to Louisville on Tuesday for a midweek game before returning home to host the Sycamores in the final series of the season for both teams. Saturday's doubleheader with the Aces will begin at 1:00 p.m. with the second game following twenty minutes later. The series finale will also begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
