Creighton University
Illinois State
Big Sixth Inning Leads Baseball To Series Sweep Of Redbirds
5/13/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
Mancuso making his 10th start of the season went seven innings allowing just three runs on six hits, as he recorded six strikeouts. The
After CU got retired in the first and second on just 14 pitches and with Mancuso struggling in the first two innings on the mound, ISU took advantage of the situation and pounced on the Jays early in the bottom half of the second inning. ISU catcher Kevin Dubler led-off the inning with a double to right center before being brought home by designated hitter Kyle O'Brien on another hit to center that made it 1-0. Jesse Griswold then singled to right, as the Redbirds had three-straight hits off Mancuso to start the frame. Dan Weston and Collin Salzenstein would go on to add RBI's later in the inning, as ISU took the early 3-0 lead and looked as though they'd chase Mancuso from the game early.
It wouldn't be the case though, as Mancuso and the Jays would find some life in the third inning. After being no-hit through two, Chad Ogden collected the first CU hit in the top half of the third and Mancuso got ISU to go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning, as very slowly the momentum started to shift in the Bluejays' direction.
The momentum would pick up then in the top of the fourth as the Jays finally found the board. Ross Sinclair led-off the inning with a walk and stole second just two batters later during Darin Ruf's at bat. His move to second put him in just the right spot Ruf, who platted Sinclair with a single through the right side to bring the Jays to within two at 3-1.
With the Jays rallying, Mancuso continued to heat up after his cold start as he allowed just one ISU hit in the next two innings. The opposite effect started to happen for his ISU counterpart Mike Hlavacek, who started to see his game slip away after allowing just one run on three hits in the first five innings.
The Bluejays took advantage of Hlavacek's misfortune and attacked, putting up five runs in the sixth inning. Sinclair and Chris Gradoville led-off the inning with back-to-back singles. Ruf then drove home Sinclair from second with an RBI-double down the right field line to get the Jays within one at 3-2 before Andrew Small tied the game with an RBI-single to center field.
Ruf, who continued his now six-game hit streak finished his day 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI's, while Small finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
The ISU bleeding wouldn't stop as Steve Winkelmann followed Small with an RBI base hit of his own through the left side that gave CU their first lead at 4-3. That brought ISU to go to the bullpen for Tyler Cox, who still couldn't stop the Bluejays' hitting. Robbie Knight would bring home the final two CU runs in the inning just four batters later on a two-RBI single through the right side, as the Jays had a commanding 6-3 lead. Both Winkelmann and Knight would end their days with two RBI's each.
Mancuso then allowed just one ISU hit in the bottom of the sixth and seventh, as Pat Venditte came into the game for one inning in the eighth. Venditte retired the Redbird side in the inning, as the Jays gave Mancuso an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
Andy Masten, fresh off his record-setting performance on Saturday then got ISU to pop up three times in the ninth, as the Jays won their 18th game in their last 19 contests.
The win moved CU to 37-12 on the year and 17-4 in the MVC. The Redbirds fell to 20-28 and 8-13 in Valley play.
Up next for the Bluejays is their big May showdown with
Notes: Ben Mancuso's win moved his career-winning percentage to .700, which ranks now sixth on the all-time CU career list... Darin Ruf extended his hit streak to six games on the day, as he now has had a six-game hit streak on six occasions this season... Pat Venditte extended his scoreless inning streak to 27 innings, as he dropped his ERA to 2.18... Chris Gradoville's two hits extended his career-long hit streak to 14 games, which is tops on the CU team this season ? The Jays are now 16-7 on the road this season and 9-3 in MVC play... The Bluejays have won 38-straight games when leading after six innings and 42-straight when leading after eight... Creighton as a team is now hitting .302 in MVC play with a team ERA of 2.28... Darin Ruf finished his weekend hitting .636 for the series, as he was 7-for-11 with three doubles, one homer, six RBI's and four runs scored... The Bluejays had 10 sacrifice hits for the weekend, which moves them to 79 on the season and just two from their all-time MVC record of 81 set last season... The Bluejays hit .333 for the series... Creighton is now 11-9 when the opposition scores first... The 3-0 deficit the Bluejays faced was the largest they've faced since being down six to Wichita State on April 8th.
