Navarro Walks It Off In Extra-Inning Win Over Creighton

Tuesday, March 19

Kansas City, Mo.

5:00 PM

Kansas City

7-18

Creighton

17-11

Creighton

Kansas City

Photo by: Francie Wilson

Navarro Walks It Off In Extra-Inning Win Over Creighton

3/19/2024 9:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Highlights Coach Stokes O'Connor Postgame Navarro Postgame Photo Gallery

Elleana Navarro ripped the game-winning single, extending KC's winning streak to four games

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Softball (10-18) had its backs against the wall, down to its final out with a runner on first tonight against Creighton (17-10, 2-1 Big East), but the Roos were able to rally and prevail in walk-off fashion, 3-2. Elleana Navarro was the hero, driving in the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth, but it would not have been possible if Katie Noble had not drawn a hit-by-pitch, Sydney Nichols had not drawn a walk, or if Derika Castillo had not forced an error to tie the game and keep the inning going.

The Roos' pitching locked things down, led by a 4.2-inning scoreless start by Noble. She allowed just five hits, all singles, and struck out a pair of batters, leaving the game with a 1-0 lead. Reigning Summit League Pitcher of the Week Camryn Stickel pitched the final 3.1 frames, striking out three and earning the win.

Lauren Parker had a standout game, notching five putouts in left field, including a pair of diving plays. She also tallied a pair of singles, and was the only Roo with multiple hits on the day. Briona Woods ripped a fourth-inning double, KC's only extra-base hit on the day, and came around to score twice to account for the Roos first two runs.

KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS

Top 3 / 0-0 | The Bluejays opened the inning with a single, but Navarro fielded a grounder on the second base side, tagging the runner out and tossing to Bailey Brumley at first for the double play. The next batter lined to Parker in left field, but she laid out and took KC to the bottom of the inning without any damage.
Bottom 4 / 1-0 | With two outs in the inning, Woods stepped up to the plate and drove a ball to deep left field, bouncing off the fence for a stand-up double. That brought Nichols to the plate, poking a single up the middle and bringing Woods around to score.
Top 6 / 1-1 | Creighton scored the tying run in the top of the sixth, but Stickel got a strikeout with runners on second and third to stop the bleeding and keep things knotted.
Bottom 8 / 3-2 | The Bluejays were able to take their first lead in the top of the eighth, but Kansas City was not finished. Noble was hit by a pitch, but was forced out on a fielder's choice by Woods. Nichols drew a walk to advance Woods to second, bringing Castillo to the plate. She send a grounder to second base, but it went under the glove of the fielder and Woods came around to score from second. Navarro's heroics came next, taking the third pitch of the at-bat to a gap in right-center and carrying the Roos to victory.

STATS TO NOTE

The extra-inning walk-off win is Kansas City's second of the season, the first coming in a 4-3, 10-inning decision against Prairie View A&M on Feb. 23. It is KC's third extra-inning win since Head Coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor took over two seasons ago.
Noble's 4.2 innings of scoreless ball was her longest appearance of the season, and the fifth time this season that she went three-plus innings without giving up an earned run.
Tonight's win is just the fourth time that the Roos have defeated the Bluejays in 58 total meetings. Three of the four wins have come since 2017 in a series that first started in 1988.
Stickel grabbed her fifth win of the season, the second-most single-season wins of her four-year career.
Parker went for a pair of hits, her fourth multi-hit game of the season and the fifth of her career.

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Head Coach Kiki Stokes O'Connor | Elleana Navarro

UP NEXT
Kansas City is back in action tomorrow, hosting Iowa State at 3 p.m. at Urban Youth Academy.