Creighton University
Missouri State
Baseball Swept vs. Missouri State, 8-3
5/10/2009 5:00:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - The Creighton baseball team tried to comeback from an 8-0 deficit, but it was not enough, dropping the series finale to Missouri State, 8-3 Sunday at the CU Sports Complex.
In the top of the sixth Curt Courtwright singled to left to start the first rally of the day. Greg Hellhake then threw a ball away trying to pick Courtwright off first, allowing Courtwright to advance to third with just one out. Aaron Conway then doubled to left, scoring Courtwright for the first run of the day. Brayden Drake then homered to left, making it a 3-0 lead for MSU.
Drake extended the MSU lead to 4-0 in the eighth when he laid down a bunt with a runner on third to score Courtwright from third.
Courtwright doubled to left in the ninth to plate two more, and make it 6-0, before Kevin Medrano doubled to left-center, making the count at 8-0.
The Bluejays finally got on the board, in the bottom of the ninth when Darin Ruf laced a double to right-center, plating Elliot Soto from first. T.J. Roemmich then doubled to right, allowing Ruf to score and make it 8-2. Nick Becker then reached on an infield single, scoring Vicente Cafaro, but that is as far as the rally would get, as Carson Vitale and Ian Dike each flew out to end the game with the final score of 8-3.
Hellhake did his part, tying a career-high with his 7.0 innings thrown. He allowed four runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.
The Jays will return to action on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m., against Nebraska at Rosenblatt Stadium. It will be the third meeting of the season between the two teams, with each team winning on the other's home turf.
NOTES: It took just an hour and two minutes to play the first five-and-a-half innings...Robbie Knight's hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the sixth was the 69th of his career, putting him alone in seventh on the all-time NCAA leaderboard...It was the first time Creighton has been swept at home under Ed Servais, with the last time coming in a four-game series against Northern Iowa from April 18-20, 2003...Missouri State last swept CU from May 5-6, 2001, with all four games coming in Omaha...Bob Lackovic appeared in his 31st game of the year, moving him into a tie for fourth on the NCAA leaderboard.
