DePaul Repeats as #BIGEASTsb Champions
Box Score
CHICAGO – In a battle between top-seeded DePaul (35-15, 15-3 BIG EAST) and No. 2 seed Creighton (28-15, 12-3 BIG EAST), the Blue Demons repeated as BIG EAST Softball champions with a 6-2 victory over the Bluejays on Saturday in the BIG EAST Championship Presented by Jeep at the Ballpark at Rosemont. The victory gives DePaul its fourth BIG EAST title under head coach Eugene Lenti, who coached in his 2,001st game on Saturday.
Creighton struck first in the opening inning of play, taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the frame. Ashley Cantu began the day hitting a double, before senior Sam Crowley recorded a sacrifice bunt to send Cantu over to third base. Kelli Finan then recorded an RBI single to place the Bluejays on the board. Two batters later Hope Moreno knocked a shot to deep center field for an RBI double, sending Finan home.
The Blue Demons bounced back in the second half of the inning with two runs of their own to even the ball-game at 2-2. Megan Leyva followed Jessica Cothern’s single with an RBI triple to give DePaul its first run of the afternoon. Angela Scalzitti then collected her sixth RBI of the series with a single to right field.
In the bottom of the second, Blue Demon pitcher Missy Zoch settled back down after allowing three hits and two runs in the opening frame, striking out all three of the batters she faced in the inning.
DePaul kept the momentum swinging in its direction, with the bases loaded in the bottom half of the second. Kate Polucha collected an RBI with a pop out sending Alysia Rodriguez home to take a 3-2 lead. With runners on second and third, Kiele Miller closed out the inning with only one run allowed, when she forced Morgan Greenwood to strike out swinging.
Moments after the top of third got underway, play was halted with Crowley standing on first base due to inclement weather in the area. Following a 101-minute delay, play resumed with Zoch forcing a strikeout and a ground out to end the inning without a run allowed.
In the top of the fourth, Creighton was knocking on the door with the bases loaded before Zoch forced a pop out to the second baseman to get DePaul out of the jam.
With no scoring taking place in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, Leyva stepped up to the plate for the Blue Demons with a runner on first. The senior collected her fourth RBI of the Championship when she drilled a home run to left field to place the Blue Demons out in front 5-3.
In the bottom of the sixth, DePaul extended its lead when Cothern hit a single up the middle, sending Hadyn Christensen home from third.
Overall, Zoch (16-5) picked up the win for DePaul, providing the Blue Demons with four innings of work in the center circle. Zoch allowed just two runs on five hits while striking out five Bluejays. Freshman Pat Moore came on in the fifth to provide DePaul with three scoreless innings of relief, picking up her third save of 2018.
For her individual effort throughout the tournament, Leyva was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Joining Leyva on the BIG EAST’s All-Tournament team were DePaul’s Scalzitti, Zoch, and Polucha, Creighton’s Cantu, Miller and Moreno, St. John’s Krystal Puga and Villanova’s Dana Morris.
With Saturday’s victory, DePaul punches its ticket to the NCAA tournament. The Blue Demons will learn which regional they will compete in on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET during the NCAA Softball Championship Selection Show on ESPN2.
2018 BIG EAST Most Outstanding Tournament Player
Megan Leyva, DePaul, CF
BIG EAST All-Tournament Team
Megan Leyva, DePaul, CF
Kate Palucha, DePaul, LF
Angela Scalzitti, DePaul, RF
Missy Zoch, DePaul, P
Ashley Cantu, Creighton, RF
Kiele Miller, Creighton, P
Hope Moreno, Creighton, 1B
Krystal Puga, St. John’s, 1B
Dana Morris, Villanova, INF