Creighton University
Illinois State
Bluejays Use Big Eighth Inning to Defeat Redbirds 8-3
5/1/2009 10:30:00 PM | Baseball
In the top of the eighth down 3-2, Elliot Soto and Darin Ruf each reached to lead off the inning. Soto then took advantage of a Redbird miscue as he stole third, and was able to do so without a throw. Vicente Cafaro then was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. T.J. Roemmich then drew a walk, bringing in Soto to tie the game. Carson Vitale was then hit by a curve ball bringing home Ruf and giving CU the lead. Ian Dike then followed and drew a walk of his own. Robbie Knight capped the inning with a single to right that brought home Roemmich and Vitale, and made the lead 7-3 in favor of the Jays. In the inning there were 10 men brought to the plate, five of which scored, on only one hit.
In the third, Creighton took advantage of two hit batsmen as Soto and Ruf each reached courtesy of a plunk. Vicente Cafaro then came up and doubled down the left field line clearing the bases, and making it 2-1 in favor of the Jays.
Creighton added insurance in the ninth as Jimmy Swift doubled to left-center, bringing in Roemmich from first, making it 8-3.
The Bluejays and Redbirds will get together again on Saturday at 2:00 p.m., as they play game two of their three-game set.
NOTES: The game was delayed by 26 minutes at the start, because of lighting problems in the outfield...The Jays had five baserunners reach before they got their first hit, as the Redbirds issued three hit batsmen, a walk and an error before Cafaro's double into the corner...Hauer threw a season-high 125 pitches...His previous high was 119 on April 4, against Evansville...Bob Lackovic made his 27th appearance of the year, good for third in the nation and VanLeur made his nation-leading 30th appearance...Creighton's six hit-by-pitches on the night was the most since also having six plunks against Louisiana-Monroe on May 17, 2008...Soto had his hit streak snapped at 23 games...The Bluejays have now won the last 13 games to open an MVC series, dating back to March 21, 2008 against Missouri State when the Jays lost 9-8...With Missouri State's 10-5 loss to Northern Iowa Friday, CU went a full game in front of the Bears for first place in the MVC at 12-3 in Valley play...The Jays have now held its opponents to three runs or less in five straight games, its longest such stretch since a six-game stretch from May 11-18, 2007...Creighton won for just the second time in 15 games win being outhit by its opponent...The Jays were outhit 9-6 Friday.
