Baseball Ready For Bear of a Roadtrip
3/3/2010 5:00:00 PM | Baseball
Media Information
Live stats for all of Creighton's games can be accessed by going to the baseball schedule page at
www.gocreighton.com, and clicking on the icon to the right of the game's listing. Live video will be available for Friday's and Sunday's games by going to www.gocreighton.com and clicking on the live video link under the multimedia tab.
The Series
Creighton returns to Sam Houston State for the second straight season to participate in the Bearkat Invitational. The Bearkats lead the series 6-2 after sweeping the Jays in a four-game series to start the 2009 season.
The Northern Colorado-Bluejay series is more to Creighton's liking, as the Jays are 16-3 all-time against UNC. That record is strengthened by a current 13-game win streak in the series.
The Coaches
Ed Servais (UW-La Crosse, 1981) is in his seventh season at the helm of the Bluejay baseball program in 2009-10. His .648 winning percentage is the best in school history and he has averaged nearly 40 wins a season during his time as head coach. Servais has taken the Jays to two NCAA Tournaments and has won the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year award three times in his five seasons. His career record stands at 412-207-1, with his Creighton mark standing at 230-125.
Kevin Smallcomb (Sacramento State, 1985) enters his eighth season at Northern Colorado with a 160-211 overall record. His best year came in 2003 when he guided the Bears to a 34-21 record; their last season in Division II. Prior to UNC, Smallcomb was the head coach at Mendocino Junior College in Ukiah, Calif., where he put up a 250-147 mark from 1992-2002.
Mark Johnson (New Mexico, 1967) is in his fourth season with the Bearkats. He ranks 16th among active NCAA Division I baseball head coaches in career victories with a mark of 990-511-3. Prior to SHSU, he was the head coach at Texas A&M from 1984-2005, leading the Aggies to College World Series berths in 1993 and 1999, with a record of 876-433-3.
Scouting The Bears
UNC opened its season last weekend at No. 19 New Mexico. The Bears went 1-3 on the weekend, taking game three of the series, 6-5 in 10 innings. TJ Berge went 3-for-11 on the weekend, while Tony Crudo had four RBI to lead the offense. James Quisenberry did not allow a run in 6.0 innings for a no-decision. Tyler Wallace earned the Bears' win, allowing three earned runs in 1.2 innings of relief.
Scouting The Bearkats
The Bearkats had high hopes entering the season, as they were picked second, with four first-place votes, in the preseason Southland Conference Coaches Poll. The Bearkats have stumbled out of the gate this season, losing their first seven games before earning a 14-8 win over Texas Southern on Thursday.
Last Weekend
Creighton played two of their three scheduled games at the Lumberjack Classic last weekend. The Jays blew a ninth-inning lead to Northwestern State, falling 8-7, before making a ninth-inning comeback of their own, with a 9-8, 10-inning victory over Stephen F. Austin on Sunday.
.750 Start
Creighton's 3-1 start is the best in 10 years. The 2000 team also started 3-1, as they would go on to finish 38-23 and qualify for a NCAA Regional. The best start in CU history you may be asking? That was in 1990 when the Jays won 15-straight.
Texas Two-Thirds Step
Creighton has made a habit of spending time in Texas under Ed Servais. Unfortunately, that time hasn't always been pleasant, as the Jays are 7-14 in the Lonestar State under Servais reign, including a 2-9 mark in the last 11 games.
Adams, Cuno Nab All-Tournament Honors
Clay Cuno's and Trever Adams' contributions this weekend earned them all-tournament honors at the Lumberjack Classic. Cuno belted two home runs in the first game of the tournament, and had the game-tying single in the ninth inning of game two. Adams went 1-for-4 in game one, but had a big day in game two, going 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBI.
Cuno For Two
Clay Cuno blasted two home runs for the Jays in a losing effort on Saturday against Northwestern State (La.). Since 1999, the Jays have lost five games in which a CU player has homered twice. Those games were:
Date Player/Opponent Result Men On Base
5/6/08 Robbie Knight @ Missouri L, 5-4 0, 1
4/18/03 Matt Daeges @ UNI L. 11-2 0, 0
5/22/02 Chris Hinrichs vs. Ind. State L, 9-7 1, 1
4/1/01 Tyler Davies @ Illinois State L, 12-5 0, 0
5/9/09 Dan Lawler vs. UNI L, 11-10 2, 1
Hello, New Friend
The first four games of the 2010 season have all been against new opponents for the Jays. Creighton faced SIU-Edwardsville, Central Arkansas, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin, all for the first time in program history. The last time that happened was in 1984, when the Jays met up with Xavier, St. Joseph's, Villanova and La Salle for the first time. The Jays sported a 3-1 mark in those games as well.
No Fingernails To Speak Of...
The Bluejays have now played three straight, one-run games. In Creighton baseball history, there has only been five longer streaks. The longest streak of that kind was seven games, which happened in 1996. The last time Creighton played four-straight, one-run games was in 2008. Here are the results of those games:
Date Opponent Score
5/3/08 at Southern Illinois W, 9-8 (10)
5/4/08 at Southern Illinois L, 5-4
5/6/08 at Missouri L, 5-4
5/9/08 Indiana State W, 6-5 (12)
They're Going The Distance...
Creighton continues its monster road trip to start the season this weekend. The Jays are scheduled to play a total of 20 games (not including Friday's rainout) over 36 days at road or neutral sites to start the season. Only two other Creighton teams have faced more days on the road and played more games.
Year Games Days Record 1st Home Game
2010 20 36 ? April 2
2003 20 40 5-15 March 25
1999 29 58 19-10 April 9
South of .500 Land
The Jays take on yet another Southland team this weekend in Sam Houston State. The Jays are 13-18 all-time against current SLC squads. The Jays have a winning record against three of those teams (Texas State, Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas).
