Creighton University
Indiana State
Baseball Wins Conference Opener, 7-3 at Indiana State
3/20/2009 6:00:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - The Creighton baseball team won its conference opener, 7-3 vs. Indiana State, Friday afternoon in Terre Haute, Ind.
CU got in front in the top of the first for the fifth time this season, as Darin Ruf sent a double down the left field line in a hit-and-run situation, putting Elliot Soto on third with just one out. Vicente Cafaro then came up and drove in Soto, via a ground out to short.
Indiana State threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the second as the Sycamores got runners on first and second with two out. First baseman Brian Jett then sent a long fly ball to deep center, but fortunately for the Bluejays, Robbie Knight was able to track it down and the warning track to retire the side without anyone scoring.
Knight then led off the third inning with a single to left, and came around to score when T.J. Roemmich lined a single to second, to make the Creighton advantage 2-0.
The Sycamores had runners on second and third with two outs, after Nick Ciolli sent a double down the right field line, bringing up Brady Shoemaker. Shoemaker then sent a rocket to third base, but CU third baseman Jimmy Swift dove to his left, before getting up and firing to first to end the threat.
The Jays got a three-run advantage in the fourth as Scott Thornburg drew a leadoff walk. He then advanced to second, courtesy of a sacrifce bunt by Ian Dike and moved over to third when Jimmy Swift grounded out to short. Knight then came up with two outs, and delivered a double to right, that carried over Ciolli's head, allowing Swift to score.
In the bottom of the inning, ISU got runners on first and second with no out. Bronco LaFrenz then hit what looked like a shallow fly ball to right, that kept carrying over the fence, tying the game at 3-3.
CU got runners on at first and second with just one out in the sixth, to chase Sycamore starter Eric Valdez from the game. Elliot Soto then reached on a fielder's choice, putting runners on first and third, when he grounded to third, but there was only time to get the lead runner, Knight, out at second. Ruf then grounded out to third, ending the rally.
Creighton answered right back in the seventh as Cafaro led off the inning with a single, followed by a Roemmich walk, to put runners on first and second with no outs. After Joey Bowens pinch hit for Nick Becker, he laid down a sacrifice bunt, putting runners at second and third with just one out. The Bluejays took a 4-3 lead when Cafaro scored via a David Gurbach wild pitch. Thornburg and Dike then walked to load the bases, with still just the one out. Swift then sent a sac fly to center, give the Jays a two-run lead. After Knight walked to against load the bases with two outs, Soto lined a single to center, plating two runs, making it 7-3 in favor of the Jays after six-and-a-half.
Starter Greg Hellhake finished the game going 3.2 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits, striking out one and walking two.
The Bluejays and Sycamores resume their three-game set on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., at Sycamore Field, in Terre Haute, Ind.
NOTES: Matt Patterson surrendered a walk to lead off the fifth...It was his first walk allowed in 10.0 innings to start the season...He threw a scoreless inning of work, extending his scoreless streak to 10.2 innings...Cafaro's hit in the seventh inning extended his hit streak to a team-high 12 games...At one point in the game, seven straight baserunners for both teams reached base via something other than a hit...Bowens got his first official career at-bat in the eighth when he struck out...Prior to that plate appearance, Bowens had been hit by a pitch earlier in the year and had a sacrifice bunt in the seventh...The two teams combined for 14 walks in the game...Creighton has now won 11 straight games versus the Sycamores, and 18 of its last 19 in the series...Bob Lackovic (1-0) extended his scoreless streak to 10.0 innings...He has not allowed a run since March 3, against Kansas State...He set a career-high with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work.
