Creighton University
Bradley
Baseball Inks 4-2 Win In Pitching Duel With Bradley
4/14/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jays' shortstop Ryan Urzendowski's RBI single in the fourth inning provided the eventual game-winning run, as he gave CU a 3-0 lead after four innings. He was helped out by freshman outfielder T.J. Roemmich, who hit his first-career home run as a Bluejay in the bottom of the second inning, as CU scored single runs in the second, third, fourth and seventh to earn the victory. They would allow the Braves just two runs in the top half of the sixth.
Junior reliever Pat Venditte earned his third save of the season, pitching the final 3.2 innings allowing just three hits while recording three strikeouts with his right hand.
The Jays got the game's scoring started in the bottom of the second. After Brennan started the frame with two strikeouts, Roemmich took a 3-1 pitch and belted it over the fence in right to give the Jays the early 1-0 edge. The home run for Roemmich came in just his sixth-career at bat and also went down as the first-career RBI for the native of West Des Moines, Iowa. He would end his day 1-for-4 at the dish with an RBI and one run scored.
BU had a hard time figuring out Moore in the first three innings, as he fanned three and allowed just one BU hit thru the first three frames. The Bluejays would back him up by adding another run in the bottom of the third, as first baseman Darin Ruf collected an RBI single to right field with one out and runners on the corners that scored Brett Mieras from third to give CU a 2-0 lead. Ruf was setup by Mieras leading-off the inning with a walk before being advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chad Ogden. Chris Gradoville's single to right field then put Mieras on third, as the Jays started to get to Brennan.
Urzendowski then picked up his game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the fourth, as he singled to left to score Steve Winkelmann from third. Winkelmann led-off the CU fourth with a single of his own through the left side, as the Jays saddled Brennan with his third earned run of the game.
The Braves would finally counter in the top half of the sixth. After Moore had just two BU hits thru five, the Braves got him into trouble, reaching base on two-straight at bats on a hit by a pitch and walk to get runners on first and second with just one out. That brought CU to go with Venditte, who started his outing with a wild pitch that advanced the runners to second and third for Ryan Curry, who followed with a sacrifice fly to center for the first BU run of the game. Ryan Eigsti then collected an RBI single to center as the CU lead was cut to 3-2.
Venditte would settle down though, allowing just one hit in the top half of the seventh, as he got help on the final play of the inning from Roemmich. BU's Peter Malinowski singled on the final play with two outs and a runner on second, but when runner Mike McMillan didn't stop at third, he was thrown out at home plate by Roemmich from left as he hit Gradoville with a strike to record the out.
CU would add a run in the bottom half of the inning then, as after a Ruf fly out to center, Ogden was able to score from second on a throwing error by the center fielder to give the Jays their final run of the afternoon.
Venditte then closed the door in the eighth and ninth as he got Justin Carr swinging on the final pitch to pick up his fifth-career save.
With the win, the Jays clinch their third MVC series win of the season while improving to 22-11 overall and 8-3 in MVC play. The Braves fell to 15-14 with the loss and 2-6 in the Valley.
The two teams will meet again Sunday at the CU Sports Complex for the third and final game of the series. CU junior left-hander Ben Mancuso (4-1) while be going against BU's Brad Altbach (5-2) with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
Notes: CU is now 102-7 under head coach Ed Servais when out-hitting its opponent and 98-3 when leading after eight innings ... center fielder Robbie Knight had to be taken out of the game after he led-off the first for the Jays, as he was hit by his nation-leading 19th pitch of the season right around his lip, which required him to miss the remainder of the game ... Pat Venditte now has 53 strikeouts on the season, which is just one off his total from last season ... The Jays are now 5-2 in two -run games, 10-5 when scoring between three and five runs, 14-3 when scoring first and 18-1 on the season when out-hitting their opponent.
