Sunday, March 30
CU Sports Complex
1:00 PM
Creighton University
5
vs
0
Illinois State
Baseball Sweeps Redbirds Behind Nihsen's Gem
3/30/2008 4:15:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. -- A four-run first inning was more than enough support for Creighton starting pitcher Mike Nihsen, as he threw seven scoreless innings to lead the Bluejay baseball team to a three-game series sweep over Illinois State with a 5-0 victory Sunday afternoon at the CU Sports Complex. Creighton improved to 18-7 overall and 4-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while the Redbirds dropped to 9-13 and 0-6 with their eighth straight loss.
The Bluejay offense was rolling early, as five of the first six batters reached base in the first inning. Robbie Knight was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, advanced to third on a single by shortstop Elliot Soto and then scored on an RBI single by first baseman Darin Ruf. After a sacrifice bunt by Steve Winkelmann, second baseman Vicente Cafaro laced a triple to right center field to score Soto and Ruf, putting CU ahead 3-0. Right fielder Nick Nordgren singled home Cafaro to increase the lead to four.
Nihsen (2-0) was in control from there, as he never allowed a runner past second base. The sophomore right hander from Ralston, Neb., struck out a career-high seven ISU batters and allowed only three hits in his seven innings of work. The outing matched a season-long for the Bluejay pitching staff and was a career-best for Nihsen.
Ruf added an opposite field home run in the bottom of the seventh to account for the final scoring in the contest. Ruf's fifth long ball of the season put him in a tie for the team lead with Nordgren and Winkelmann.
Senior Kevin Dooley came in to record the final six outs, including four by strikeout. With the two scoreless innings, Dooley lowered his team-leading ERA to 2.03 for the season.
Illinois State starter Jim Sajewich (1-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs in just one inning of work. Tyler Cox kept the Redbirds in the game with five effective innings, allowing one run on three hits. Eric Thiesen logged the final two innings.
Ruf led the CU offense with a 2-for-3 afternoon, adding a pair of RBIs and runs scored. Soto also turned in a multi-hit day, while Knight reached base four times in the game on an HBP, two walks and a single.
Creighton will play the first of nine games at Rosenblatt Stadium on Tuesday, when the Jays face in-state rival Nebraska. The game will be aired on WOWT 6.20 (Cox Channel 120) in Omaha, with radio coverage provided by KOZN (1620 AM).
GAME NOTES: The shutout was the second of the series for Creighton pitching and fifth overall this season ... With the five shutouts, the Bluejays are now tied for third nationally ... CU pitching had five shutouts all of last season ... Knight has now been hit by a pitch eight times in the last six games ... Knight moved his school-record career total to 47 HBP ... Head coach Ed Servais is now 13-2 against Illinois State, with three series sweeps in five years ... With Ruf's homer, Creighton now has an MVC-best 26 for the season which is 11 shy of the entire home run total from 2007.
The Bluejay offense was rolling early, as five of the first six batters reached base in the first inning. Robbie Knight was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, advanced to third on a single by shortstop Elliot Soto and then scored on an RBI single by first baseman Darin Ruf. After a sacrifice bunt by Steve Winkelmann, second baseman Vicente Cafaro laced a triple to right center field to score Soto and Ruf, putting CU ahead 3-0. Right fielder Nick Nordgren singled home Cafaro to increase the lead to four.
Nihsen (2-0) was in control from there, as he never allowed a runner past second base. The sophomore right hander from Ralston, Neb., struck out a career-high seven ISU batters and allowed only three hits in his seven innings of work. The outing matched a season-long for the Bluejay pitching staff and was a career-best for Nihsen.
Ruf added an opposite field home run in the bottom of the seventh to account for the final scoring in the contest. Ruf's fifth long ball of the season put him in a tie for the team lead with Nordgren and Winkelmann.
Senior Kevin Dooley came in to record the final six outs, including four by strikeout. With the two scoreless innings, Dooley lowered his team-leading ERA to 2.03 for the season.
Illinois State starter Jim Sajewich (1-3) suffered the loss, allowing four runs in just one inning of work. Tyler Cox kept the Redbirds in the game with five effective innings, allowing one run on three hits. Eric Thiesen logged the final two innings.
Ruf led the CU offense with a 2-for-3 afternoon, adding a pair of RBIs and runs scored. Soto also turned in a multi-hit day, while Knight reached base four times in the game on an HBP, two walks and a single.
Creighton will play the first of nine games at Rosenblatt Stadium on Tuesday, when the Jays face in-state rival Nebraska. The game will be aired on WOWT 6.20 (Cox Channel 120) in Omaha, with radio coverage provided by KOZN (1620 AM).
GAME NOTES: The shutout was the second of the series for Creighton pitching and fifth overall this season ... With the five shutouts, the Bluejays are now tied for third nationally ... CU pitching had five shutouts all of last season ... Knight has now been hit by a pitch eight times in the last six games ... Knight moved his school-record career total to 47 HBP ... Head coach Ed Servais is now 13-2 against Illinois State, with three series sweeps in five years ... With Ruf's homer, Creighton now has an MVC-best 26 for the season which is 11 shy of the entire home run total from 2007.
Players Mentioned
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