Tuesday, April 22
Lincoln, Neb.
6:30 PM
Creighton University
3
at
4
Nebraska
#10 Nebraska Trips Jays Baseball, 4-3
4/22/2008 8:15:00 PM | Baseball
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Tenth-ranked Nebraska used a four-run sixth inning to take the lead, then held on late to post a 4-3 victory over Creighton at Hawks Field on Tuesday night. The game, played before 5,946 fans in Lincoln, was the first of three meetings between the schools this spring.
Nebraska improved to 29-7-1 on the year, including a 22-2-1 mark at home, while Creighton dropped to 25-14 in defeat. It was CU's third straight setback, its first three-game losing streak in more than two years.
Creighton scored the game's first run thanks to some small ball in the top of the fourth inning. Robbie Knight walked and moved to second on a sac bunt by Michael Lam. Knight moved up 90 feet to third on a single through the left side by Darin Ruf, then scored on Steve Winkelmann's sacrifice fly down the right-field line that DJ Belfonte made a diving catch on. The run snapped a streak of 30.1 scoreless inning by NU starter Dan Jennings, second-longest in NU history.
Nick Sullivan nearly tied it with two outs in the fourth inning, but Nick Nordgren made a spectacular leaping catch at the right-field fence to rob him of at least an extra-base hit.
NU would go ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning against a trio of Bluejay relievers. Jake Mort welcomed CU reliever Jeremy Hauer with a single, then moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Mitch Abeita with one out. After Abeita stole second with two down, Craig Corriston was intentionally walked. Reliever T.J. Roemmich would inherit a 2-0 count on Belfonte and finish off the walk, which loaded the bases. Roemmich then plunked Dan Johnston to score Abeita with the go-ahead run.
Roemmich's night ended with that, his fifth pitch, as CU manager Ed Servais called Kevin Dooley in from the bullpen. Dooley surrendered a single to left-center to Ben Kline that scored two and gave NU a 4-1 lead.
Creighton answered with two runs in the top of the seventh against NU reliever Erik Anderson. Winkelmann was hit and moved to second on a passed ball, then trotted home when Nick Nordgren belted his sixth homer of the season to left field. That drew the Jays within 4-3, but Anderson escaped further damage when he got an inning-ending double-play with Brandon Knox at the plate.
NU loaded the bases against Dooley with one away in the bottom of the seventh inning before Servais called on Bob Lackovic. Lackovic got Corriston looking before fanning Belfonte to keep it a one-run game at 4-3.
CU got the potential tying run, Knight, into scoring position with one away in the eighth inning. However, Zach Herr struck out Lam and Husker relief ace Mike Nesseth came in to strike out reigning Valley Player of the Year Ruf on a high 2-2 pitch.
After Pat Venditte worked out of a jam in the bottom of the eighth, CU had one last chance in the ninth inning. Winkelmann was hit by pitch for the second straight at-bat, but Vicente Cafaro would foul out on a sacrifice bunt attempt for the first out. A fielder's choice eliminated Winkelmann on the bases, putting Nordgren on first with two away and Mieras at-bat.
Nordgren stole second on a 1-1 pitch to get into scoring position, but Mieras would be caught looking on a full-count pitch to end it.
Despite the setback, Creighton starter Greg Hellhake turned in his third straight impressive start in mid-week play. He tossed five innings of scoreless, four-hit ball with three strikeouts and no walks. Hellhake was the first of six CU pitchers on the night. Hauer fell to 6-2 on the season, as he was charged with all four runs.
NU's Jennings was once again masterful. The Big 12 leader in ERA (1.59) allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out five in six innings of work. He threw 73 pitches in the outing, while improving to 5-0 on the season. Nesseth earned his third save by nailing down the final four outs.
Creighton and Nebraska will meet again on Wednesday night at Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:37 PM. The game can be heard in Omaha on KOZN (1620 AM) and will be televised on WOWT's 6.20 (Cox Channel 120).
NOTES: Gametime temperature was 71 degrees ... Nebraska starter Dan Jennings extended his scoreless inning streak to 30.1 innings before Steve Winkelmann's fourth-inning sac fly, the second-longest streak in NU history ... Michael Lam's fourth-inning sacrifice bunt was CU's nation-leading 62nd of the year, and the 12th straight game with at least one ... Creighton has had at least two sac bunts in nine of the past 12 games as well ... Darin Ruf's fourth-inning single extended his hitting streak to nine games, the longest active streak on the team ... Kevin Dooley had not allowed an inherited runner to score before tonight's sixth inning (0-of-7), while Bob Lackovic, who escaped a bases-loaded one-out jam in the seventh, had allowed all nine inherited runners to score this season before tonight ... Pat Venditte moved into second place in CU history with 98 career appearances, one more than Steve Grasley. Venditte leads the nation with 25 appearances ... Venditte has now struck out a reliever with both hands in 13 appearances this season.
