Saturday, April 12
Rosenblatt Stadium
6:30 PM
Creighton University
7
vs
3
Wichita State
Four-Run Eighth Lifts Baseball Past #5 Shockers, 7-3
4/12/2008 9:45:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton scored four times in the bottom
of the eighth inning, overcoming snowy conditions and fifth-ranked
Wichita State to earn a 7-3 come-from-behind win on a blustery Saturday
night at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Creighton improved to 23-8 overall (7-3 MVC), while the Shockers dropped to 25-5 (5-2 MVC). It was Creighton's second straight win in their last at-bat over WSU dating to last year, as Creighton's Andrew Small delivered a walk-off double in the 2007 MVC Tournament finale. Ironically, CU's Brandon Knox scored the go-ahead run as a pinch-runner both times.
In the decisive eighth frame, Vicente Cafaro was hit with one out and moved to second on Brett Mieras' bunt single. After Knox replaced Cafaro on the bases, Joe Servais ripped a 2-2 pitch to left-center to score Knox and end Rob Musgrave's night. Tony Womack relieved Musgrave and struck out Nick Nordgren for the second out. Elliot Soto then singled up the middle to plate Mieras, and both Servais and Soto came all the way around on Knight's sharp single to right that gave the hosts a 7-3 cushion.
Creighton opened the scoring in the fifth inning. Nick Nordgren walked to lead off the inning, and the Jays would load the bases following back-to-back errors on sacrifice bunts by catcher Tyler Weber and third baseman Conor Gillaspie. CU scored the game's first run on a grounder to short that was hit by Michael Lam, plating Nordgren. Elliot Soto would score a second unearned run after Darin Ruf's sacrifice fly to center was the second out.
The Shockers answered in the top of the sixth frame against Jeremy Hauer and Pat Venditte to take a 3-2 lead. Ryan Jones doubled off the wall and moved to third on a blooper by Gillaspie. Venditte entered and walked Tyler Weber to load the bases. Everyone moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch to break the CU shutout streak at 19 innings (dating to Wednesday). One out later, Kenny Williams Jr. doubled to right-center, scoring Weber and Gillaspie as WSU took their first lead.
Creighton tied the game in the bottom seventh on a one-out double by Robbie Knight that scored Nordgren. Nordgren was beaned to lead off the inning and moved to second on Soto's bunt before coming around to score on Knight's safety.
Pinch-hitter Kyle Sisney singled for his first career hit to open the ninth. Venditte struck out Andy Dirks for the first out, but then Ryan Jones reached on an infield single. Venditte then got Gillaspie and Weber to pop out to second base to end the contest.
Venditte improved to 3-2 with four innings of relief, striking out seven but walking a career-high four. He pitched in relief of Hauer, who allowed just two runs and four hits in five innings. Creighton, which managed four hits in a doubleheader sweep of North Dakota State on Wednesday, had six hits on the night. Knight had two of them, and tied a season-high with three RBI.
Musgrave dropped to 4-1 with his first loss of the year. He gave up just four hits in 7.1 innings, but was charged with six runs (four earned) in his 114-pitch effort. Womack faced the final four hitters, allowing two hits and a run. WSU had seven hits, but the only player with multiple base knocks was Ryan Jones with two.
Creighton and Wichita State are scheduled to complete their series with two games on Sunday. Sunday's first game will begin at 1 pm, and be televised by NET and video-streamed on www.netnebraska.org. The series finale will begin no earlier than 4:30 pm and be televised locally on WOWT 6.20 (Cox channel 120). Tickets from Friday's cancelled game will be honored for the 4:30 pm game.
NOTES: Robbie Knight's hit-by-pitch in the third inning was the 50th of his career ...Wichita State's Conor Gillaspie and Ryan Jones both extended hitting streaks to 14 games, while Andy Dirks reached base for a 41st consecutive game ...The temperature for the first pitch was 37 degrees, and the wind chill stood at 29 degrees ..Attendance was 731 ...Creighton was hit by three pitches on the night, the 18th straight game it has had a batter drilled ...Creighton improved to 13-0 at home this year ...Ed Servais is now 11-5 in his career in games at Rosenblatt Stadium, including a 3-0 mark against Wichita State ...Elliot Soto had two sacrifice bunts, giving CU a nation-best 47 on the season as a team ...Creighton owns 19 different innings with four or more runs this season ...Pat Venditte struck out Wichita State players with both arms, the 10th time this year he's done that in the same game ...Creighton has not allowed a run in the second, seventh or ninth inning in 10 MVC games this season ...Opponents are hitting 2-for-41 against Pat Venditte in the seventh inning this season.
