The Blue Demons lost their final home series of the year, conceding three losses to the Creighton Bluejays. DePauls final home stand was slated to begin on Friday, April 25. 

Game one would have to wait as Chicago gave the Blue Demons a teary-eyed goodbye. A rain delay pushed the opening pitch back from 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., eventually giving way to an overcast and cold day. These would be the conditions that DePaul would endure a crushing 9-5 loss.

Creighton only needed one hit to get on top early, capitalizing on errant pitches and fielding errors to leap out to a 3-0 lead going into the second inning.

In the face of this, starting pitcher Bella Nigey and the defense were unfazed as they were able to prevent Creighton from scoring again until the seventh inning. 

In the meantime, the Blue Demons got to work scoring runs of their own, manufacturing them through patient at bats and drawing walks.

This signified a change in DePaul’s offensive philosophy for the season, as before they had usually relied on home runs to score. However, in this game they focused on efficient hits, trying to cycle runners through the bases. This resulted in a .286 team batting average for the game, one of the highest of the season. 

“It’s never going to go from zero to one hundred,” Head coach Liz Bouck-Jagielski said in regards to their batting approach. “Step by step by step and we’re building.”

DePaul would end up taking a 5-3 lead in the game with Lydia Ettema, Kelly Beaupre, Carly Alvers, and Alexis Houge all notching RBIs.

Unfortunately, Nigey would suffer an injury at the beginning of the sixth inning, prompting a pitching change. Freshman Ava Gusel would take over pitching duties, seeing the inning to its conclusion.

In the seventh inning, Creighton’s offense, which was second in the BIG EAST conference in batting average, roared back to life. 

The Bluejays rallied to score 6 runs to take a commanding 9-5 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. This inning would see another pitching change, with Freshman Hannah Messer taking over midway.

DePaul would be unable to respond offensively, and they would leave Friday with a devastating loss.

Saturday’s game would start extremely similar to Fridays, with Creighton again taking a 3-0 lead to start the game. Although DePaul’s offense would once again manufacture runs to keep the game close, the Blue Jays pulled away through one dominant inning, and would go on to win 10-3.

Creighton wasted no time getting on board with sophomore Kaelan Shultz hammering in a three run homer. However they would struggle to reliably score runs up until the fifth inning, with Nigey starting her second game in a row, providing 4.1 innings in the circle. 

The Blue Demons were able to tie the game 3-3 in the second, again by methodically loading the bases and then getting a big hit. 

“When runners are in scoring position, I want them to swing big.” Boucher-Jagielski said. If there’s runners on, you’re swinging big.” 

After Addi Burdick, Addison Talbot, and Chelsea Parker worked their way on base, senior Baylee Cosgrove was able to do just that. Down two outs, with the bases loaded, Cosgrove recorded her second hit of the game with a thunderous double that scored three. This hit would be Cosgrove’s eleventh double of the year.

Unfortunately these would be the last points the Blue Demons would score all game, as Creightons relief pitcher Brooklyn Patcher was able to hold them down.

Creighton opened up scoring again in the fifth, scoring six runs and spurring multiple pitching changes. Freshman Gusel and Junior Kelly Greene both pitched before Freshman Hannah Messer was again entrusted to close out the game.

“Pressure is a privilege,” Messer said. “It’s just the role we’re called in for and we try to execute the best we can.”

Though Messer was able to stop the Bluejays from scoring again, DePauls offense couldn’t find its rhythm, and they ended up losing the second game 10-3.

Despite the freshman Parker notching her first home run with a grand slam in the third inning, which tied the game at four, the Blue Demons would end up losing game three, 12-5.

Creighton’s offense – which had been muzzled up to this point save for two dominant innings – suddenly spurred back to life in this game. They were able to score in every inning except the third and fifth.

DePaul would be unable to match the offensive tempo, earning only one more run in the seventh from a Cosgrove double that scored Brooke Cwick.

Pitching changes would be an occurring theme throughout the game for DePaul, with Greene, Messer, Nigey, and Katey Pierce all getting their turn in the circle. The senior Pierce would finish out the game, securing the final two outs in what would be her thirteenth appearance this season, and her final appearance at Cacciatore stadium.

Sunday’s game would be the final home game for all seniors and graduate students. 

“Hearing your walk up song going up to the plate and your name getting announced is just so cool,” the senior Cosgrove said. “It’s a great environment and obviously great people. I think every weekend we get home has been so special.”

DePaul plays its final series of the season against Georgetown next weekend. First pitch for game one is set for 2 p.m. CT on Friday, May 2.

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