SLC Team Last Game CU Record
Stephen F. Austin 2010 1-0
Northwestern State 2010 0-1
Central Arkansas 2010 1-0
Lamar 2007 1-1
McNeese State 1995 0-2
Sam Houston State 2009 2-6
Southeastern Louisiana 2006 1-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2005 1-2
Texas State 2002 4-3
UT-Arlington 1992 2-2
Overall Record 13-18
Jays vs. Sam Houston State
Creighton will seek revenge for a four-game sweep at the hands of Sam Houston State last season. Here is how members of this years squad fared in last year's series:
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
T.J. Roemmich 4-4 .353 1 6 0 0 0 1 1-1
Robbie Knight 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
Elliot Soto 4-4 .294 2 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Jimmy Swift 4-4 .267 2 4 1 0 1 4 0-0
Ian Dike 3-2 .250 0 2 0 0 0 0 0-0
Scott Thornburg 4-3 .182 2 2 0 0 1 1 0-0
Carson Vitale 2-2 .143 1 1 0 0 0 0 0-0
Zane Hinkel 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Joey Bowens 2-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Matt Patterson 0.00 0-0 3-0 0 4.0 0 0 0 2
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 0-0 1-0 0 1.0 0 0 1 1
Mike Nihsen 5.06 0-0 1-1 0 5.1 3 3 3 1
Greg Hellhake 5.79 0-0 1-1 0 4.2 3 3 2 2
Jonas Dufek 5.79 0-1 1-1 0 4.2 5 3 0 2
Jack VanLeur 6.23 0-0 3-0 0 4.1 3 3 2 1
T.J. Roemmich 8.10 0-1 2-0 0 3.1 4 3 1 2
Jays vs. Northern Colorado
Creighton has several players that have seen action against Northern Colorado. These numbers are taken from the 2008 and 2007 games with the Bears.
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Robbie Knight 5-4 .235 4 4 2 0 0 2 0-0
T.J. Roemmich 3-3 .222 1 2 1 0 1 3 0-1
Jimmy Swift 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 1-0 1-0 0 2.0 0 0 1 1
T.J. Roemmich 7.36 1-0 2-0 0 3.2 3 3 0 3
Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over
Despite losing after holding a one-run lead in the ninth on Saturday, Creighton has been a near-sure thing in that situation. Since 2002, the Jays are 209-9 (.959) when holding a lead heading into the ninth. Under Ed Servais, the Jays are 155-7 (.957).
No Lack-ovic Of Wins
Bobby Lackovic has been a key cog in the Creighton bullpen over the last two seasons. Lackovic currently boasts two of Creighton's three wins to start the season. Since 1988, five other Bluejay pitchers have accomplished that feat. Marc Lewis (07), Tom Oldham (03), Rick Heiserman (94), Mike Heathcott (91), Dan Smith (90, 89) all won two of their teams' first three games.
Under The Lights
Creighton will be playing their first night game of the season on Friday at Sam Houston State. The Jays have posted .500 or better records in games played under the stars in all but one of Ed Servais' season.
Year Record Pct.
2009 10-6 .625
2008 4-4 .500
2007 10-3 .769
2006 4-5 .444
2005 11-7 .611
2004 5-3 .625
Servais Sneaking Up on 250
Speaking of Servais, the head coach is nearing win No. 250 in his Creighton career. The seventh-year skipper will have to win 20 more games to reach that mark this season. Listed below are a few of his milestone wins:
Win Date Opponent Score
1 2/15/04 at Air Force CU 13, AFA 8
50 3/20/05 Northern Colorado CU 13, UNC 3
100 3/31/06 #13 Wichita State CU 2, WSU 1 (11)
150 5/12/07 at Illinois State CU 5, ILS 3
200 3/14/09 South Dakota State CU 8, SDSU 2
Staehely Breaks Through
Freshman Alex Staehely has been off to a slow start (.077 BA), but finally broke through for the first hit of his young career on Sunday at Stephen F. Austin. His hit came in the seventh inning of a 9-8 Creighton win, when he lofted a ball into left field for a single. The broke an 0-for-12 stretch to start the season. Staehely does lead the Jays in one category, however, as he has posted three of the team's four sacrifice bunts this season.
Fast Start For Knight
Robbie Knight has had an excellent career for the Jays, but his four-game start has by far been the best of his career. His .474 average currently leads the team. Here is a look at Knight's four game starts from previous years.
Year GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
2010 4-4 .474 6 9 2 0 1 2 2-2
2009 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
2008 4-4 .214 3 3 1 0 0 2 1-1
2007 4-3 .294 3 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Bouncing Back
The Jays were quick to rebound from their first loss of the season, defeating Stephen F. Austin on Sunday. Since 2004 Creighton is 75-44 (.630) in games following a loss and have not been below .500 in such games.
Year Record Pct.
2010 1-0 1.000
2009 12-12 .500
2008 13-7 .650
2007 11-4 .733
2006 10-10 .500
2005 12-4 .667
2004 16-7 .696
Total 75-44 .630
Blach Makes Debut
Freshman Ty Blach made his debut on the mound Sunday afternoon, hurling 0.2 innings for the Jays. A total of three true freshman have made their collegiate debuts thus far, as Michael Blatchford, Mark Winkelman and Blach make up that trio.
South of .500 Land
The Jays take on yet another Southland team this weekend in Sam Houston State. The Jays are 13-18 all-time against current SLC squads. The Jays have a winning record against three of those teams (Texas State, Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas).
