Creighton University
Evansville
Baseball Drops MVC Opener 6-0 at Evansville
3/23/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Missed opportunities once again hurt the Creighton baseball team Friday night at Braun Stadium, as the Bluejays dropped their Missouri Valley Conference opener 6-0 at Evansville (16-7, 1-0). Creighton (12-8, 0-1) out-hit the Purple Aces 7-6, but were unable to get hits with runners in scoring position, as UE pitcher Ben Norton struck out 10 Jays' batters, as he combined with reliever Matt Brinkman to fan a total of 14 CU hitters.
Norton (4-2) earned the win as he pitched seven innings giving up just six hits, as he kept the Bluejays off-balance all night.
CU starter Marc Lewis (4-1) was saddled with the loss, as he took a loss for the first time in 20 starts. Lewis went seven innings on the night allowing three earned runs on five hits, as he tied his season-high with six strikeouts.
UE used a two-run second, sixth and eighth to earn their seventh-straight victory, while the Jays had their four-game win streak snapped, as they lost for just the seventh-time under head coach Ed Servais (95-7) when out-hitting their opponent.
The Purple Aces started the scoring in the second, when preseason All-MVC selection Pat Tumilty, became the first left-handed batter to hit a home run off of Lewis in over two seasons. Tumilty, who led off the inning, took a 2-1 pitch and blasted it over the fence in right field to give UE an early 1-0 lead. Kern Watts would then add a sacrifice fly with one out to score a second run, as UE gave Norton an early two-run cushion.
Norton would hold the Bluejays to just four hits over the next four innings, including getting out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the sixth, as UE added to their lead in the bottom half of the inning. All that scoring would come from first baseman Kasey Wahl, as following a walk by Robbie Minor to lead off the inning, Wahl hit a two-run homer to left field to give the Aces a 4-0 lead.
Brinkman then replaced Norton in the top of the eighth and held CU to just one hit the rest of the way, as the Aces added two more runs in the bottom of the inning off Jays' reliever Pat Venditte. Tristan Facer would collect an RBI single up the middle, while Jeff Zelenovich was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home the final runner of the evening.
Venditte ended the game for the Jays going one inning, allowing two runs on one hit and recording two strikeouts.
Leading the way for the Jays at the plate on the night were seniors Andrew Small and Chad Ogden. Both finished 2-for-4 in the game, as Small collected his fifth double of the season and Ogden collected his fourth.
The Bluejays and Purple Aces will resume their MVC opening weekend series with a 2 p.m. start Saturday. Sophomore Zak Moore will get the start, as he'll be going against UE's Kai Tuomi. The series will then conclude on Sunday with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
