Creighton University
Indiana State
Baseball Breaks Out The Bats For Season-High 15 Runs In Win At Indiana State
4/20/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
Ruf finished his night 2-for-4 at the plate with five RBI's and two runs scored. His final RBI of the night put the exclamation point on CU's win in the top of the ninth inning, as he pounded his team-leading fifth-home run of the season deep to left field off a 1-0 pitch for run number 15.
It was his at bat in the first inning as well, that brought home the eventual game-winning run. With Robbie Knight on second after being hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning and stealing second during Ross Sinclair's at bat, Ruf reached first on the first of two fielding errors by ISU's Nick Ciolli. That allowed Knight to come around from second to give CU an early 1-0 edge.
CU would go on to score two in the third, one in the fifth, five in sixth, three in the seventh and three in the ninth. ISU was held to just two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the seventh.
Bluejay senior left-hander Marc Lewis (6-1) would earn his sixth-win of the season as he went six innings giving just one earned run on 10 hits with three strikeouts. ISU's Matt Shelton (3-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season going five innings allowing four runs on six hits, recording two strikeouts.
After Lewis got the Jays through the first two innings, they would find another way to capitalize on a Ciolli error for the Sycamores to take a 3-0 lead in the third. Sinclair got the threat started with a bunt single down the third base line, which was followed by a Ruf walk after Sinclair stole second. Andrew Small then pounded an RBI single to right that was misplayed by Ciolli, allowing Sinclair and Ruf to score, while Small advanced to second to give the Jays the three-run cushion.
The Sycamores would fight back in the fourth though, as they took advantage of two CU errors to make the score 3-2. The teams then traded runs in the fifth, as CU clung to a 4-3 lead heading into the top half of the sixth.
That is where the Bluejays decided they had let ISU hang around too long, as they put a five-spot on the board to take a commanding 9-3 lead. Freshman T.J. Roemmich continued his hot-hitting with a lead-off double to left. Chad Ogden and Michael Lam then drew back-to-back walks, as Chad Dawson took the mound for the Sycamores between the two and struggled to get outs. Knight was hit by his record-tying 21st pitch with the bases loaded that brought home the first run. Sinclair then followed with an RBI-walk, before Ruf cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple to left-center.
Knight and Gradoville would collect RBI singles in the seventh to push the lead to 12-3, as CU senior Scott Reese took the mound for his MVC-record tying 114th appearance. Reese would pitch the final three innings, which qualified him for his first save of the season, as he allowed two runs on four hits and recorded one strikeout.
Knight would finish his night in the ninth picking up his 22nd HBP of the season to break Chad McConnell's single-season CU record. The Jays left 11 Sycamores on base and turned one double play on the night to pick up their 13th-win in their last 20 games played at Sycamore Field. ISU's pitchers would finish the night with 10 walks, as the Jays had four hitters collect multiple hits and three collect multiple RBI's.
Gradoville finished his night 2-for-6 at the plate with four RBI's, as Knight would be the other Bluejay to drive in multiple runs, as he went 1-for-3 with two RBI's and four runs scored.
The win moved the Jays to 25-11 overall and 10-3 in the MVC, while ISU dropped to 18-17 overall and 2-8 MVC action.
The two teams will return to field Saturday for game two of their three-game MVC set. CU will throw right-hander Zak Moore against ISU's Ryan Tatusko, with a first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.
Notes: Creighton's five-run sixth inning was only the fifth time the Bluejays have scored five or more runs in an inning this season... Scott Reese's appearance was the 114th of his career, which tied the Missouri Valley Conference record for appearances in a career with Wichita State's Jaime Bluma (1991-94)... Robbie Knight was hit by three pitches in the game to break Chad McConnell's single-season school record of 21, as he now has 22 on the season in 36 games... Creighton improved to 17-3 on the season in games where they score first ? They extended their winning-streak to 29, in games where they led after the sixth inning... Darin Ruf's five-RBI's tied a career-high, as he has now hit safely in his last six games... The four Bluejay errors were the most recorded this season... CU is now 8-0 in games where Michael Lam starts at second base... The win moved Marc Lewis' career-winning percentage to .773, as CU is now 22-1 in his last 23 starts.
