UConn softball team rallies to beat Creighton, 8-3, taking Big East title and NCAA Tournament berth

The UConn softball team rallied for five runs in the sixth inning and earned a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, beating Creighton 8-3 in the Big East final Saturday in Rosemont, Ill.

The Huskies, after winning their first two games of the tournament, needed to win one of two games Saturday. However, Creighton staved off elimination with a 5-2 victory in the opener, setting up the winner-take-all finale.

Big East Player of the Year Cat Petteys went 4-for-5, doubling home a run in the first inning, as UConn took a 3-0 lead, then hitting a home run during the big rally in the sixth, after the Bluejays (33-27) had tied the game.

UConn softball blasts way to within one game of Big East title, return trip to NCAA tournament

Creighton’s Keegan Maheiu, the conference freshman of the year, had a double and triple to hurt the Huskies in the first game, and two doubles in the second, the latter tying the game.

Landrie Harris, who pitched the complete game for Creighton in the opener, relieved in the first inning of the second game and shut the Huskies down until the sixth. Then Heidi Barber tripled to knock in the go-ahead run, and Savannah Ring’s sacrifice fly made it it 5-3. Petteys homered, Emma Willers doubled to drive in one, and scored on Kaitlyn Kibling’s single to cap the rally.

Kaitlyn Breslin drove in three runs during the two games for UConn.

Jessica Walter, who opened the tournament with a win over Creighton, delivered the complete-game performance to deliver UConn (31-26) to its second straight conference title and the automatic NCAA bid. The Huskies will learn their assignment in the field of 64 on Sunday night.

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