Sunday, May 11
CU Sports Complex
12:00 PM
Creighton University
5
vs
2
Indiana State
Baseball Wraps Up MVC Play With Doubleheader Sweep of Indiana State
5/11/2008 3:30:00 PM | Baseball
GAME ONE
OMAHA, Neb. ? Creighton baseball got strong pitching and timely hitting to take game one of a doubleheader over Indiana State, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at the CU Sports Complex.
Starter Mike Nihsen improved to 4-1, picking up the win with six-plus solid innings. He allowed two runs on five hits before giving way to Jack VanLeur and Pat Venditte, who combined to throw three scoreless innings.
Indiana State tallied the game's first run in the opening frame, as Ryan Strausborger led off with a double, was sacrificed to third and scored on a groundout by Nick Ciolli.
Creighton was quick to answer, evening the score with a first-inning run of its own. Leadoff batter Robbie Knight was hit by Matt Shelton's first pitch. Michael Lam then sacrificed Knight to second and Darin Ruf delivered with an opposite field single to bring home Knight.
The Bluejays added another run in the second, again by getting the leadoff batter to reach without the benefit of a base hit. Nick Nordgren worked a walk and was moved to second on Vicente Cafaro's sacrifice bunt. After Joe Servais flew out to left field, Brett Mieras ripped a two-out single to right field to bring in Nordgren.
Nihsen settled in after allowing the leadoff double. He retired 12 straight batters before Indiana State picked up a pair of hits in the fifth. Brian Jett singled to lead off the inning and Brian Ramirez ripped a shot up the middle with one out to put runners at the corners. However, Nihsen induced an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play from Sean Osborne to end the scoring threat.
The Sycamores again managed runners on the corners with one out in the sixth following a Chris Schmidt single. But it was another inning-ending double play, this time a 3-6-3 twin killer, to get Nihsen out of the jam.
A wind-aided opposite field home run by Vicente Cafaro in the bottom of the sixth pushed CU's lead to 3-1. Servais followed with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch with two away. After ISU brought in left hander Josh Varno to replace Shelton, CU countered with pinch hitter Elliot Soto. The freshman came through with a two-out RBI single to center field to extend the Bluejay advantage to 4-1.
Nihsen gave up a leadoff single and a walk to start the seventh to end his day and make way for the redshirt freshman VanLeur. After getting the first out on a sacrifice bunt, the lefthander induced a groundball from Ramirez that scored a run but accounted for the second out. VanLeur then left a runner stranded at third by getting another groundout to end the frame.
Creighton answered ISU's run with one of its own in the bottom of the seventh. A Knight single, a Ruf intentional walk and a Winkelmann hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out. Nordgren then drove in Knight with a sharply-hit sacrifice fly to left field.
ISU left a runner stranded on third base for the fourth straight inning in the eighth, as a one-out triple by Strausborger was squashed by back-to-back strikeouts. VanLeur struck out his final batter, before Venditte came in to fan Ciolli to end the inning.
Venditte then set down the Sycamores in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.
GAME NOTES: Indiana State's first inning run ended Mike Nihsen's streak at 24.2 innings without allowing an earned run ... Robbie Knight was hit by the first pitch of a game for the fifth time in his career and the 15th different time to lead off a game ... Knight's seventh-inning single extended his career-long hitting streak to nine games.
GAME TWO
OMAHA, Neb. ? Creighton rallied twice to come away with a 7-4 victory over Indiana State to complete the three-game series sweep. The Bluejays scored three runs in the sixth and added two more in the seventh to win game two of the Sunday doubleheader.
Creighton (33-17) wrapped up Missouri Valley Conference play at 16-8 and ensured no worse than the fourth seed at the upcoming MVC Tournament. Indiana State dropped to 14-32 and 6-15.
Kevin Dooley (1-1) earned his first win with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. Michael Lam went 3-for-4 with two RBI and finished a home run shy of the cycle.
For the third time in the series, Indiana State scored first, plating a second-inning run. A throwing error by catcher Brett Mieras on a strikeout in the dirt allowed Nick Ciolli to advance to second base. A two-out single by Brian Jett scored Ciolli and gave the Sycamores a 1-0 lead.
After only two hits through the first four innings, the Creighton offense got things going in the bottom of the fifth. Mieras led off the frame with a triple to center field and came around to score on a hustling double by Lam. Knight then beat out the throw on a bunt to third base, leaving runners at the corners. Elliot Soto then drove home Lam with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving CU a 2-1 lead.
