Creighton University
14-17, 6-2
Villanova
6-24, 2-6
Barnard’s Walk-Off Double Lifts Softball to 11-3 Run-Rule Victory Over Villanova
3/21/2026 5:17:00 PM | Softball
It was the second straight game Creighton has walked off Villanova
The win lifted the Bluejays to 14-17 on the season and 6-2 in BIG EAST play, while Villanova dropped to 6-24 overall and 2-6 in league action with the loss.
Villanova struck first for the second consecutive day as Wildcat starting pitcher Carly Zych gave herself an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run off the left field foul pole in the top of the second inning.
Creighton immediately seized control in the bottom half of the frame, plating seven runs on four hits and four walks to soar out to a 7-1 lead. Junior Kaelan Schultz led off the inning with a walk and pinch runner Emma Bailey stole second, before coming in to score the Bluejays first run of the game on an RBI double from Tara Vandewater. Keegan Mayhue and Erika Perez followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases for pinch-hitter Ashley Smetter. Smetter stepped to the plate and unleashed on a 2-1 offering, blasting her first career home run over the left center field wall to give the Jays a 5-1 lead. Smetter's pinch-hit grand slam was the Bluejays first pinch-hit grand slam since Schultz came in clutch with a grand slam against UConn on March 28, 2025.
CU kept its wheels turning, loading the bases once again on back-to-back singles from Greenwood and Barnard, as well as a four-pitch walk to Lily West, before Schultz drove in two with a sacrifice fly to deep left center to put the Jays in front 7-1.
Villanova came right back with two runs of their own in the top of the third inning as Lilly St. Jean drew a bases loaded walk and Zych recorded an RBI fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Creighton answered once more with an RBI double from senior Ella Dalton and an RBI single from Greenwood in the bottom half of the third to retake a 6-run lead (9-3), before the Jays closed out the victory with its two-run walk-off double from Barnard in the fifth.
The Bluejays finished the day with eight hits and nine walks, including two hits apiece from Barnard and Greenwood, as well as a career-high four RBI and the first career home run from Smetter. Freshman pitcher Ava Drehs tallied her fourth win of the season, allowing just three runs on three hits in a complete-game effort.
Creighton will look to complete the series sweep on Sunday when they close out their three-game series against Villanova at 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Drehs, Ava (4-2)
L: Carly Zych (2-2)
Batting:
HR: Carly Zych 1
RBI: Lilly St. Jean 1 ; Carly Zych 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Maddie Burrows 1 ; Elizabeth Gray 1 ; Carly Zych 1
HBP: Maddie Burrows 1 ; Lilly St. Jean 1
Batting:
2B: Barnard, Avery 1 ; Vandewater, Tara 1 ; Dalton, Ella 1
HR: Smetter, Ashley 1
RBI: Greenwood, Zoey 1 ; Barnard, Avery 2 ; Schultz, Kaelan 2 ; Vandewater, Tara 1 ; Dalton, Ella 1 ; Smetter, Ashley 4
SF: Schultz, Kaelan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Greenwood, Zoey 2 ; Barnard, Avery 1 ; Bailey, Emma 1 ; Vandewater, Tara 1 ; Mayhue, Keegan 1 ; Perez, Erika 2 ; Dalton, Ella 1 ; Pierson, Ashten 1 ; Smetter, Ashley 1
SB: Greenwood, Zoey 2 ; Bailey, Emma 1 ; Pierson, Ashten 2
CS: Vazquez, Chiqui 1
