The Valparaiso University softball team started out action at the Hawkeye Invitational from Iowa City, Iowa on Friday with a pair of games. The Crusaders fell in their tournament opener to Creighton, 12-4, and then dropped a 3-0 decision to host Iowa in the nightcap.

How It Happened – Creighton

• Creighton struck for three runs in the first six batters of the first, and added two more runs in the top of the third to take a 5-0 lead.
• After leaving two runners on base in each of the first two innings, the Crusaders strung together a two-out rally to post a crooked number in the third. With two on and two out, junior Jasmine Ramirez (Litchfield Park, Ariz./Millennium) lined a double down the left-field line to score Valpo’s first run, and an infield grounder brought sophomore Jaymee Lawton (Goodyear, Ariz./Desert Edge [Utah Valley]) home with another tally.
• Junior Lanie Callaghan (Elburn, Ill./Kaneland) followed by dropping an RBI single into shallow left-center to make it a 5-3 game, and two batters later, sophomore Carly Trepanier (Manteno, Ill./Manteno) drew a bases-loaded walk for the fourth run of the inning to bring Valpo within one run.
• But Creighton scored three runs on a Valpo error in the top of the fourth to push its lead out to 8-4, and then added four more runs in the fifth to complete the run-rule victory.

How It Happened – Iowa

• Valpo put two on with two out in the top of the first, but couldn’t take the early lead. Iowa then scored a run in the bottom half of the frame on a double steal.
• The Crusaders would have chances to even the game in each of the next three innings, as leadoff base hits and well-executed sacrifices put a runner in scoring position with one away in all three frames. But Valpo was unable to push across a run in any of the three opportunities.
• A squeeze bunt plated an Iowa insurance run in the fourth, and the Hawkeyes added a third run in the sixth on a solo homer from Allie Wood.

Inside the Games

• Ramirez tallied a pair of hits in the opener versus Creighton, while senior Sam Stewart (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) reached base in all three of her plate appearances (1-for-1, two walks) and Trepanier and Callaghan reached twice as well.
• Trepanier also picked up a base hit versus Iowa, extending her hitting streak to 15 games and her on-base streak to all 16 games this year. Stewart drew a walk against the Hawkeyes and has reached base in all 16 games this season as well.
• Junior Mackenzie Grossmann (Perry, Mo./Mark Twain [Morehead State]) took the loss in the opener, falling to 5-4 after giving up five runs in 2.1 innings of work. Fellow junior Ashlyn Montgomery (Lebanon, Ind./Lebanon) fell to 4-2 on the year as she started the game against Iowa and surrendered three runs in 5.2 innings.

Next Up

The Crusaders (10-6) continue action from Iowa City on Saturday evening with a single game versus South Dakota, scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch. Live stats will be available via ValpoAthletics.com.