SLC Team Last Game CU Record
Stephen F. Austin 2010 1-0
Northwestern State 2010 0-1
Central Arkansas 2010 1-0
Lamar 2007 1-1
McNeese State 1995 0-2
Sam Houston State 2009 2-6
Southeastern Louisiana 2006 1-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2005 1-2
Texas State 2002 4-3
UT-Arlington 1992 2-2
Overall Record 13-18
Jays vs. Sam Houston State
Creighton will seek revenge for a four-game sweep at the hands of Sam Houston State last season. Here is how members of this years squad fared in last year's series:
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
T.J. Roemmich 4-4 .353 1 6 0 0 0 1 1-1
Robbie Knight 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
Elliot Soto 4-4 .294 2 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Jimmy Swift 4-4 .267 2 4 1 0 1 4 0-0
Ian Dike 3-2 .250 0 2 0 0 0 0 0-0
Scott Thornburg 4-3 .182 2 2 0 0 1 1 0-0
Carson Vitale 2-2 .143 1 1 0 0 0 0 0-0
Zane Hinkel 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Joey Bowens 2-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Matt Patterson 0.00 0-0 3-0 0 4.0 0 0 0 2
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 0-0 1-0 0 1.0 0 0 1 1
Mike Nihsen 5.06 0-0 1-1 0 5.1 3 3 3 1
Greg Hellhake 5.79 0-0 1-1 0 4.2 3 3 2 2
Jonas Dufek 5.79 0-1 1-1 0 4.2 5 3 0 2
Jack VanLeur 6.23 0-0 3-0 0 4.1 3 3 2 1
T.J. Roemmich 8.10 0-1 2-0 0 3.1 4 3 1 2
Jays vs. Northern Colorado
Creighton has several players that have seen action against Northern Colorado. These numbers are taken from the 2008 and 2007 games with the Bears.
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Robbie Knight 5-4 .235 4 4 2 0 0 2 0-0
T.J. Roemmich 3-3 .222 1 2 1 0 1 3 0-1
Jimmy Swift 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 1-0 1-0 0 2.0 0 0 1 1
T.J. Roemmich 7.36 1-0 2-0 0 3.2 3 3 0 3
Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over
Despite losing after holding a one-run lead in the ninth on Saturday, Creighton has been a near-sure thing in that situation. Since 2002, the Jays are 209-9 (.959) when holding a lead heading into the ninth. Under Ed Servais, the Jays are 155-7 (.957).
No Lack-ovic Of Wins
Bobby Lackovic has been a key cog in the Creighton bullpen over the last two seasons. Lackovic currently boasts two of Creighton's three wins to start the season. Since 1988, five other Bluejay pitchers have accomplished that feat. Marc Lewis (07), Tom Oldham (03), Rick Heiserman (94), Mike Heathcott (91), Dan Smith (90, 89) all won two of their teams' first three games.
Under The Lights
Creighton will be playing their first night game of the season on Friday at Sam Houston State. The Jays have posted .500 or better records in games played under the stars in all but one of Ed Servais' season.
Year Record Pct.
2009 10-6 .625
2008 4-4 .500
2007 10-3 .769
2006 4-5 .444
2005 11-7 .611
2004 5-3 .625
Servais Sneaking Up on 250
Speaking of Servais, the head coach is nearing win No. 250 in his Creighton career. The seventh-year skipper will have to win 20 more games to reach that mark this season. Listed below are a few of his milestone wins:
Win Date Opponent Score
1 2/15/04 at Air Force CU 13, AFA 8
50 3/20/05 Northern Colorado CU 13, UNC 3
100 3/31/06 #13 Wichita State CU 2, WSU 1 (11)
150 5/12/07 at Illinois State CU 5, ILS 3
200 3/14/09 South Dakota State CU 8, SDSU 2
Staehely Breaks Through
Freshman Alex Staehely has been off to a slow start (.077 BA), but finally broke through for the first hit of his young career on Sunday at Stephen F. Austin. His hit came in the seventh inning of a 9-8 Creighton win, when he lofted a ball into left field for a single. The broke an 0-for-12 stretch to start the season. Staehely does lead the Jays in one category, however, as he has posted three of the team's four sacrifice bunts this season.
Fast Start For Knight
Robbie Knight has had an excellent career for the Jays, but his four-game start has by far been the best of his career. His .474 average currently leads the team. Here is a look at Knight's four game starts from previous years.
Year GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
2010 4-4 .474 6 9 2 0 1 2 2-2
2009 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
2008 4-4 .214 3 3 1 0 0 2 1-1
2007 4-3 .294 3 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Bouncing Back
The Jays were quick to rebound from their first loss of the season, defeating Stephen F. Austin on Sunday. Since 2004 Creighton is 75-44 (.630) in games following a loss and have not been below .500 in such games.
Year Record Pct.
2010 1-0 1.000
2009 12-12 .500
2008 13-7 .650
2007 11-4 .733
2006 10-10 .500
2005 12-4 .667
2004 16-7 .696
Total 75-44 .630
Blach Makes Debut
Freshman Ty Blach made his debut on the mound Sunday afternoon, hurling 0.2 innings for the Jays. A total of three true freshman have made their collegiate debuts thus far, as Michael Blatchford, Mark Winkelman and Blach make up that trio.
VanLeur-ing Him In From The Pen
Seeing Jack VanLeur on the mound was a regular sight in 2009. The junior made 36 appearances for the Jays, tying for ninth-most in the country. VanLeur has made two appearances this season, and has lived up to his first team all-MVC billing from a year ago. In those appearances, VanLeur has thrown a combined 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball.
This Knight Could Use Some Armor
Robbie Knight will look to make a serious push at quite possibly the most painful record in baseball. Knight currently sits at eighth on the NCAA's all-time hit by pitch list, and holds the single season record of 35, set in 2007. He will need to be plunked 38 times in 2010 to break the record of 109, held by Brett Lilley of Notre Dame.
Player Years G HBP
Brett Lilley, Notre Dame 2005-08 231 109
Tony Hurtado, San Francisco 1997-00 221 92
Cody Rizzo, Notre Dame 2003-06 233 84
Gabe Somariba, Fla. Atlantic 1999-02 226 81
Mark Muscenti, Cincinnati 2003-06 211 76
Logan Johnson, Louisville 2004-07 225 74
Jeff Ontiveros, Texas 1999-02 258 74
Robbie Knight, Creighton 2007-pr. 176 72
Double Dip Anyone?