Nebraska improved to 29-7-1 on the year, including a 22-2-1 mark at home, while Creighton dropped to 25-14 in defeat. It was CU's third straight setback, its first three-game losing streak in more than two years.
Creighton scored the game's first run thanks to some small ball in the top of the fourth inning. Robbie Knight walked and moved to second on a sac bunt by Michael Lam. Knight moved up 90 feet to third on a single through the left side by Darin Ruf, then scored on Steve Winkelmann's sacrifice fly down the right-field line that DJ Belfonte made a diving catch on. The run snapped a streak of 30.1 scoreless inning by NU starter Dan Jennings, second-longest in NU history.
Nick Sullivan nearly tied it with two outs in the fourth inning, but Nick Nordgren made a spectacular leaping catch at the right-field fence to rob him of at least an extra-base hit.
NU would go ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning against a trio of Bluejay relievers. Jake Mort welcomed CU reliever Jeremy Hauer with a single, then moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Mitch Abeita with one out. After Abeita stole second with two down, Craig Corriston was intentionally walked. Reliever T.J. Roemmich would inherit a 2-0 count on Belfonte and finish off the walk, which loaded the bases. Roemmich then plunked Dan Johnston to score Abeita with the go-ahead run.
Roemmich's night ended with that, his fifth pitch, as CU manager Ed Servais called Kevin Dooley in from the bullpen. Dooley surrendered a single to left-center to Ben Kline that scored two and gave NU a 4-1 lead.
Creighton answered with two runs in the top of the seventh against NU reliever Erik Anderson. Winkelmann was hit and moved to second on a passed ball, then trotted home when Nick Nordgren belted his sixth homer of the season to left field. That drew the Jays within 4-3, but Anderson escaped further damage when he got an inning-ending double-play with Brandon Knox at the plate.
NU loaded the bases against Dooley with one away in the bottom of the seventh inning before Servais called on Bob Lackovic. Lackovic got Corriston looking before fanning Belfonte to keep it a one-run game at 4-3.
CU got the potential tying run, Knight, into scoring position with one away in the eighth inning. However, Zach Herr struck out Lam and Husker relief ace Mike Nesseth came in to strike out reigning Valley Player of the Year Ruf on a high 2-2 pitch.
After Pat Venditte worked out of a jam in the bottom of the eighth, CU had one last chance in the ninth inning. Winkelmann was hit by pitch for the second straight at-bat, but Vicente Cafaro would foul out on a sacrifice bunt attempt for the first out. A fielder's choice eliminated Winkelmann on the bases, putting Nordgren on first with two away and Mieras at-bat.
Nordgren stole second on a 1-1 pitch to get into scoring position, but Mieras would be caught looking on a full-count pitch to end it.
Despite the setback, Creighton starter Greg Hellhake turned in his third straight impressive start in mid-week play. He tossed five innings of scoreless, four-hit ball with three strikeouts and no walks. Hellhake was the first of six CU pitchers on the night. Hauer fell to 6-2 on the season, as he was charged with all four runs.
NU's Jennings was once again masterful. The Big 12 leader in ERA (1.59) allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out five in six innings of work. He threw 73 pitches in the outing, while improving to 5-0 on the season. Nesseth earned his third save by nailing down the final four outs.
Creighton and Nebraska will meet again on Wednesday night at Omaha's Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:37 PM. The game can be heard in Omaha on KOZN (1620 AM) and will be televised on WOWT's 6.20 (Cox Channel 120).
NOTES: Gametime temperature was 71 degrees ... Nebraska starter Dan Jennings extended his scoreless inning streak to 30.1 innings before Steve Winkelmann's fourth-inning sac fly, the second-longest streak in NU history ... Michael Lam's fourth-inning sacrifice bunt was CU's nation-leading 62nd of the year, and the 12th straight game with at least one ... Creighton has had at least two sac bunts in nine of the past 12 games as well ... Darin Ruf's fourth-inning single extended his hitting streak to nine games, the longest active streak on the team ... Kevin Dooley had not allowed an inherited runner to score before tonight's sixth inning (0-of-7), while Bob Lackovic, who escaped a bases-loaded one-out jam in the seventh, had allowed all nine inherited runners to score this season before tonight ... Pat Venditte moved into second place in CU history with 98 career appearances, one more than Steve Grasley. Venditte leads the nation with 25 appearances ... Venditte has now struck out a reliever with both hands in 13 appearances this season.
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