Indiana State responded with three runs in the top of the sixth. Creighton starter Zak Moore got in trouble by walking the leadoff batter and committing a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Schmidt. Following a fielder's choice to leave runners on the corners with one out, Ciolli singled up the middle to bring home the tying run. A double down the left field line by David Brumagin on a hit-and-run cleared the bases and put the Sycamores on top 4-2.
The lead wouldn't last long, however, as Creighton answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to knock ISU starter Micah Spencer out of the game. T.J. Roemmich led off the rally with a double to left center field. Vicente Cafaro followed with an RBI double to the near identical location, drawing CU within 4-3.
After a Joe Servais sacrifice moved Cafaro to third, Brett Mieras evened the score with a single to center field. The Jays then took the lead on a run-scoring triple by Lam.
Dooley came in to relieve Moore with one out in the sixth and got an inning-ending double play to escape any damage. Dooley then allowed two singles and hit a batter to load the bases with one out in the seventh. But Dooley buckled down and got back-to-back strikeouts to get out of trouble and preserve the 5-4 lead.
CU added two big insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh. Roemmich beat out a potential inning-ending double play to extend the frame for Cafaro, who doubled for the second time to leave runners at second and third. Servais then delivered with a bloop single to right center, scoring Roemmich and Cafaro to extend the lead to 7-4.
Dooley took care of things from there. He struck out two in the eighth and set down the Sycamores in order in the ninth.
The Bluejays will have a day off before returning to action on Tuesday against Nebraska at Rosenblatt Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7 PM.
GAME NOTES: Robbie Knight's third-inning single extended his hitting streak to 10 games ... Michael Lam's triple in the sixth was the first of his career ... The triple accounted for the game-winning RBI, Lam's first of the season ... Vicente Cafaro matched his career high with two doubles ... The triple by Brett Mieras was his team-leading third of the season ... Knight and Joe Servais combined to go 11-for-23 with six runs in the three-game series ... Knight has reached base in 17 of his last 23 plate appearances ... Cafaro, Lam and Servais leave the weekend tied for the team lead with 15 sacrifice bunts apiece ... Creighton has won 16 or more MVC games in four of Ed Servais' five years as head coach.
OMAHA, Neb. ? Creighton baseball got strong pitching and timely hitting to take game one of a doubleheader over Indiana State, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at the CU Sports Complex.
Starter Mike Nihsen improved to 4-1, picking up the win with six-plus solid innings. He allowed two runs on five hits before giving way to Jack VanLeur and Pat Venditte, who combined to throw three scoreless innings.
Indiana State tallied the game's first run in the opening frame, as Ryan Strausborger led off with a double, was sacrificed to third and scored on a groundout by Nick Ciolli.
Creighton was quick to answer, evening the score with a first-inning run of its own. Leadoff batter Robbie Knight was hit by Matt Shelton's first pitch. Michael Lam then sacrificed Knight to second and Darin Ruf delivered with an opposite field single to bring home Knight.
The Bluejays added another run in the second, again by getting the leadoff batter to reach without the benefit of a base hit. Nick Nordgren worked a walk and was moved to second on Vicente Cafaro's sacrifice bunt. After Joe Servais flew out to left field, Brett Mieras ripped a two-out single to right field to bring in Nordgren.
Nihsen settled in after allowing the leadoff double. He retired 12 straight batters before Indiana State picked up a pair of hits in the fifth. Brian Jett singled to lead off the inning and Brian Ramirez ripped a shot up the middle with one out to put runners at the corners. However, Nihsen induced an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play from Sean Osborne to end the scoring threat.
The Sycamores again managed runners on the corners with one out in the sixth following a Chris Schmidt single. But it was another inning-ending double play, this time a 3-6-3 twin killer, to get Nihsen out of the jam.
A wind-aided opposite field home run by Vicente Cafaro in the bottom of the sixth pushed CU's lead to 3-1. Servais followed with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch with two away. After ISU brought in left hander Josh Varno to replace Shelton, CU countered with pinch hitter Elliot Soto. The freshman came through with a two-out RBI single to center field to extend the Bluejay advantage to 4-1.