CU currently has three 2010 dates scheduled with multiple games, including Friday's pair. The Ed Servais era has seen great success on such dates, as the Jays are 60-22 in twinbills since 2004, good for a .732 winning percentage. That mark includes 24 Jay sweeps and 12 splits.
Servais-ing Victories
Creighton's 31-25 overall record last year marked head coach Ed Servais' sixth winning season in as many years on the job. Coming into the 2010 season, Servais had amassed a 409-207-1 record, good for a .664 winning percentage. That mark ranks 20th among active coaches. Listed below are those current top-20 coaches (records prior to 2010 season).
Coach, Team Yrs. W L T %
1 Mike Fox, North Carolina 26 1,039 349 5 .748
2 Mike Martin, Florida State 30 1,583 538 4 .746
3 Gene Stephenson, Wichita St. 32 1,683 577 3 .744
4 Rob Walton, Oral Roberts 6 254 93 0 .732
5 Wayne Graham, Rice 18 830 317 0 .724
6 Brad Hill, Kansas State 15 611 237 3 .720
7 Brian O'Connor, Virginia 6 265 104 1 .718
8 Jim Morris, Miami (FL) 28 1,237 522 4 .703
9 Ray Tanner, South Carolina 22 975 439 3 .689
10 Pat Murphy, Arizona State 25 1,000 457 4 .686
11 Augie Garrido, Texas 41 1,718 793 9 .684
12 Rick Jones, Tulane 21 847 393 2 .683
13 Danny Hall, Georgia Tech 22 898 430 1 .676
14 Steve Owens, Le Moyne 18 559 272 1 .672
15 Gary Gilmore, Coastal Carolina 20 806 396 2 .670
16 Sunny Golloway, Oklahoma 13 505 254 0 .665
17 Brian Shoop, UAB 20 781 393 1 .665
18 Dave Van Horn, Arkansas 16 647 326 0 .665
19 George Horton, Oregon 12 504 254 1 .665
20 Ed Servais, Creighton 14 409 207 1 .664
Sticky Fingers…and Gloves
Defense has also been a staple of recent Creighton teams, as last season the Jays put up a .984 fielding percentage, good for second all-time in NCAA Division I history. The Jays also have the fifth-best single-season mark, with a .982 showing back in 2004, along with being the nation's best defensive team since 2007.
Team Fielding % (2007-09)
Creighton .978
Oregon State .975
South Carolina .974
Texas Christian .973
Milestone Markers
Several Jays are coming up on career milestones. Listed below are several career markers to be mindful of in the upcoming games:
Player, Year Stat Mark Current (# left)
Ian Dike, Sr. Hits 50 45 (5)
Jonas Dufek, Jr. Innings 100 88.0 (12)
Greg Hellhake, Jr. Wins 10 8 (2)
Robbie Knight, Sr. Doubles 50 42 (8)
RBI 100 99 (1)
BB 100 89 (11)
HBP 75 72 (3)
Mike Nihsen, Sr. Wins 10 8 (2)
Elliot Soto, Jr. Hits 150 126 (24)
Smith's Stingy Staffs
Associate Head Coach Rob Smith has led the Bluejays to some pretty lofty numbers in his time at Creighton. His pitching staffs have been in the top-14 nationally in ERA in each of his first three seasons, including a 13th place mark last season. Only North Carolina and Virginia have been in the top-14 in each of the last three seasons. Since Smith's arrival, Creighton has combined for a 3.82 ERA in three years; good for seventh in the country.
Iron Men
When last year's lineup card was made out before games, it was a sure bet you would see Darin Ruf, Vicente Cafaro, Robbie Knight, Elliot Soto, Jimmy Swift and T.J. Roemmich in starting slots. All six of those players played in and started every game last season. Even more impressive, Knight currently has a streak of 99 straight starts and has appeared in 146 straight games. In his three years with CU, he has missed just one game, and has started all but three.
Sacrificing Will Suffice
Creighton has been known for its small-ball ways, which has landed them in the NCAA Division I record books. In three of the last four seasons, Creighton's sacrifice hit totals have landed them top-15 marks in the NCAA record books. Below is a partial list of the top-15.
Team Year G SH
Texas 2000 67 126
UC Irvine 2007 65 118
Pepperdine 1997 59 114
5. Creighton 2008 58 95
8. Creighton 2007 61 93
15. Creighton 2006 52 81
Fast Start in February
In his first three years on the job, head coach Ed Servais posted .500 records or better in the month of February. Since then, the Jays have been below .500 in each of their last three Februarys. Here are Creighton's records in the month since 2004:
Year Record
2004 3-3
2005 6-2
2006 5-3
2007 2-4
2008 1-2
2009 0-6
2010 3-1
You Close at Six?!?
Since 2008, Creighton has won 33 straight games when leading after six innings. The Jays were a stellar 25-0 last year and last lost in that situation on May 6, 2008 at Missouri. In that game, the Tigers rallied for two runs in the eighth and two in the bottom of the ninth to top Creighton, 5-4.
The Wins Keep Coming
Seasons of 30+ wins have become the norm for Creighton, as their 31-win season in 2009 marked the sixth straight season of breaking the 30-win barrier. Between 1994 and 2002 the Jays had just four such, seasons, but from 1985 through 1993 the Jays posted no fewer than 32 games.
Sunday Funday
After having a rough opening weekend, the MVC rebounded in fine fashion, going 8-1 on Sunday in non-conference action. Three of the wins were in extra innings (CU, Evansville, Illinois State) and two other wins were by one run (Indiana State and Missouri State). The only MVC to falter on Sunday was Bradley, who lost a one-run game at Mempis, 3-2 in 10 innings.
Creighton Outs Come in Pairs
Creighton's nifty glove work resulted in a top-10 national ranking in double plays in 2009. The Jays finished seventh overall with 69, and eighth in double plays per game with 1.23.
Local Flavor
Creighton has taken advantage of the rich baseball talent in the Omaha-metro area by recruiting several local players. In all, there are six Omaha natives, and several others from outlying cities.
