OMAHA, Neb.—After falling behind 9-5 in game one, the University of Evansville softball team had its rally cap on in game two. However, the Aces’ (17-33, 9-16) five-run seventh inning fell just short of a comeback, as Creighton (33-20, 18-6) took the second half of Saturday 8-6 at the CU Sports Complex.

Creighton 9, Evansville 5

The Bluejays started the game hot, as Michelle Koch and Renae Sinkler hit home runs both to right center in the team’s first two at-bats in the first inning. The offense continued in the second with Liz McKewon getting a hit to right field. After the Aces turned a double play in the next at-bat, two walks set up another Sinkler homer to lead 5-0.

UE reached the scoreboard in the third inning as the team’s only hit of the inning was a grand slam from reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week Amy Gaertner to put the Aces down by one. The lead didn’t last too long, as the Jays earned four runs off of five hits and two errors in the fourth and fifth inning combined to lead 9-4.

The Aces grabbed one more one in the sixth with pinch hitters Kelci Alsip and Maggie Little singling and Ashleigh Rahming walking to load the bases. Lindauer then brought in the final run on a hit toward the pitcher.

CU’s Tara Oltman (28-11) earned the win after a complete game with five hits, six walks and seven strikeouts. Kendall Kautz (12-14) took the loss after two innings of work with five runs on four hits and three walks. Elizabeth Grover did the rest of the time, as she had four runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two.

Creighton 8, Evansville 6

Game two saw seven players from both teams tab multiple hits, including Aces’ Jen Stahlhut, Gaertner and Little each going 2-for-4. Connecting the hits and runs came a little too late for UE, though, as CU took the series with an 8-6 win.

The Jays did most of their damage early with three runs in the first, one in the second and two in the third for a 6-0 lead. During that span, both Amy Baker and Sara Loeffelholz posted two-run home runs to put UE in an early hole.

Gaertner continued her hot streak of home runs with a solo shot to center field in the fourth to put UE down 6-1 before CU added two more runs in the sixth.

The Aces started to make magic happen with an offensive spark in the seventh. Little and Alicia Betancur put one over opposite fences to start things off and put the score at 8-3. An Alsip double to right and a walk from Rahming set up a three-run home run from Stahlhut to close the gap at 8-6. Gaertner then reached third after a single and Krista Price double, but CU’s Oltman came back in to finish the final out and the game.

Kylie Hovinga (4-4) did a majority of the work with nine hits, six strikeouts and two walks. Oltman also earned her third save of the season. Jen McKee (4-8) allowed six runs with five being earned on seven hits while striking out three in the loss. Little worked the final inning giving up two runs on four hits and walking one.

UE will continue the series on Sunday with the final game starting at noon in Omaha.