COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - Recently ranked No. 19 in the D1Softball Mid-Major Top-25, the Seattle U softball team (19-9, 6-0 WAC) extended its winning streak to nine straight games after beating Creighton (11-14, 1-5 Big East) 7-5 in a come from behind victory then 6-5 in the series opening doubleheader at Iowa Western Community College's Marshall Complex on Friday night.
The Redhawks combined for 20 hits, 13 runs and 10 RBI across both games. In turn, they struck out a combined 16 batters. Game one featured four total home runs, the most produced by a Redhawk team since 2019, where SU recorded six against Georgetown.
Reigning WAC Player of the Week sophomore Karen Spadafora led the Redhawks with a .368 batting average, tallying her seventh home run of the season in the game one winning effort. She went 2-of-4 for an RBI. Junior Taylor Fitch matched Spadafora with her seventh homer of the season, pacing the team with three hits against the Bluejays. She ended the night with a run and 2 RBI.
Sophomore Mikee Morris recorded her second home run of the season. She ended the night with 2 RBI and 2 runs. In addition to Fitch and Spadafora, three more Redhawks recorded multiple hits in the opening game. Senior Tai Wilson collected two alongside freshman Abbie Fales and sophomore Sophia Kissling. Both Fales and Kissling scored runs.
Leading from the circle and collecting her sixth win of the season was sophomore Berkley Vance. Vance, after setting a career high nine strikeouts against Utah Tech in that series' finale, turned around and delivered a new career high against the Bluejays. She faced 30 batters and struck out 13 of them. The mark ranks tied-second all-time in a single game. She is the first Redhawk to dish out 13 strikeouts since Shi Smith did so in 2020.
Vance pitched a career high 8.0 innings in the win, allowing four hits and no runs after senior Nicola Simpson earned the start and pitched for 1.0 innings.
Creighton struck first and capitalized early on a Redhawk error in the bottom of the first, scoring five runs before the Redhawks escaped the inning leaving two final Bluejay runners on. Spadafora broke through first for the Redhawks off her homer out of left field to cut into the deficit before the Bluejays were held scoreless in the bottom of the second.
Neither team could get runs through until the Redhawks struck again in the top of the sixth. In that time span, Vance struck out seven batters, catching two looking.
For the second time in as many weeks, two separate Redhawks scored two home runs in the same inning, as Fitch and Simpson delivered one a piece for the Redhawks to cut Creighton's lead to two runs in the top of the sixth. Vance followed suit with two more strikeouts.
SU recorded three hits in the top of the seventh, while scoring runs off a wild pitch and an RBI single from Fitch. The run from Morris evened the game 5-all in the top of the seventh. In turn, the Redhawk defense sent down the next three Creighton batters, with Vance striking out two of them.
After being held scoreless in the eighth, Vance tossed another backwards K while holding the Bluejays scoreless. In the top of the ninth, the Redhawks had a runner on off a Bluejay error before Morris blasted a homer out of center field to get the Redhawks their first lead of the day. With one final chance, Creighton sent up its last three batters and the Redhawks sent all three down while Vance collected her 13th strikeout to clinch the 7-5 comeback win.
After the nine inning affair, the Redhawks returned for game two. Graduate Jasmine Wehn led the Redhawks with two hits, two RBI and a run in three at bats. Also collecting two RBI was freshman Camryn Johnson, who recorded a hit and a run in two at bats. Six Redhawks accounted for the seven hits, while six separate Redhawks scored runs.
Leading from the circle was senior Naomi Chaidez. She pitched her way to her second win of the season while going for a new career high 7.0 innings pitched. She faced 34 batters and struck out two of them, allowing six hits and five runs of which four were earned.
Seattle U picked right back up with its offense at the start of game two. After Wilson was walked and moved into scoring position from two wild pitches, Wehn singled through the left side to score Wilson to put SU up early. A single from Simpson advanced Wehn before Spadafora was walked to load the bases. Johnson was walked immediately after to score Wehn to take the lead 2-0 after the first. A sacrifice fly from Creighton got the Bluejays on board in the bottom of the first.
Neither team scored in the second. In the top of the third, Fitch would score after getting walked and taking advantage of two more wild pitches. Spadafora and freshman pinch runner Zoe Hopkins were advanced into scoring position after wild pitches as Johnson hit out the sacrifice fly to draw in Hopkins to give the Redhawks the 4-1 lead.
Both teams were held scoreless until the sixth inning. An RBI single from Wehn built up the Redhawk lead 5-1 before the Bluejays pulled within striking distance off of two home runs.
Holding the 5-4 lead heading into the seventh inning, Johnson singled and Morris was walked to get two runners on. Johnson would score SU's final run off a passed ball. In response, the Bluejays scored off an RBI double but Johnson would collect the final out to cement the win 6-5.
Seattle U returns to action tomorrow morning for its final game of its series against Creighton. The game will once again take place on Iowa Western Community College's campus and is set for 8 AM PT. Live stats are available.