Nihsen gave up a leadoff single and a walk to start the seventh to end his day and make way for the redshirt freshman VanLeur. After getting the first out on a sacrifice bunt, the lefthander induced a groundball from Ramirez that scored a run but accounted for the second out. VanLeur then left a runner stranded at third by getting another groundout to end the frame.
Creighton answered ISU's run with one of its own in the bottom of the seventh. A Knight single, a Ruf intentional walk and a Winkelmann hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out. Nordgren then drove in Knight with a sharply-hit sacrifice fly to left field.
ISU left a runner stranded on third base for the fourth straight inning in the eighth, as a one-out triple by Strausborger was squashed by back-to-back strikeouts. VanLeur struck out his final batter, before Venditte came in to fan Ciolli to end the inning.
Venditte then set down the Sycamores in the ninth to earn his sixth save of the season.
GAME NOTES: Indiana State's first inning run ended Mike Nihsen's streak at 24.2 innings without allowing an earned run ... Robbie Knight was hit by the first pitch of a game for the fifth time in his career and the 15th different time to lead off a game ... Knight's seventh-inning single extended his career-long hitting streak to nine games.
GAME TWO
OMAHA, Neb. ? Creighton rallied twice to come away with a 7-4 victory over Indiana State to complete the three-game series sweep. The Bluejays scored three runs in the sixth and added two more in the seventh to win game two of the Sunday doubleheader.
Creighton (33-17) wrapped up Missouri Valley Conference play at 16-8 and ensured no worse than the fourth seed at the upcoming MVC Tournament. Indiana State dropped to 14-32 and 6-15.
Kevin Dooley (1-1) earned his first win with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. Michael Lam went 3-for-4 with two RBI and finished a home run shy of the cycle.
For the third time in the series, Indiana State scored first, plating a second-inning run. A throwing error by catcher Brett Mieras on a strikeout in the dirt allowed Nick Ciolli to advance to second base. A two-out single by Brian Jett scored Ciolli and gave the Sycamores a 1-0 lead.
After only two hits through the first four innings, the Creighton offense got things going in the bottom of the fifth. Mieras led off the frame with a triple to center field and came around to score on a hustling double by Lam. Knight then beat out the throw on a bunt to third base, leaving runners at the corners. Elliot Soto then drove home Lam with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving CU a 2-1 lead.
Indiana State responded with three runs in the top of the sixth. Creighton starter Zak Moore got in trouble by walking the leadoff batter and committing a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Schmidt. Following a fielder's choice to leave runners on the corners with one out, Ciolli singled up the middle to bring home the tying run. A double down the left field line by David Brumagin on a hit-and-run cleared the bases and put the Sycamores on top 4-2.
The lead wouldn't last long, however, as Creighton answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to knock ISU starter Micah Spencer out of the game. T.J. Roemmich led off the rally with a double to left center field. Vicente Cafaro followed with an RBI double to the near identical location, drawing CU within 4-3.
After a Joe Servais sacrifice moved Cafaro to third, Brett Mieras evened the score with a single to center field. The Jays then took the lead on a run-scoring triple by Lam.
Dooley came in to relieve Moore with one out in the sixth and got an inning-ending double play to escape any damage. Dooley then allowed two singles and hit a batter to load the bases with one out in the seventh. But Dooley buckled down and got back-to-back strikeouts to get out of trouble and preserve the 5-4 lead.
CU added two big insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh. Roemmich beat out a potential inning-ending double play to extend the frame for Cafaro, who doubled for the second time to leave runners at second and third. Servais then delivered with a bloop single to right center, scoring Roemmich and Cafaro to extend the lead to 7-4.
Dooley took care of things from there. He struck out two in the eighth and set down the Sycamores in order in the ninth.
The Bluejays will have a day off before returning to action on Tuesday against Nebraska at Rosenblatt Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7 PM.
GAME NOTES: Robbie Knight's third-inning single extended his hitting streak to 10 games ... Michael Lam's triple in the sixth was the first of his career ... The triple accounted for the game-winning RBI, Lam's first of the season ... Vicente Cafaro matched his career high with two doubles ... The triple by Brett Mieras was his team-leading third of the season ... Knight and Joe Servais combined to go 11-for-23 with six runs in the three-game series ... Knight has reached base in 17 of his last 23 plate appearances ... Cafaro, Lam and Servais leave the weekend tied for the team lead with 15 sacrifice bunts apiece ... Creighton has won 16 or more MVC games in four of Ed Servais' five years as head coach.
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