Baseball Loses Slugfest to Western Carolina, 11-8

HOUSTON, Texas ? Returning MVC Player of the Year Darin Ruf flew out with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the ninth inning to end Creighton's comeback hopes as Western Carolina defeated the Bluejay baseball team, 11-8, Friday afternoon at Reckling Park in game two of the Rice Classic. The loss snapped CU's five-game winning streak, as the Jays fell to 6-3.

Western Carolina (4-6) scored eight runs in the first three innings to take an early 8-3 lead. The Catamounts pounded out 12 hits, including two-run home runs from Nick Liles and Tyler Kirkpatrick, in the first three frames. Creighton starter Zak Moore was chased after allowing eight hits and eight runs in two-plus innings on the rubber.

Creighton cut the deficit to 8-6 with a three-run fourth inning, as third baseman Steve Winkelmann continued his hot play of late with a three-run double to deep center field. Robbie Knight and Ruf, who both walked, and Vicente Cafaro, who singled, all came around to score to increase WInkelmann's RBI total to 11 in the past three games.

Junior right fielder Nick Nordgren led off the fifth inning with a solo homer to left field to pull Creighton within one run. The Jays could edge no closer, as WCU added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to increase its lead to 10-7.

A sacrifice fly by Knight in the seventh inning made the score 10-8, but Elliot Soto was left stranded at third base-- one of 13 runners left on base in the game for Creighton.

WCU added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Catamounts their final margin of victory.

In the top of the ninth, two walks and Cafaro's fourth single of the day loaded the bags with two outs for Ruf. The junior got under an 0-1 pitch, flying it to center field to end the game.

The teams combined for 29 hits on the day. Western Carolina's ninth-place hitter, Jason Haynes, went 4-for-4 and drove in two runs. The Catamounts' seven through nine hitters combined to go 8-for-11 with six RBIs on the day.

Cafaro went 4-for-6 to increase his team-leading batting average to .483 on the season. Winkelmann and Nordgren added two hits apiece, while Knight, Cafaro and Nordgren each scored two runs.

Sophomore left hander T.J. Roemmich turned in a solid outing in relief of Moore. The southpaw allowed one run on five hits in 3.1 innings to allow the Jays to mount their comeback. Right hander Bob Lackovic finished the game, surrendering two runs on four hits in 2.2 innings.

Each of the game's three home runs were aided by a strong wind blowing out to left field.

The Bluejays will face Michigan State (4-6) on Saturday in the fifth game of the tournament. The Spartans face Rice (6-4) in the nightcap Friday.

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Players Mentioned

Vicente Cafaro

Robbie Knight

Bobby Lackovic

Zak Moore

Nick Nordgren

T.J. Roemmich

Darin Ruf

Elliot Soto

Steve Winkelmann