Player, Year Hometown / HS
Robbie Knight Omaha / Millard North
Zane Hinkel Omaha / Creighton Prep
Vince Bellino Papillion / Creighton Prep
Austin Cole Omaha / Skutt Catholic
Bobby Lackovic Omaha / Skutt Catholic
T.C. Manning Omaha / Creighton Prep
Jonas Dufek Omaha / Millard West
Mike Nihsen Ralston / Ralston
It's About Time!
Elliot Soto has been a mainstay in the Bluejay lineup over the last 2+ seasons. Soto accomplished a long-awaited career first against SIU-Edwardsville on Feb. 20, as the junior shortstop hit his first career home run. The fence-scraper happened in Soto's 404th career at-bat.
Patience Is Overrated
Unlike Soto, Michael Blatchford took considerably less time to take his first home run trot. Blatchford got all of a fastball on the first pitch of his first collegiate at-bat for his first career round-tripper. Since 1999, Blatchford is one of four Jays to homer in their first at-bat, and one of five to record a home run as their first hit. Those players are:
Date Player Score Opponent
2/20/10 Michael Blatchford W, 22-0 SIU-Edwardsville
4/18/04 Jeff Daneff (Pitcher) W, 9-7 (14) vs. Illinois St.
2/19/02 Dan Norquist L, 10-9 at Kansas St.
2/23/02 Gabe Lapito L, 23-10 UC Santa Barbara
First hit only
2/25/06 Michael Lam (3rd AB) W, 9-5 at Saint Louis
Moving Just Down the Block
The 2010 season will mark the last season in Rosenblatt Stadium for Creighton. The Jays will play a handfull of games in 2011 in the new TD AMERITRADE Park before moving there full-time in 2012.
Jays Land Three On Preseason MVC Team
Three Creighton players were named to the 2010 Preseason all-MVC Team. Elliot Soto, Robbie Knight and Bobby Lackovic all earned spots on the team, in a vote of the league's coaches. All three earned all-Valley honors last season, as Soto was a first team pick, Knight was a second team selection and Lackovic was an honorable mention.
Creighton Picked Second in Preseason Coaches Poll
Creighton earned one first place vote in the preseason coaches poll, landing them in third overall. Last year, the Jays were picked second, but fell to fourth in the final regular season standings. Wichita State was picked first, followed by Missouri State.
Jays Sign Four In Early Signing Period
Creighton inked four players during this fall's early signing period. Anthony Bemboom, Matthew Hartmann, Mike Gerber and Andrew Holt will all don the Blue and White in 2011.
Bemboom, a catcher, is the lone junior college transfer, coming from Iowa Western Community College. Hartmann comes from Lincoln Way East HS in Mokena, Ill., Gerber hails from Neuqua Valley HS in Naperville, Ill. and Holt attends Central Catholic HS in Bloomington, Ill.
Live stats for all of Creighton's games can be accessed by going to the baseball schedule page at
www.gocreighton.com, and clicking on the icon to the right of the game's listing. Live video will be available for Friday's and Sunday's games by going to www.gocreighton.com and clicking on the live video link under the multimedia tab.
The Series
Creighton returns to Sam Houston State for the second straight season to participate in the Bearkat Invitational. The Bearkats lead the series 6-2 after sweeping the Jays in a four-game series to start the 2009 season.
The Northern Colorado-Bluejay series is more to Creighton's liking, as the Jays are 16-3 all-time against UNC. That record is strengthened by a current 13-game win streak in the series.
The Coaches
Ed Servais (UW-La Crosse, 1981) is in his seventh season at the helm of the Bluejay baseball program in 2009-10. His .648 winning percentage is the best in school history and he has averaged nearly 40 wins a season during his time as head coach. Servais has taken the Jays to two NCAA Tournaments and has won the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year award three times in his five seasons. His career record stands at 412-207-1, with his Creighton mark standing at 230-125.
Kevin Smallcomb (Sacramento State, 1985) enters his eighth season at Northern Colorado with a 160-211 overall record. His best year came in 2003 when he guided the Bears to a 34-21 record; their last season in Division II. Prior to UNC, Smallcomb was the head coach at Mendocino Junior College in Ukiah, Calif., where he put up a 250-147 mark from 1992-2002.
Mark Johnson (New Mexico, 1967) is in his fourth season with the Bearkats. He ranks 16th among active NCAA Division I baseball head coaches in career victories with a mark of 990-511-3. Prior to SHSU, he was the head coach at Texas A&M from 1984-2005, leading the Aggies to College World Series berths in 1993 and 1999, with a record of 876-433-3.
Scouting The Bears
UNC opened its season last weekend at No. 19 New Mexico. The Bears went 1-3 on the weekend, taking game three of the series, 6-5 in 10 innings. TJ Berge went 3-for-11 on the weekend, while Tony Crudo had four RBI to lead the offense. James Quisenberry did not allow a run in 6.0 innings for a no-decision. Tyler Wallace earned the Bears' win, allowing three earned runs in 1.2 innings of relief.
Scouting The Bearkats
The Bearkats had high hopes entering the season, as they were picked second, with four first-place votes, in the preseason Southland Conference Coaches Poll. The Bearkats have stumbled out of the gate this season, losing their first seven games before earning a 14-8 win over Texas Southern on Thursday.
Last Weekend
Creighton played two of their three scheduled games at the Lumberjack Classic last weekend. The Jays blew a ninth-inning lead to Northwestern State, falling 8-7, before making a ninth-inning comeback of their own, with a 9-8, 10-inning victory over Stephen F. Austin on Sunday.
.750 Start
Creighton's 3-1 start is the best in 10 years. The 2000 team also started 3-1, as they would go on to finish 38-23 and qualify for a NCAA Regional. The best start in CU history you may be asking? That was in 1990 when the Jays won 15-straight.
Texas Two-Thirds Step
Creighton has made a habit of spending time in Texas under Ed Servais. Unfortunately, that time hasn't always been pleasant, as the Jays are 7-14 in the Lonestar State under Servais reign, including a 2-9 mark in the last 11 games.
