#BIGEASTsb Minute: Teams Head South for Weekend Tournaments
NEW YORK – Week one of the softball season saw five BIG EAST teams in action, with Butler leading the way with a strong showing at the Total Control Sports Invitational. The Bulldogs secured a 3-2 showing, including consecutive wins against Miami (Ohio) and Detroit. This week all eight of the conference’s squads will be in action, playing in Alabama, Florida, New Mexico, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Butler - The Bulldogs went 3-2 at the Total Control Sports Invitational, earning wins in their first three games against Miami (Ohio), 13-12, Detroit, 9-8 and Wisconsin-Green Bay, 8-0 in five innings. BIG EAST Player of the Week, Sarah Dixon guided Butler with a .667 slugging percentage, a .500 batting average, nine hits, six runs and six RBI. Dixon's efforts were essential in Butler's 13-12 win over Miami (Ohio) as she posted a walk-off two-run double to clinch the victory. The Bulldogs return to action this weekend with four games in the Mardi Gras Invitational hosted by South Alabama.
Creighton - Creighton opened the 2017 season with five games at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. The Bluejays picked up one win against Saint Mary's (CA) and dropped contests to San Jose State, No. 9 Oregon, Stanford and Cal Poly.
Bryana Clark led the Creighton pitching staff with a 2.15 ERA in 13.0 innings and recorded the first victory of the season. Clark earned BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week accolades for her opening-weekend efforts. This week Creighton heads to Auburn, Ala. to play in the Plainsman Invitational, Feb. 17-19. The Bluejays will face Mercer, No. 2 Auburn and Evansville in a total of five games over three days.
DePaul - The Blue Demons left Louisiana with a 2-3 record to start 2017. DePaul topped Iowa State in two games in the Louisiana Tournament. The Blue Demons won the first matchup 3-2 and the second 3-1. In the second game against the Cyclones, Megan Leyva hit a three-run homer for the DePaul win. Leyva’s home run marked her first of the season and one of three recorded by the Blue Demons over the weekend. This weekend, the Blue Demons travel Las Cruces, New Mexico for the Troy Cox Classic at the New Mexico State Softball Complex, where they will face Oregon State, New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, No.15 Tennessee and Bradley.
Georgetown - The Blue & Gray are coming off an 0-5 weekend at the Felsburg Invitational in Miami, Fla. Freshman Sera Stevens led the team offensively and earned a BIG EAST Honor Roll selection. She paced the offense with two home runs and five RBI. Sophomore Mallory Belknap leads the team in hits with seven. This weekend the Hoyas travel to South Carolina for the USC Upstate/Furman Classic, co-hosted by USC Upstate and Furman, where they will take on Colgate, Furman, Towson and USC Upstate.
Providence - The Providence College softball team is set to open its 2017 season at the D9 Orange Blossom Tournament from Feb.17-19 in Orlando, Fla. The team will play five games over three days against George Washington, Stetson, LIU Brooklyn, Marshall and Bethune Cookman. The Friars return six starters from last season while also welcoming six newcomers for the 2017 season. Sophomore Emma Lee (Orange, Calif.) returns after a strong freshman campaign. In 46 games in right field, Lee set the school record for a single season batting average (.423) and finished second on the team with hits (60).
St. John’s - The Preseason BIG EAST favorites, the Red Storm went 2-3 at the USF-Wilson DeMarini in Tampa, Florida. The highlight of the weekend was an 8-2 victory over Delaware. Tied at two in the sixth, Kaitlyn Wilkens smashed a three-run homer to left field to break the tie before the Johnnies put the game away with three more runs in the seventh to capture their first win of the season by a final score of 8-2. For the second-straight weekend, the St. John's softball team heads down to the sunshine state as the Red Storm squares off against Savannah State, Syracuse, Toledo, Florida Atlantic and Tulsa in the "Strike-Out Cancer" Tournament hosted by FAU in Boca Raton, Fla.
Seton Hall – After winter weather kept the Pirates from traveling to the Felsberg Invitational last weekend, The Hall will open the regular season at the Runnin' Bulldog Invitational hosted by Gardener Webb on Feb. 18-19. While in North Carolina, the Pirates will compete against Hampton, Bucknell and Holy Cross.
Villanova - The Villanova softball team will begin the 2017 campaign at the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, where it will match up against EMU, Michigan State, Oakland, Quinnipiac and UAB.