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The Redhawks combined for 20 hits, 13 runs and 10 RBI across both games. In turn, they struck out a combined 16 batters. Game one featured four total home runs, the most produced by a Redhawk team since 2019, where SU recorded six against Georgetown.
Reigning WAC Player of the Week sophomore Karen Spadafora led the Redhawks with a .368 batting average, tallying her seventh home run of the season in the game one winning effort. She went 2-of-4 for an RBI. Junior Taylor Fitch matched Spadafora with her seventh homer of the season, pacing the team with three hits against the Bluejays. She ended the night with a run and 2 RBI.
Sophomore Mikee Morris recorded her second home run of the season. She ended the night with 2 RBI and 2 runs. In addition to Fitch and Spadafora, three more Redhawks recorded multiple hits in the opening game. Senior Tai Wilson collected two alongside freshman Abbie Fales and sophomore Sophia Kissling. Both Fales and Kissling scored runs.
Leading from the circle and collecting her sixth win of the season was sophomore Berkley Vance. Vance, after setting a career high nine strikeouts against Utah Tech in that series' finale, turned around and delivered a new career high against the Bluejays. She faced 30 batters and struck out 13 of them. The mark ranks tied-second all-time in a single game. She is the first Redhawk to dish out 13 strikeouts since Shi Smith did so in 2020.
Vance pitched a career high 8.0 innings in the win, allowing four hits and no runs after senior Nicola Simpson earned the start and pitched for 1.0 innings.
Creighton struck first and capitalized early on a Redhawk error in the bottom of the first, scoring five runs before the Redhawks escaped the inning leaving two final Bluejay runners on. Spadafora broke through first for the Redhawks off her homer out of left field to cut into the deficit before the Bluejays were held scoreless in the bottom of the second.
Neither team could get runs through until the Redhawks struck again in the top of the sixth. In that time span, Vance struck out seven batters, catching two looking.
For the second time in as many weeks, two separate Redhawks scored two home runs in the same inning, as Fitch and Simpson delivered one a piece for the Redhawks to cut Creighton's lead to two runs in the top of the sixth. Vance followed suit with two more strikeouts.
SU recorded three hits in the top of the seventh, while scoring runs off a wild pitch and an RBI single from Fitch. The run from Morris evened the game 5-all in the top of the seventh. In turn, the Redhawk defense sent down the next three Creighton batters, with Vance striking out two of them.
After being held scoreless in the eighth, Vance tossed another backwards K while holding the Bluejays scoreless. In the top of the ninth, the Redhawks had a runner on off a Bluejay error before Morris blasted a homer out of center field to get the Redhawks their first lead of the day. With one final chance, Creighton sent up its last three batters and the Redhawks sent all three down while Vance collected her 13th strikeout to clinch the 7-5 comeback win.
After the nine inning affair, the Redhawks returned for game two. Graduate Jasmine Wehn led the Redhawks with two hits, two RBI and a run in three at bats. Also collecting two RBI was freshman Camryn Johnson, who recorded a hit and a run in two at bats. Six Redhawks accounted for the seven hits, while six separate Redhawks scored runs.
Leading from the circle was senior Naomi Chaidez. She pitched her way to her second win of the season while going for a new career high 7.0 innings pitched. She faced 34 batters and struck out two of them, allowing six hits and five runs of which four were earned.
Seattle U picked right back up with its offense at the start of game two. After Wilson was walked and moved into scoring position from two wild pitches, Wehn singled through the left side to score Wilson to put SU up early. A single from Simpson advanced Wehn before Spadafora was walked to load the bases. Johnson was walked immediately after to score Wehn to take the lead 2-0 after the first. A sacrifice fly from Creighton got the Bluejays on board in the bottom of the first.
Neither team scored in the second. In the top of the third, Fitch would score after getting walked and taking advantage of two more wild pitches. Spadafora and freshman pinch runner Zoe Hopkins were advanced into scoring position after wild pitches as Johnson hit out the sacrifice fly to draw in Hopkins to give the Redhawks the 4-1 lead.
Both teams were held scoreless until the sixth inning. An RBI single from Wehn built up the Redhawk lead 5-1 before the Bluejays pulled within striking distance off of two home runs.
Holding the 5-4 lead heading into the seventh inning, Johnson singled and Morris was walked to get two runners on. Johnson would score SU's final run off a passed ball. In response, the Bluejays scored off an RBI double but Johnson would collect the final out to cement the win 6-5.
Seattle U returns to action tomorrow morning for its final game of its series against Creighton. The game will once again take place on Iowa Western Community College's campus and is set for 8 AM PT. Live stats are available.
Donate Today
Fans interested in making a gift to Seattle University Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly impacts all Redhawk student athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. Thank you for supporting Seattle University Athletics!
Follow Along With the Action
Stay connected with Seattle U softball and get all the latest team updates by downloading the GoSeattleU mobile app available now for free in the App Store or Google Play.