Adams, Cuno Nab All-Tournament Honors
Clay Cuno's and Trever Adams' contributions this weekend earned them all-tournament honors at the Lumberjack Classic. Cuno belted two home runs in the first game of the tournament, and had the game-tying single in the ninth inning of game two. Adams went 1-for-4 in game one, but had a big day in game two, going 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBI.
Cuno For Two
Clay Cuno blasted two home runs for the Jays in a losing effort on Saturday against Northwestern State (La.). Since 1999, the Jays have lost five games in which a CU player has homered twice. Those games were:
Date Player/Opponent Result Men On Base
5/6/08 Robbie Knight @ Missouri L, 5-4 0, 1
4/18/03 Matt Daeges @ UNI L. 11-2 0, 0
5/22/02 Chris Hinrichs vs. Ind. State L, 9-7 1, 1
4/1/01 Tyler Davies @ Illinois State L, 12-5 0, 0
5/9/09 Dan Lawler vs. UNI L, 11-10 2, 1
Hello, New Friend
The first four games of the 2010 season have all been against new opponents for the Jays. Creighton faced SIU-Edwardsville, Central Arkansas, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin, all for the first time in program history. The last time that happened was in 1984, when the Jays met up with Xavier, St. Joseph's, Villanova and La Salle for the first time. The Jays sported a 3-1 mark in those games as well.
No Fingernails To Speak Of...
The Bluejays have now played three straight, one-run games. In Creighton baseball history, there has only been five longer streaks. The longest streak of that kind was seven games, which happened in 1996. The last time Creighton played four-straight, one-run games was in 2008. Here are the results of those games:
Date Opponent Score
5/3/08 at Southern Illinois W, 9-8 (10)
5/4/08 at Southern Illinois L, 5-4
5/6/08 at Missouri L, 5-4
5/9/08 Indiana State W, 6-5 (12)
They're Going The Distance...
Creighton continues its monster road trip to start the season this weekend. The Jays are scheduled to play a total of 20 games (not including Friday's rainout) over 36 days at road or neutral sites to start the season. Only two other Creighton teams have faced more days on the road and played more games.
Year Games Days Record 1st Home Game
2010 20 36 ? April 2
2003 20 40 5-15 March 25
1999 29 58 19-10 April 9
South of .500 Land
The Jays take on yet another Southland team this weekend in Sam Houston State. The Jays are 13-18 all-time against current SLC squads. The Jays have a winning record against three of those teams (Texas State, Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas).
SLC Team Last Game CU Record
Stephen F. Austin 2010 1-0
Northwestern State 2010 0-1
Central Arkansas 2010 1-0
Lamar 2007 1-1
McNeese State 1995 0-2
Sam Houston State 2009 2-6
Southeastern Louisiana 2006 1-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2005 1-2
Texas State 2002 4-3
UT-Arlington 1992 2-2
Overall Record 13-18
Jays vs. Sam Houston State
Creighton will seek revenge for a four-game sweep at the hands of Sam Houston State last season. Here is how members of this years squad fared in last year's series:
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
T.J. Roemmich 4-4 .353 1 6 0 0 0 1 1-1
Robbie Knight 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
Elliot Soto 4-4 .294 2 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Jimmy Swift 4-4 .267 2 4 1 0 1 4 0-0
Ian Dike 3-2 .250 0 2 0 0 0 0 0-0
Scott Thornburg 4-3 .182 2 2 0 0 1 1 0-0
Carson Vitale 2-2 .143 1 1 0 0 0 0 0-0
Zane Hinkel 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Joey Bowens 2-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Matt Patterson 0.00 0-0 3-0 0 4.0 0 0 0 2
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 0-0 1-0 0 1.0 0 0 1 1
Mike Nihsen 5.06 0-0 1-1 0 5.1 3 3 3 1
Greg Hellhake 5.79 0-0 1-1 0 4.2 3 3 2 2
Jonas Dufek 5.79 0-1 1-1 0 4.2 5 3 0 2
Jack VanLeur 6.23 0-0 3-0 0 4.1 3 3 2 1
T.J. Roemmich 8.10 0-1 2-0 0 3.1 4 3 1 2
Jays vs. Northern Colorado
Creighton has several players that have seen action against Northern Colorado. These numbers are taken from the 2008 and 2007 games with the Bears.
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Robbie Knight 5-4 .235 4 4 2 0 0 2 0-0
T.J. Roemmich 3-3 .222 1 2 1 0 1 3 0-1
Jimmy Swift 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 1-0 1-0 0 2.0 0 0 1 1
T.J. Roemmich 7.36 1-0 2-0 0 3.2 3 3 0 3
Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over
Despite losing after holding a one-run lead in the ninth on Saturday, Creighton has been a near-sure thing in that situation. Since 2002, the Jays are 209-9 (.959) when holding a lead heading into the ninth. Under Ed Servais, the Jays are 155-7 (.957).
No Lack-ovic Of Wins
Bobby Lackovic has been a key cog in the Creighton bullpen over the last two seasons. Lackovic currently boasts two of Creighton's three wins to start the season. Since 1988, five other Bluejay pitchers have accomplished that feat. Marc Lewis (07), Tom Oldham (03), Rick Heiserman (94), Mike Heathcott (91), Dan Smith (90, 89) all won two of their teams' first three games.
Under The Lights
Creighton will be playing their first night game of the season on Friday at Sam Houston State. The Jays have posted .500 or better records in games played under the stars in all but one of Ed Servais' season.
Year Record Pct.
