Championship Central
ROSEMONT, ILL. – With victories in the 2026 BIG EAST Softball Championship semifinals, #2 UConn and #3 Creighton advanced to face off in the title round on Saturday, May 9 (1 p.m. CT) at the Parkway Bank Softball Complex. The if-necessary game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT.
The tournament winner will earn the league’s automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Softball Championship.
Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
UConn, the reigning BIG EAST tournament champions, have appeared in the Championship game in four of the last six seasons.
Creighton has advanced to the Championship the last three consecutive seasons, meeting UConn in the previous two.
#2 UConn, 12, #4 Butler, 1 (6) – Box Score
Behind a two-home run effort from Emma Willers, #2 UConn defeated #4 Butler, 12-1 (6).
UConn broke through a scoreless first three innings to score five runs at the top of the fourth. With bases loaded, Kaitlyn Bresling walked in on a hit by pitch. In the next at-bat, Caylee De Meo notched a two-run single, scoring Kaitlyn Kibling and Willers. Calciano tacked on another run courtesy of an RBI single off the bat of Heidi Barber before De Meo scored a run of her own.
In the fifth inning, Willers launched a two-run homer over the right field fence. Her hot bat continued into the sixth inning when she delivered the first grand slam of the weekend. Her two home runs and three runs scored matched BIG EAST Championship records.
Kibling added another run before the inning’s end.
Hailey Conger scored the Bulldogs’ lone run in the bottom of the sixth.
The Huskies notched 10 hits in the victory while Butler logged three.
UConn’s Caprice Bohmer earned the win. The freshman threw 4.0 innings and struck out a weekend-high six batters. Teammates Jessica Walter and Amber Bretton hurled one inning each.
Butler’s Rylyn Dyer took the loss, tossing three innings with one strikeout. Teammate Katie Petran pitched 2.2 innings and Kate Murray threw 0.1.
#3 Creighton, 9, #4 Butler, 0 – Box Score
Three-seed Creighton defeated #4 Butler, 9-0 (6) to advance through the elimination bracket to Saturday’s Championship.
The Bluejays batted in a pair of runs off two doubles in the first inning. Keegan Mayhue registered an RBI double to score Lily West before finding home herself off the bat of Zoey Greenwood.
In the fourth inning, Emma Bailey contributed a run behind an RBI single from Avery Barnard. Kaelan Schultz then sent Barnard home with an RBI single of her own. Tara Vandewater punctuated the inning with an RBI double to score Schultz and Ella Dalton.
Barnard found home on a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning, opening the door for Mayhue to walk it off with a three-run homer.
The Bluejays out-hit the Bulldogs 10-6.
Creighton’s Audrey Gilman earned the win, throwing a complete game with three strikeouts.
Butler’s Alyx Johnson bore the loss, tossing 3.2 innings and striking out two. Teammate Maren Berger logged 2.0 innings in the circle and struck out one.
2026 BIG EAST Softball Championship Schedule
Thursday, May 7
Game 1 (12 p.m. CT/ 1 p.m. ET): #1 Providence, 3 vs. #4 Butler, 10 Box Score - Photo Gallery
Game 2 (3 p.m. CT/ 4 p.m. ET): #2 UConn, 9 vs. #3 Creighton, 3 Box Score - Photo Gallery
Game 3 (6 p.m. CT/ 7 p.m. ET): #1 Providence, 2 vs. #3 Creighton, 4 Box Score - Photo Gallery
Friday, May 8
Game 4 (1 p.m. CT/ 2 p.m. ET): #2 UConn, 12 vs. #4 Butler, 1 (6) Box Score - Photo Gallery
Game 5 (4 p.m. CT/ 5 p.m. ET): #3 Creighton, 9 vs. #4 Butler, 0 (6) Box Score - Photo Gallery
Saturday, May 9
Game 6 (1 p.m. CT/ 2 p.m. ET): #2 UConn vs. #3 Creighton (ESPN+) - Live Stats
Game 7 (3:30 p.m. CT/ 4:30 p.m. ET): If Winner of Game 5 Wins Game 6 (ESPN+) - Live Stats