Creighton University
23-10, 0
Xavier
12-26, 0
Brinkman Leads Baseball to 7-3 Win over Xavier with Five RBI
4/21/2018 3:24:00 PM | Baseball
The win lifted the Bluejays to 23-10 on the season and 3-4 in BIG EAST action, while Xavier fell to 12-26 overall and 2-6 in conference play.
Just as they did in Friday's game, the Bluejays got off to a quick start scoring in the first frame. Sophomore Isaac Collins was the catalyst this time, stroking a single to center. He quickly stole second, then third and scampered home on a two-out RBI from fellow sophomore Will Robertson.
Creighton added a run in the fourth, capitalizing on two walks, a hit batter and a fielder's choice RBI from Brinkman to make it 2-0.
The turning point in the game came in the sixth as junior Ryan Mantle drew a one-out walk, then sophomore Jason Allbery was hit by a pitch with two down. Brinkman made the most of opportunity by blasting a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall to boost the Bluejay lead to 5-0.
While the Bluejay offense was putting up runs, Creighton starter Mitch Ragan frustrated Xavier. In the first, fifth and sixth innings the Musketeers saw Ragan wiggle out of bases loaded jams to keep Xavier off the scoreboard.
Ragan gave way to the bullpen in the seventh, allowing Xavier to push across its first run. Brinkman swiftly responded with his second home run, a solo blast to left with two down in the eighth.
The two squads traded runs in the final two innings as the Bluejays took the series with the win on Saturday.
Brinkman finished the game 2-for-5 with five RBI, while Robertson was 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Ragan earned the win (3-3), holding Xavier to three hits in six innings. Xavier starter Connor Grammes fell to 0-4, allowing one run on three hits in three innings of work.
The Bluejays and Musketeers wrap up their three-game series on Sunday, beginning at 11:00 am (CT).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ragan, Mitch (3-3)
L: GRAMMES, Conor (0-4)
Batting:
3B: Robertson, Will 1
HR: Brinkman, Clark 2
RBI: Brinkman, Clark 5 ; Robertson, Will 1 ; Strunc, Jack 1
SF: Strunc, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brinkman, Clark 2 ; Collins, Isaac 1 ; Robertson, Will 1 ; Luevano, Thomas 1 ; Mantle, Ryan 1 ; Allbery, Jason 1
SB: Collins, Isaac 1 ; Upton, Parker 1
CS: Emodi, Michael 1
HBP: Upton, Parker 1 ; Allbery, Jason 1
Batting:
2B: ALTENBERGER, Ryan 1 ; GRAMMES, Conor 1 ; SORIA,Nate 1 ; FOURNIER,Ryan 1
HR: GRAMMES, Conor 1
RBI: GIVIN,Chris 1 ; GRAMMES, Conor 1 ; GELLENBECK,Joe 1
SF: GIVIN,Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ALTENBERGER, Ryan 1 ; GRAMMES, Conor 1 ; SORIA,Nate 1
HBP: SORIA,Nate 1
