Creighton University
Saint Louis
Mieras Shines In Bluejay Baseball's Come From Behind Extra-Inning WIn
3/10/2007 2:00:00 AM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - The Creighton baseball team used a three-run ninth inning and an RBI double in the bottom of the tenth by Omaha native, Brett Mieras (Millard West), to collect a 5-4 win over the Billikens of Saint Louis Saturday afternoon at the CU Sports Complex. After the Jays scored three runs in the ninth to tie the game up, Mieras doubled down the left field line one on and just one out, driving home Andrew Small from second to give CU (7-6) its first come-from-behind win on the season.
Mieras finished the game 3-for-3 with the game-winning RBI and and a run scored as he came into the game as a pinch-hitter for the Bluejays in the bottom of the seventh replacing Tyson Parks in left field.
Mieras' double came off SLU (1-12) reliever B.J. Rodrigue just after Steve Winkelmann sacrifice bunt moved Small from second over to third. Small led off the extra-frame for the Jays with a single up the middle. After taking a first pitch ball then from Rodrigue, Mieras then drove the second pitch he faced hard down the left field line to bring home a second-straight CU win on its opening weekend at home.
Rodrigue (1-1) earned the loss for SLU going just a third of an inning after replacing reliever Ziggy Moore, who gave up three runs to the Bluejays in the bottom of the ninth in a blown save opportunity.
CU utility-man Andy Masten (2-1) continued his impressive early season pitching performance as he earned the win for the Bluejays going two innings allowing just two hits and striking out two.
The Bluejays got the game into the extra-frame after tying the game up in the bottom of the ninth, where they came in trailing 4-1. Mieras started the CU ninth with a single down the right field line, before just one batter later center fielder Robbie Knight was hit by his ninth pitch of the season. Second baseman Chad Ogden then singled through the left side to the load the bases for catcher Chris Gradoville, who collected a sacrifice fly to center that scored Mieras from third to bring the score to 4-2 with two outs. That set the stage for Darin Ruf who pounded a two-RBI triple that took a hop off the wall in left center allowing two runners to come across and tie the game up at 4-4.
For Ruf, the triple was the first of his career as he ended the day 2-for-5 with two RBi. Knight would aslo collect multiple hits on the day, as he finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
All the Jays heroics came after SLU jumped out on them early scoring single runs in the first, third and sixth to take a 3-0 lead going into the bottom half of the sixth inning.
SLU came out swinging against CU starter Zak Moore (0-1) as Tom Pinnell reached on a leadoff single and Ryan Crespi followed with with a four pitch walk. Following a double play during which Pinnell moved to third, Blake Bratcher singled to short to give SLU an early 1-0 lead.
Moore would finish the game for the Bluejays going 5.1 innings giving up three runs on eight hits, but tied his season-high for strikeouts with three.
The Billikens added to their lead in the top of the third on an RBI single from Greg Rodgers that scored Crespi from second. Crespi had led off the inning with the single up the middle before proceeding to second on a steal. Casey Moore would then plate another run in the sixth for SLU when he doubled down the left field line scoing Bratcher, who led off with a single to center.
The Jays were unable to get their bats going for most of the game as SLU starter Ryan Bird (0-1) kept them guessing. Bird would finish pitching seven innings giving up just one run on five hits, as he struck out eight CU batters.
Finally in the bottom of the sixth trailing 3-0, the Jays were able to figure the right-hander out as they collected a triple from Knight that allowed them to get on the board when the SLU shortstop misplayed a ball hit by Ogden to the left side. The error would be the only one committed by SLU on the day.
The Jays also finished with just one error, as once again they had a strong outing in the field, adding two more double plays to their total.
CU will return to action tomorrow when they end their three-game home set with SLU with a 1 p.m. first pitch. The game will mark the debut for the Jays on KOZN 1620 AM, as John Bishop will be providing all the play-by-play action. The broadcast is accessible at both www.gocreighton.com and at www.1620thezone.com.
Notes: The win for the first for the Jays (1-5) this season when being out-hit by an opponent ... The three hits from Brett Mieras were are a new season and CU single-game high for the transfer from Iowa Western Community College ... CU was hit by two pitches in the game giving them a team total of 25 on the season.
