Championship Central
VILLANOVA, PA – UConn, Creighton, and Providence earned victories on the second day of the 2025 BIG EAST Softball Championship presented by JEEP. UConn and Creighton will meet in the winner’s bracket during Friday’s first semifinal at 12:00 p.m. ET. Providence will look to upset top-seeded St. John’s (3 p.m.) in the elimination bracket for a spot in the 6:00 p.m. second semifinal.

Friday’s first two games will stream on the BIG EAST Digital Network on Flosports presented by InvescoQQQ. The final contest will air on FS2.

Tickets can be purchased HERE.

#1 St. John’s 3, #4 Creighton 5 | Box Score | Photo Gallery
Fourth-seeded Creighton upset No. 1 St. John’s, 5-3, to advance to Friday’s first semifinal game.

St. John’s Anese Thompson opened scoring in the bottom of the first, logging an RBI single to score Jess Bianco. London Jarrard followed, reaching home on an error. Thompson added the innings’ third tally off an RBI single from Cassidy Stouffer.

Creighton countered with a pair of runs to start the third inning beginning with a tally from Lynn Davis. After registering her 76th hit of the year to set a Bluejay single-season record, Sydra Seville was sent home by an RBI double from Kaelan Schultz.

The Bluejays took the lead in the sixth inning and didn’t look back. Schultz’s bat remained hot, launching a solo homer to center field to tie the contest, 3-3. Erika Perez contributed an RBI single to put Creighton ahead before Ella Dalton crossed home with the insurance run.

Creighton’s Sydney Potter contributed a game-best three hits while Schultz led the contest with two RBI. Kenzie Schopfer threw a complete game for the win.

St. John’s was led by Thompson and Stouffer with two hits apiece. Ana Serafinko earned the start, tossing six innings and striking out four. Loreley Francia finished the final frame.

#2 UConn 5, #6 Providence 4 | Box Score | Photo Gallery
No. 2 UConn outlasted No. 6 Providence, 5-4, to claim the second spot in Friday’s first semifinal.

Providence’s Gabriella Lee posted the first run of the afternoon, crossing home at the top of the opening inning.

The Huskies, however, hammered homers in back-to-back innings to pull ahead. In the bottom of the second, Kaiea Higa launched a two-run homer for UConn’s first tallies of the weekend. Hailey Coupal crossed home to add a third run behind a sac fly from Lexi Hastings. BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Cat Petteys, followed in the third inning with a solo home run over the left field fence.

The Friars mounted another late-game comeback, beginning with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Lee reached on an error, opening the door for Hanna Aldrich to dash home. Sofia Peterson followed with a run of her own off a sac fly. Providence tied the contest, 5-5, with a score in the sixth inning courtesy of a run from Dunn.

UConn countered with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth when Lexi Hastings logged an RBI double to send Coupal home.

Payton Kinney pitched a complete game in Huskies’ circle, producing three strikeouts.

For the Friars, Tori Grifone tossed the first 2.1 innings. Alyssa Twomey hurled the last 3.2.

Hastings and Higa led the Huskies with two hits a piece. BIG EAST Player of the Year, Grace Jenkins, contributed a game-best two RBI.

Providence was paced by Dunn with one run and two RBI.

UConn will meet Creighton in Friday’s first semifinal at 12 p.m. The winner will automatically advance to Friday’s Championship series. The loser will meet the winner of Game 8 in the elimination bracket.

#5 Butler 0, #6 Providence 7 | Box Score | Photo Gallery
Providence blanked Butler, 7-0, to keep their tournament hopes alive.

The Friars scored in the first inning for the second consecutive game. Emma Douma logged two RBI off a single to left field to score Elisa Smith and Gabriella Lee. Douma then tacked on a run off the bat of Hanna Aldrich.

Providence produced another pair of runs in the third when Kaelyn Loncharich singled to score Aldrich and Rachael Petrarca. 

At the bottom of the fourth, Petrarca slugged a two-run homer to left center.

Petrarca led the Friars with three RBI on two hits. Alyssa Twomey earned the win, tossing 5.2 innings. Teammate Jessica Walter pitched 1.1 innings.

Butler was led by Olivia Moxley and Kieli Ryan with two hits apiece. Kayla Noerr, Rylyn Dyer, and Katie Petran shared time in the circle.

The Friars will face St. John’s tomorrow at 3 p.m.

#5 Butler 0, #6 Providence 7 | Box Score | Photo Gallery
Providence blanked Butler, 7-0, to keep their tournament hopes alive.

The Friars scored in the first inning for the second consecutive game. Emma Douma logged two RBI off a single to left field to score Elisa Smith and Gabriella Lee. Douma then tacked on a run off the bat of Hanna Aldrich.

Providence produced another pair of runs in the third when Kaelyn Loncharich singled to score Aldrich and Rachael Petrarca. 

At the bottom of the fourth, Petrarca slugged a two-run homer to left center.

Petrarca led the Friars with three RBI on two hits. Alyssa Twomey earned the win, tossing 5.2 innings. Teammate Jessica Walter pitched 1.1 innings.

Butler was led by Olivia Moxley and Kieli Ryan with two hits apiece. Kayla Noerr, Rylyn Dyer, and Katie Petran shared time in the circle.

The Friars will face St. John’s tomorrow at 3 p.m.