Creighton University
Kansas State
Career-Performance By Schmidt Leads Baseball To A 3-1 Win At K-State
4/11/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
Manhattan, Kan. - The extra day off didn't slow down the Creighton baseball team, as it rolled off two first inning runs on way to a 3-1 non-conference win at
CU freshman Casey Schmidt (2-1) did most of that work, as the Arvada, Colo.native pitched a career-high five innings of scoreless baseball to pick up his second-career win allowing just three hits and tying a career-high five strikeouts, while walking just two. Schmidt was helped by senior Scott Reese, junior Pat Venditte and senior Andy Masten, who each pitched one inning or more.
Reese finished his night tossing 1.1 innings of hitless ball, allowing just two walks. Venditte then worked 1.2 innings giving just one run on two hits, recording a single strikeout with each arm, while Masten got his team-high seventh save of the season, pitching a hitless ninth with one strikeout.
CU got two runs in the top of the first and a single run in the fifth, as they held the Wildcats to just a single run in the bottom of the eighth, which came via a solo home run by designated hitter Justin Bloxom.
The Jays wasted no time getting their bats going as they collected two runs in the top half of the first inning off Wildcat right-hander A.J. Morris. After two outs to start the inning, Chris Gradoville took a pitch off the elbow to reach first just before Darin Ruf advanced him to second with a single to short. Andrew Small wouldn't leave the two stranded then, as he drilled a 2-1 pitch to left center for a two-RBI triple to give CU the early 2-0 edge. For Small, it would be his fifth triple of the season, as he leads all Missouri Valley Conference hitters.
Morris (2-1) would be saddled with the loss for the Wildcats as he pitched three innings, giving up two runs on two hits, recording three strikeouts.
The early advantage provided by the CU bats would be more than adequate for Schmidt, as he allowed just three hits through the first four innings. Schmidt got into trouble on just one occasion with runners on the corners and just a single out in the third, but got Tyler Link to strike out swinging and Eddie Vasquez to fly out to center to get out of the jam.
CU got its third run then in the top half of the fifth as Steve Winkelmann recorded an RBI fielder's choice that scored Gradoville from third to give the Jays a 3-0 lead. That came after Gradoville singled to third to lead-off the inning who, then advanced to second on a groundout by Ruf and advanced to third on a passed ball.
The Wildcats lone run on the night came off Venditte with two outs in the eighth inning. Bloxom took a 2-1 pitch from Venditte, pitching left-handed, and sailed it over the fence in right field to make it 3-1.
That would be as close as KSU would get though as Masten sat them down 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn the save. He and the rest of pitching staff got help from the Bluejay fielders, as they turned one double play on the night and didn't commit any errors after some shaky play over the past week in the field that saw the Jays commit an uncharacteristic six errors.
With the win, the Bluejays improve to 20-11 on the season and 2-3 against Big 12 opponents. The loss dropped KSU to 22-11, as they lost just their fifth game at home in 17 contests.
Creighton will return to the field on Friday when they start a three-game MVC home series against Bradley. First pitch for game one Friday is set for 4 p.m. at the CU Sports Complex.
Notes: CU is now 52-7 under head coach Ed Servais when leading after the first inning and 3-2 in two run games... Scott Reese's appearance gives him 111 career-appearances, which now puts him just three games shy of the all-time MVC mark of 114 set by Jaime Bluma of Wichita State (1991-94)... Robbie Knight was hit by his 18th pitch of the season and now sits just three shy of Chad McConnell's single-season CU mark... Andy Masten is now tied for 10th place on the CU single-season list for saves with his seventh of the season.
