Creighton University
Illinois State
Baseball Downs Redbirds, 10-3
5/11/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
Junior ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte then extended his scoreless inning streak to 25.2 innings in picking up his fourth save of the season. Venditte threw exactly 20 pitches left and right in 2.2 innings, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts (one left, three right), as he qualified for the save in relief of Lewis in the seventh with the tying run at the plate.
After the Bluejays took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning off an RBI-double by Ruf, ISU bounced back with two runs in the second before CU exploded for four runs in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead. The Redbirds would get within two in the seventh platting a single run, but couldn't halt the red-hot Jays. CU added a single run in the eighth and four in the ninth to seal the deal on their ninth-MVC win in their last 10 league contests.
The Bluejays big third inning started with Robbie Knight singling to center for his second base hit of the game. Ross Sinclair then singled through the right side, which advanced Knight to second and brought him to third when Redbird right fielder Matt Bolt misplayed the ball. That brought up Chris Gradoville with two men on and nobody out yet, as he took a 1-1 pitch from ISU starter Ryan Copeland and pounded it for two-RBI double down the left field line that platted both Knight and Sinclair to make it a 3-2 Jays lead. With Gradoville collecting his 50th RBI on the season, Ruf tried to keep pace with his teammate as he took a 0-2 pitch from Copeland and sent it deep over the fence in left field for his seventh homer of the season and his third RBI of the game to give him 49 on the year.
Lewis would allow just three Redbird hits over the next four innings before ISU finally got back in the game in the seventh. ISU First baseman Jesse Griswold led-off the seventh inning with a double down the left field line that got the CU bullpen up and working. Just two batters later, Mike Stalowy would plate Griswold from third with an infield single to second, which brought an end to Lewis' night.
Venditte would come in and replace Lewis with one out. He would allow a hit to the first batter he faced before retiring the next two to get out of the inning, leaving the typing run at the plate.Venditte allowed just one hit in the final two innings and recorded three strikeouts, as the Bluejays added plenty of insurance runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
In the eighth, the Jays took advantage of a walk, sacrifice bunt and passed ball to plate run number six. With ISU reliever Jim Sajewich on the hill, Steve Winkelmann led-off the frame drawing a five-pitch walk. Chad Ogden advanced him to second with a sacrifice squeeze on the next play before a groundout by Andy Masten got him to third. A passed ball then scored Winkelmann from third as a strike call got away from ISU catcher Kevin Dubler.
The Bluejays platted four more in the ninth then to pull away to a 10-3 lead. Collecting RBI's in the inning were Small, Ogden and Masten. Venditte then recorded all three of the last outs with a strikeout, as brought his ERA down to 2.21 in the effort.
The win moves the Jays to 35-12 overall on the season and 15-4 in MVC play. ISU dropped to 20-26 overall and 8-11 in league play.
Game two between the two teams will take place tomorrow at 6 p.m. from Redbird Field once again and can be heard on KOZN 1620 AM. CU right-hander Zak Moore (4-1, 4.08 ERA) will get the start against the Redbirds right-hander Eric Theisen (3-7, 4.77 ERA).
Notes: Illinois State's second inning run was the first second inning run given up by Creighton in 19 games... Chris Gradoville improved his career-long hit streak to 12 games and now has 10-straight games with at least one RBI... Creighton turned one double play in the game to give them 58 on the season, as they have turned a double play in 25 of the last 27 games... Marc Lewis' win brought his career-winning percentage to .783... The Bluejays are now 11-2 this season when Lewis starts... The Jays are now 14-7 this season on the road and 7-3 in MVC play... Michael Lam's career-high 10-game hitting streak was snapped in the game... Creighton is 16-1 when Chad Ogden starts at shortstop... Darin Ruf now has 21 RBI's in CU's last 12 games... Creighton has won 36-straight games when leading after six and 40-straight when leading after eight.
