DePaul Returns Home for Series with Creighton

Saturday, April 17

Chicago, Ill.

12:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

Creighton

DePaul Returns Home for Series with Creighton

4/16/2021 2:02:00 PM | SOFTBALL

Live Video (Game 1)Live Video (Game 2)Live Video (Game 3)Live Stats

Blue Demons lead all-time series with Bluejays 17-9

CHICAGO – After a week on the road, DePaul softball returns home as Creighton visits Lincoln Park for a two-day, three-game BIG EAST series at Cacciatore Stadium

Saturday's doubleheader between conference foes is set to get underway at 12 p.m. with game two beginning approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first contest. Sunday's series finale will also begin at 12 p.m.

Live video coverage can be found on DePaul All-Access with live stats available on the DePaul softball schedule page.

DePaul at a Glance: DePaul has won eight or their last 10 games heading into the weekend series against the Bluejays. The Blue Demons sit in first place in the BIG EAST standings with a 7-1 conference mark and 16-9 overall record. Last weekend, DePaul split a doubleheader with second-place Villanova before the deciding series finale was canceled due to weather. DePaul's 2021 squad is paced by a veteran group of seniors with catcher Jessica Cothern leading the team with a .347 batting average to go along with 25 hits and a team-lead .597 slugging percentage. Angela Scalzitti holds a team-high 26 hits along with eight doubles and three triples. Scalzitti ranks 10th in the conference with a .443 on-base percentage. Kate Polucha leads the Blue Demons with six home runs and 19 RBIs in the 2021 campaign. Krista Dalgarn and Natalie Halvorson have seen the majority of the work in the pitching circle. Dalgarn is 9-2 on the season with a 3.69 ERA and 58 strikeouts while Halvorson is 5-4 in 63 innings of work and a 4.00 ERA.

Scouting the Bluejays: Creighton enters the weekend matchup with a 13-8 overall mark and 8-4 BIG EAST record. The Bluejays have played 10 consecutive home contests and hit the road for the first time since mid-March. Last weekend, Creighton won two out of three against St. John's and most recently won a 4-2 non-conference matchup against local rival Omaha. Creighton currently ranks third in the BIG EAST standings behind DePaul and Villanova. The Bluejays offense is led by Kailey Wilson and Ashley Cantu. Wilson leads the BIG EAST in slugging percentage at a .855 mark while Cantu leads the league in batting average at .458. Cantu leads the team with 33 hits and 15 RBIs. In the circle, Mikayla Santa Cruz and Parker Boyd have seen the majority of the work with a combined 110.2 innings of work. Santa Cruz holds a 3.94 ERA.

Series Stuff: DePaul leads the all-time series over the Bluejays, 17-9. The Blue Demons have won eight of the last 10 meetings. The two squads last met in 2019 at Cacciatore Stadium with Creighton claiming the weekend series 2-1.

Last Time Out: Tuesday's non-conference matchup saw Illinois State hand the Blue Demons a 7-2 loss. The Redbirds jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after the second inning before Kate Polucha tallied two RBIs with a solo-home run and a sacrifice fly to bring DePaul within one after six innings. Illinois State recorded a four-run sixth inning and put the game out of reach for the Blue Demons. DePaul recorded three hits on the afternoon against Redbirds pitcher Morgan Day. Day threw 15 strikeouts on the outing.

Next Up: The Blue Demons will make the quick trip to South Bend, Ind. Wednesday, April 21 for a 4:30 p.m. CT meeting with Notre Dame at Melissa Cook Stadium.