Softball 4/22/2009 9:15:00 PM None

Softball Smashes SDSU in Doubleheader Sweep

OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton hit five home runs in a record-setting third inning to help the Bluejays cruise to a 14-1 win in game one of Wednesday's doubleheader with South Dakota State at the CU Sports Complex. The Bluejays topped the Jackrabbits 5-1 in the night cap to improve to 29-12 on the season. Renae Sinkler and Bailey Dawson twice hit back-to-back home runs in CU's 10-run third inning, while Sara Loeffelholz - who also homered in game two - smashed a round tripper in the frame. The five home runs in one game tied a school record, while establishing a school mark for homers in one inning.

SDSU (9-33) scored first in both games, only to be held scoreless over the remainder of the contests. The Jackrabbits used a busted squeeze play in the opener to produce a double steal of third and home for their only run.

The Bluejays' took their first lead of the day with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. A ground out by Lauren Larson drove home Dawson with the game's first run, while Loeffelholz would score an unearned run on a single by Jessi Jadlowski to put the Jays up 2-1.

The offense erupted with one out in CU's 10-run third inning. Sinkler sent a towering blast to deep center field for her first trip around the bases in the third. Dawson sent Jenna Marston's (4-19) next pitch over the left field fence for her first home deep fly of the season. After Michelle Graner was hit by a pitch, Loeffelholz connected for her first home run of the day and CU was up 6-1.

A walk to Larson and a bunt single by Jessica Wakasugi set up Jadlowski for another RBI single. With two outs, Michelle Koch had an infield RBI single to precede the second round of back-to-back home runs by CU's three-and-four hole hitters. Sinkler pulled her second homer of the inning and team-leading 11th of the year, a three-run shot, over the left field fence and Dawson followed by lining her second long ball of the inning over the center field fence to conclude scoring in the big inning. Dawson now has six home runs on the year and stands alone in fourth place in school history with 29 career bombs.

The Jays tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning, as head coach Brent Vigness paraded five pinch-hitters to the plate in the frame. Freshman Kari Sakamoto walked to open the inning in her first collegiate plate appearance. With one out, Jess Stigge came off the bench to collect her first hit in six at bats this year, a double down the left field line. Cassidy Nee's pinch-hit single drove home Sakamoto and Stigge would score on a ground out by pinch-hitter Alexa Mackevicius. Lau Emmsley-Chang also pinch-hit in the inning and recorded her first base hit in 12 at bats this season.

The mercy rule halted the game after five innings, with Tara Oltman (23-8) going the shortened distance for the win. SDSU's first batter of the game was the only hit Oltman allowed in the outing, while she struck out eight and walked one in five innings.

Every available Bluejay with the exception of game-two starting pitcher Kylie Hovinga appeared in the first game, while nine different Bluejays had a hit and 10 different players scored in the blowout. Sinkler, Dawson, Loeffelholz and Jadlowski each had two hits in the opener.

Game two started much the way game one did, with SDSU scoring one run in the top of the first. A pair of CU errors and three hits by the Jackrabbits produced the early lead for the visitors once again.

Again CU did not score until the bottom of the second inning, as Loeffelholz unloaded her second home run of the day with one out. The junior now has six home runs on the year and team-best 18 extra-base hits.

Two more Bluejay runs crossed the plate in the third. Jadlowski walked to start the inning and she was followed by a bunt single from Liz McKewon. With one out, Sinkler sent a hard single to center field to load the bases for Dawson. The CU shortstop delivered a sacrifice fly against the left field fence, scoring Jadlowski with the go-ahead run. Graner added an RBI single to put the Jays up 3-1 after three in the night cap.

Creighton added single tallies in the fifth and sixth innings. Sinkler had a turf-aided triple down the right field line to lead off the fifth and Graner plated that run with a sac fly. Larson led off the sixth with a double, while that run would later score on a bunt single by Jadlowski.

Hovinga moved to 6-4 with the complete game win. The freshman left-hander allowed five hits, just two after the first inning, while she walked one and struck out one.

Sinkler and Jadlowski again had two hits in the night cap. Sinkler finished the twin bill 4-for-7 with a triple, two home runs and four RBI. Jadlowski was 4-for-4 with three RBI and a walk in the two wins.

The Bluejays' 10-run third inning of game one is not even their highest scoring inning this year, as they plated 11 runs in the fourth inning of an 18-5 win over Saint Louis on Feb. 20. The previous school record of five home runs in one game was accomplished against Northern Colorado at the CU Sports Complex on April 28, 2004.

Creighton returns to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend when it plays a three-game series at Missouri State. The Bluejays and Bears play a pair on Saturday at noon and conclude the series with a single game on Sunday at noon.

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