Creighton University
Bradley
Jays Baseball Make Quick Work Of The Braves In 4-2 Win
4/13/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
CU sophomore Darin Ruf's fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning would prove to be the difference, as the Omaha native gave the Jays a 3-0 lead at the point, as they went on for their second-victory in a row and stopped a two-game MVC skid. Ruf finished his day 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored, as his home run tied his total from last season.
CU got two runs in the bottom of the first and two in the bottom of the sixth, as they held the Braves to just single runs in the top of the seventh and eighth.
Senior Andy Masten continued his late-game dominance as he picked up his eighth save of the season pitching the final two innings, as he gave up just one run on three hits and recorded two strikeouts. The save moves Masten into an eighth-place tie on the all-time CU single-season list, as he is now just four back of tying of the record held by Chris Ringleb (2000) and Rick Heiserman (1992). Scott Reese also made another appearance out of the Bluejays' bullpen, as he faced one batter in the seventh, as he stands now at 112 career-appearances and just two back of the all-time MVC record.
BU right-hander Michael Christl (1-5) was saddled with the loss for the Braves, going eight innings allowing four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts, as the Bluejays wasted no time hitting him up four times in the bottom half of the first to take an early 2-0 lead. Center fielder Robbie Knight led-off the frame with a single to center field before he was advanced to second on a well-executed sacrifice bunt by Chad Ogden. Chris Gradoville then brought Knight home with a laser up the middle for an RBI single to give CU a 1-0 lead. He would then score on an RBI double down the left field line by Andrew Small just two batters later, as Ruf advanced him to third with a single through the right side just a batter before.
Small finished his day with two doubles, giving him nine on the season as he went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. The Hastings, Neb. native is now hitting .309 on the season with 19 RBI's and 15 total extra-base hits. He was part of a two-run CU sixth inning, that brought the Jays a 4-0 lead going into the final three innings.
Ruf would start the inning with his eventual game-winning bomb as, he took a 1-1 pitch from Christl and sent it over the fence in right center to give the Jays a 3-0 advantage. Small then picked up his second double of the game coming once again down the left field line to get himself into scoring position. Masten gave him another 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt to third before Steve Winkelmann brought him home with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Braves would try to make things interesting in the top of seventh and eighth, as they collected single runs in each frame. Catcher Ryan Eigsti picked up an RBI on a groundout to short, but Justin Carr left the bases juiced in the inning as he flied out right to end the threat after the Braves picked up two hits in the inning. BU would collect another two hits in the top half of the eighth, as shortstop Dan Brewer picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly to right, but once again couldn't get anymore going against Masten, as he got Ryan Curry to groundout to third for the third out on the following play.
The win moves CU to 21-11 overall and 7-3 MVC play, while the Braves dropped to 15-13 overall and 2-5 in league play.
The two teams will meet again Saturday afternoon with the first pitch for game two of their three-game series set for 2 p.m. CU will be looking for its third win in a row as they throw right-hander Zak Moore (1-1, 4.81 ERA) against BU right-hander Collin Brennan (1-3, 5.06 ERA).
Notes: CU is now 53-7 under head coach Ed Servais when leading after the first inning and 101-7 when out-hitting its opponent, including 17-1 in 2007 ... The Jays have now won 20 of senior left-hander Marc Lewis' last 22 starts ... Darin Ruf's game-winning RBI is his second of the season ... CU is now 14-3 on the year when they score first and 4-2 in two-run games ... The two double plays gives the Bluejays 43 on the season.