Creighton improved to 23-8 overall (7-3 MVC), while the Shockers dropped to 25-5 (5-2 MVC). It was Creighton's second straight win in their last at-bat over WSU dating to last year, as Creighton's Andrew Small delivered a walk-off double in the 2007 MVC Tournament finale. Ironically, CU's Brandon Knox scored the go-ahead run as a pinch-runner both times.
In the decisive eighth frame, Vicente Cafaro was hit with one out and moved to second on Brett Mieras' bunt single. After Knox replaced Cafaro on the bases, Joe Servais ripped a 2-2 pitch to left-center to score Knox and end Rob Musgrave's night. Tony Womack relieved Musgrave and struck out Nick Nordgren for the second out. Elliot Soto then singled up the middle to plate Mieras, and both Servais and Soto came all the way around on Knight's sharp single to right that gave the hosts a 7-3 cushion.
Creighton opened the scoring in the fifth inning. Nick Nordgren walked to lead off the inning, and the Jays would load the bases following back-to-back errors on sacrifice bunts by catcher Tyler Weber and third baseman Conor Gillaspie. CU scored the game's first run on a grounder to short that was hit by Michael Lam, plating Nordgren. Elliot Soto would score a second unearned run after Darin Ruf's sacrifice fly to center was the second out.
The Shockers answered in the top of the sixth frame against Jeremy Hauer and Pat Venditte to take a 3-2 lead. Ryan Jones doubled off the wall and moved to third on a blooper by Gillaspie. Venditte entered and walked Tyler Weber to load the bases. Everyone moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch to break the CU shutout streak at 19 innings (dating to Wednesday). One out later, Kenny Williams Jr. doubled to right-center, scoring Weber and Gillaspie as WSU took their first lead.
Creighton tied the game in the bottom seventh on a one-out double by Robbie Knight that scored Nordgren. Nordgren was beaned to lead off the inning and moved to second on Soto's bunt before coming around to score on Knight's safety.
Pinch-hitter Kyle Sisney singled for his first career hit to open the ninth. Venditte struck out Andy Dirks for the first out, but then Ryan Jones reached on an infield single. Venditte then got Gillaspie and Weber to pop out to second base to end the contest.
Venditte improved to 3-2 with four innings of relief, striking out seven but walking a career-high four. He pitched in relief of Hauer, who allowed just two runs and four hits in five innings. Creighton, which managed four hits in a doubleheader sweep of North Dakota State on Wednesday, had six hits on the night. Knight had two of them, and tied a season-high with three RBI.
Musgrave dropped to 4-1 with his first loss of the year. He gave up just four hits in 7.1 innings, but was charged with six runs (four earned) in his 114-pitch effort. Womack faced the final four hitters, allowing two hits and a run. WSU had seven hits, but the only player with multiple base knocks was Ryan Jones with two.
Creighton and Wichita State are scheduled to complete their series with two games on Sunday. Sunday's first game will begin at 1 pm, and be televised by NET and video-streamed on www.netnebraska.org. The series finale will begin no earlier than 4:30 pm and be televised locally on WOWT 6.20 (Cox channel 120). Tickets from Friday's cancelled game will be honored for the 4:30 pm game.
NOTES: Robbie Knight's hit-by-pitch in the third inning was the 50th of his career ...Wichita State's Conor Gillaspie and Ryan Jones both extended hitting streaks to 14 games, while Andy Dirks reached base for a 41st consecutive game ...The temperature for the first pitch was 37 degrees, and the wind chill stood at 29 degrees ..Attendance was 731 ...Creighton was hit by three pitches on the night, the 18th straight game it has had a batter drilled ...Creighton improved to 13-0 at home this year ...Ed Servais is now 11-5 in his career in games at Rosenblatt Stadium, including a 3-0 mark against Wichita State ...Elliot Soto had two sacrifice bunts, giving CU a nation-best 47 on the season as a team ...Creighton owns 19 different innings with four or more runs this season ...Pat Venditte struck out Wichita State players with both arms, the 10th time this year he's done that in the same game ...Creighton has not allowed a run in the second, seventh or ninth inning in 10 MVC games this season ...Opponents are hitting 2-for-41 against Pat Venditte in the seventh inning this season.
Players Mentioned
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/ Baseball2013 Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Dan Smith
Friday, October 30
Jim Hendry & Alan Benes (4/11/11)
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