2009 10-6 .625
2008 4-4 .500
2007 10-3 .769
2006 4-5 .444
2005 11-7 .611
2004 5-3 .625
Servais Sneaking Up on 250
Speaking of Servais, the head coach is nearing win No. 250 in his Creighton career. The seventh-year skipper will have to win 20 more games to reach that mark this season. Listed below are a few of his milestone wins:
Win Date Opponent Score
1 2/15/04 at Air Force CU 13, AFA 8
50 3/20/05 Northern Colorado CU 13, UNC 3
100 3/31/06 #13 Wichita State CU 2, WSU 1 (11)
150 5/12/07 at Illinois State CU 5, ILS 3
200 3/14/09 South Dakota State CU 8, SDSU 2
Staehely Breaks Through
Freshman Alex Staehely has been off to a slow start (.077 BA), but finally broke through for the first hit of his young career on Sunday at Stephen F. Austin. His hit came in the seventh inning of a 9-8 Creighton win, when he lofted a ball into left field for a single. The broke an 0-for-12 stretch to start the season. Staehely does lead the Jays in one category, however, as he has posted three of the team's four sacrifice bunts this season.
Fast Start For Knight
Robbie Knight has had an excellent career for the Jays, but his four-game start has by far been the best of his career. His .474 average currently leads the team. Here is a look at Knight's four game starts from previous years.
Year GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
2010 4-4 .474 6 9 2 0 1 2 2-2
2009 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
2008 4-4 .214 3 3 1 0 0 2 1-1
2007 4-3 .294 3 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Bouncing Back
The Jays were quick to rebound from their first loss of the season, defeating Stephen F. Austin on Sunday. Since 2004 Creighton is 75-44 (.630) in games following a loss and have not been below .500 in such games.
Year Record Pct.
2010 1-0 1.000
2009 12-12 .500
2008 13-7 .650
2007 11-4 .733
2006 10-10 .500
2005 12-4 .667
2004 16-7 .696
Total 75-44 .630
Blach Makes Debut
Freshman Ty Blach made his debut on the mound Sunday afternoon, hurling 0.2 innings for the Jays. A total of three true freshman have made their collegiate debuts thus far, as Michael Blatchford, Mark Winkelman and Blach make up that trio.
South of .500 Land
The Jays take on yet another Southland team this weekend in Sam Houston State. The Jays are 13-18 all-time against current SLC squads. The Jays have a winning record against three of those teams (Texas State, Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas).
SLC Team Last Game CU Record
Stephen F. Austin 2010 1-0
Northwestern State 2010 0-1
Central Arkansas 2010 1-0
Lamar 2007 1-1
McNeese State 1995 0-2
Sam Houston State 2009 2-6
Southeastern Louisiana 2006 1-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2005 1-2
Texas State 2002 4-3
UT-Arlington 1992 2-2
Overall Record 13-18
Jays vs. Sam Houston State
Creighton will seek revenge for a four-game sweep at the hands of Sam Houston State last season. Here is how members of this years squad fared in last year's series:
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
T.J. Roemmich 4-4 .353 1 6 0 0 0 1 1-1
Robbie Knight 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
Elliot Soto 4-4 .294 2 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Jimmy Swift 4-4 .267 2 4 1 0 1 4 0-0
Ian Dike 3-2 .250 0 2 0 0 0 0 0-0
Scott Thornburg 4-3 .182 2 2 0 0 1 1 0-0
Carson Vitale 2-2 .143 1 1 0 0 0 0 0-0
Zane Hinkel 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Joey Bowens 2-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Matt Patterson 0.00 0-0 3-0 0 4.0 0 0 0 2
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 0-0 1-0 0 1.0 0 0 1 1
Mike Nihsen 5.06 0-0 1-1 0 5.1 3 3 3 1
Greg Hellhake 5.79 0-0 1-1 0 4.2 3 3 2 2
Jonas Dufek 5.79 0-1 1-1 0 4.2 5 3 0 2
Jack VanLeur 6.23 0-0 3-0 0 4.1 3 3 2 1
T.J. Roemmich 8.10 0-1 2-0 0 3.1 4 3 1 2
Jays vs. Northern Colorado
Creighton has several players that have seen action against Northern Colorado. These numbers are taken from the 2008 and 2007 games with the Bears.
Player GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Robbie Knight 5-4 .235 4 4 2 0 0 2 0-0
T.J. Roemmich 3-3 .222 1 2 1 0 1 3 0-1
Jimmy Swift 1-0 .000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0-0
Pitcher ERA W-L A-S SV IP R ER BB SO
Bobby Lackovic 0.00 1-0 1-0 0 2.0 0 0 1 1
T.J. Roemmich 7.36 1-0 2-0 0 3.2 3 3 0 3
Turn Out The Lights, The Party's Over
Despite losing after holding a one-run lead in the ninth on Saturday, Creighton has been a near-sure thing in that situation. Since 2002, the Jays are 209-9 (.959) when holding a lead heading into the ninth. Under Ed Servais, the Jays are 155-7 (.957).
No Lack-ovic Of Wins
Bobby Lackovic has been a key cog in the Creighton bullpen over the last two seasons. Lackovic currently boasts two of Creighton's three wins to start the season. Since 1988, five other Bluejay pitchers have accomplished that feat. Marc Lewis (07), Tom Oldham (03), Rick Heiserman (94), Mike Heathcott (91), Dan Smith (90, 89) all won two of their teams' first three games.
Under The Lights
Creighton will be playing their first night game of the season on Friday at Sam Houston State. The Jays have posted .500 or better records in games played under the stars in all but one of Ed Servais' season.
Year Record Pct.
2009 10-6 .625
2008 4-4 .500
2007 10-3 .769
2006 4-5 .444
2005 11-7 .611
2004 5-3 .625
Servais Sneaking Up on 250
Speaking of Servais, the head coach is nearing win No. 250 in his Creighton career. The seventh-year skipper will have to win 20 more games to reach that mark this season. Listed below are a few of his milestone wins:
Win Date Opponent Score
1 2/15/04 at Air Force CU 13, AFA 8
50 3/20/05 Northern Colorado CU 13, UNC 3
100 3/31/06 #13 Wichita State CU 2, WSU 1 (11)
150 5/12/07 at Illinois State CU 5, ILS 3
200 3/14/09 South Dakota State CU 8, SDSU 2
Staehely Breaks Through
Freshman Alex Staehely has been off to a slow start (.077 BA), but finally broke through for the first hit of his young career on Sunday at Stephen F. Austin. His hit came in the seventh inning of a 9-8 Creighton win, when he lofted a ball into left field for a single. The broke an 0-for-12 stretch to start the season. Staehely does lead the Jays in one category, however, as he has posted three of the team's four sacrifice bunts this season.
