Creighton University
Southern Illinois
Salukis Rally, Trip Baseball With Unearned Run In 11th
5/4/2007 3:00:00 AM | Baseball
SIU's winning run in the top of the 11th was of the unearned variety and started with a two-out throwing error by Bluejay third baseman Steve Winkelmann. After Aaron Roberts reached via the error, he moved up 90 feet to second on a single by
SIU worked a little two-out magic in the first to take a 1-0 lead before CU even came to bat. Roberts singled up the middle with one out, moved to second on a ground ball, and came around to score on Kelly's single to right on a lengthy at-bat. The Jays would get out of the inning when Kelly was thrown out at third base by rightfielder Ross Sinclair on Scott Elmendorf's subsequent hit.
The Bluejays quickly answered in the bottom of the first inning with two runs to take the lead. Sinclair tripled to left with one out and came home on Chris Gradoville's double down the right field line. Gradoville later scored on a single to right by Masten.
CU tacked on its third run in the bottom half of the third. A one-out double by Darin Ruf proved fruitful when he scored on a single to left by Winklemann.
SIU returned the favor in the top of the fourth, closing within 3-2. Chris Crank singled and moved to second on a bunt. He would score on Dean Cademartori's single. The Salukis then tied the contest in the top of the fifth on a single to right-center by Crank that scored Kelly.
Neither starter factored in the decision. SIU's Shawn Joy threw 7.2 innings, scattering 12 hits but allowing just three runs. CU's Marc Lewis threw five innings and allowed nine hits and three runs before giving way to Pat Venditte.
Venditte was brilliant in relief, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings to improve his scoreless streak to 19.1 consecutive frames. He gave way with two outs in the 10th after giving up a pair of singles and Cademartori coming up to bat. Masten came on to strike out Cademartori and end the threat.
CU wasted a golden opportunity in the bottom of the 10th. CU loaded the bases with one out and the heart of the order coming up. SIU's George came on to coax an infield fly by Gradoville, and centerfielder Kevin Koski chased down Ruf's deep drive to right center for the third out.
Creighton returns to action on Saturday at 12:30 pm with another Rosenblatt Stadium game against
NOTES: Creighton has scored in the first inning during nine of its last 12 games... Creighton has not allowed a second-inning run in its last 15 games... Darin Ruf's one-out double in the third inning extended his hitting streak to a career-best 12 games, best of any Bluejay this season... Pat Venditte had earned the win in each of his last three appearances... Robbie Knight was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the 10th, his NCAA-leading 25th beaning of the season... SIU associate head coach Ken Henderson was ejected for arguing balls and strikes with one out in the bottom of the 10th after Sinclair's walk... Creighton fell to 21-2 since March 16 when scoring three runs or more. Both losses were at Rosenblatt Stadium... Creighton fell to 23-2 in Marc Lewis' last 25 starts... Creighton's 11-game win streak that was snapped ranked as the nation's second-longest before ending... The 11-inning game was CU's longest since March 31, 2006, when CU won an 11-inning game over Wichita State, also at Rosenblatt Stadium... Creighton stranded a season-high 16 runners on base.
