Creighton University
Sam Houston State
Creighton Falls in Extra Innings to Sam Houston State 4-3
2/21/2009 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The baseball team lost in the bottom of the 10th inning Saturday afternoon 4-3 to Sam Houston State at Don Sanders Stadium in Huntsville, Texas. The loss dropped the Bluejays to 0-2 on the season.
Kirk Clark (0-1) who had been dominant in his first 2.0 innings of relief, allowed runners on first and second with two outs. Tyler Knight singled to center scoring Bearkat shortstop Jon Reed to give Sam Houston State a perfect 2-0 record to start the season.
Creighton got off to a fast start, taking the lead from the outset of the game. In the top of the first Darin Ruf unloaded with his first home run of the season, on a deep bomb to left, giving Creighton a 1-0 lead. Jimmy Swift then extended the Bluejay lead to 2-0 in the top of the second by hitting his first career double to left, bringing home Nick Becker.
Sam Houston tied the game in the bottom of the second as the Bearkats got runners on second and third with no outs. Catcher Heath Pugh then sent a ball to the second baseman to plate the first run, before Adam DeLaGarza hit a sacrifice fly to left, making it a 2-2 game heading into the third inning.
Sam Houston then went ahead in the fifth as leadoff man Tyler Lundy had a triple to start the inning. He then came home to score on a passed ball that hit off the top of the glove of Bluejay catcher Scott Thornburg. The Bluejays were able to keep the deficit at one, despite SHSU first baseman hitting a double on the line that threatened to score shortstop Jon Reed. Elliot Soto took a cutoff throw from Nick Becker and gunned down the would-be scorer at the plate.
The Bluejays tied the game in the top of the seventh on Scott Thornburg's first career home run, as he sent a long ball to left center that cleared the scoreboard.
Creighton threatened to take the lead in the top of the eighth as it loaded the bases. Unfortunately Bearkat pitcher Sean Weatherford induced a comback ground ball to the mound, to end the rally.
NOTES: Jimmy Swift has established a career-high for RBI in a season through the first two games...Last season he had two RBI in 14 games played, and this year he already has four RBI through the first two games...Aside from Thornburg's home run, he was hit by pitch three times, one shy of the NCAA record set by Bluejay centerfielder Robbie Knight...Knight was hit four times on March 7, 2007 against Oklahoma ...Bearkat starter Ryan Tepera threw 100 pitches before being taken out in the seventh...Last year Creighton was 4-1 in extra inning games.