Fast Start For Knight
Robbie Knight has had an excellent career for the Jays, but his four-game start has by far been the best of his career. His .474 average currently leads the team. Here is a look at Knight's four game starts from previous years.
Year GP-S AVG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
2010 4-4 .474 6 9 2 0 1 2 2-2
2009 4-4 .313 5 5 1 0 0 0 1-2
2008 4-4 .214 3 3 1 0 0 2 1-1
2007 4-3 .294 3 5 0 0 0 1 2-2
Bouncing Back
The Jays were quick to rebound from their first loss of the season, defeating Stephen F. Austin on Sunday. Since 2004 Creighton is 75-44 (.630) in games following a loss and have not been below .500 in such games.
Year Record Pct.
2010 1-0 1.000
2009 12-12 .500
2008 13-7 .650
2007 11-4 .733
2006 10-10 .500
2005 12-4 .667
2004 16-7 .696
Total 75-44 .630
Blach Makes Debut
Freshman Ty Blach made his debut on the mound Sunday afternoon, hurling 0.2 innings for the Jays. A total of three true freshman have made their collegiate debuts thus far, as Michael Blatchford, Mark Winkelman and Blach make up that trio.
VanLeur-ing Him In From The Pen
Seeing Jack VanLeur on the mound was a regular sight in 2009. The junior made 36 appearances for the Jays, tying for ninth-most in the country. VanLeur has made two appearances this season, and has lived up to his first team all-MVC billing from a year ago. In those appearances, VanLeur has thrown a combined 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball.
This Knight Could Use Some Armor
Robbie Knight will look to make a serious push at quite possibly the most painful record in baseball. Knight currently sits at eighth on the NCAA's all-time hit by pitch list, and holds the single season record of 35, set in 2007. He will need to be plunked 38 times in 2010 to break the record of 109, held by Brett Lilley of Notre Dame.
Player Years G HBP
Brett Lilley, Notre Dame 2005-08 231 109
Tony Hurtado, San Francisco 1997-00 221 92
Cody Rizzo, Notre Dame 2003-06 233 84
Gabe Somariba, Fla. Atlantic 1999-02 226 81
Mark Muscenti, Cincinnati 2003-06 211 76
Logan Johnson, Louisville 2004-07 225 74
Jeff Ontiveros, Texas 1999-02 258 74
Robbie Knight, Creighton 2007-pr. 176 72
Double Dip Anyone?
CU currently has three 2010 dates scheduled with multiple games, including Friday's pair. The Ed Servais era has seen great success on such dates, as the Jays are 60-22 in twinbills since 2004, good for a .732 winning percentage. That mark includes 24 Jay sweeps and 12 splits.
Servais-ing Victories
Creighton's 31-25 overall record last year marked head coach Ed Servais' sixth winning season in as many years on the job. Coming into the 2010 season, Servais had amassed a 409-207-1 record, good for a .664 winning percentage. That mark ranks 20th among active coaches. Listed below are those current top-20 coaches (records prior to 2010 season).
Coach, Team Yrs. W L T %
1 Mike Fox, North Carolina 26 1,039 349 5 .748
2 Mike Martin, Florida State 30 1,583 538 4 .746
3 Gene Stephenson, Wichita St. 32 1,683 577 3 .744
4 Rob Walton, Oral Roberts 6 254 93 0 .732
5 Wayne Graham, Rice 18 830 317 0 .724
6 Brad Hill, Kansas State 15 611 237 3 .720
7 Brian O'Connor, Virginia 6 265 104 1 .718
8 Jim Morris, Miami (FL) 28 1,237 522 4 .703
9 Ray Tanner, South Carolina 22 975 439 3 .689
10 Pat Murphy, Arizona State 25 1,000 457 4 .686
11 Augie Garrido, Texas 41 1,718 793 9 .684
12 Rick Jones, Tulane 21 847 393 2 .683
13 Danny Hall, Georgia Tech 22 898 430 1 .676
14 Steve Owens, Le Moyne 18 559 272 1 .672
15 Gary Gilmore, Coastal Carolina 20 806 396 2 .670
16 Sunny Golloway, Oklahoma 13 505 254 0 .665
17 Brian Shoop, UAB 20 781 393 1 .665
18 Dave Van Horn, Arkansas 16 647 326 0 .665
19 George Horton, Oregon 12 504 254 1 .665
20 Ed Servais, Creighton 14 409 207 1 .664
Sticky Fingers…and Gloves
Defense has also been a staple of recent Creighton teams, as last season the Jays put up a .984 fielding percentage, good for second all-time in NCAA Division I history. The Jays also have the fifth-best single-season mark, with a .982 showing back in 2004, along with being the nation's best defensive team since 2007.
Team Fielding % (2007-09)
Creighton .978
Oregon State .975
South Carolina .974
Texas Christian .973
Milestone Markers
Several Jays are coming up on career milestones. Listed below are several career markers to be mindful of in the upcoming games:
Player, Year Stat Mark Current (# left)
Ian Dike, Sr. Hits 50 45 (5)
Jonas Dufek, Jr. Innings 100 88.0 (12)
Greg Hellhake, Jr. Wins 10 8 (2)
Robbie Knight, Sr. Doubles 50 42 (8)
RBI 100 99 (1)
BB 100 89 (11)
HBP 75 72 (3)
Mike Nihsen, Sr. Wins 10 8 (2)
Elliot Soto, Jr. Hits 150 126 (24)
Smith's Stingy Staffs
Associate Head Coach Rob Smith has led the Bluejays to some pretty lofty numbers in his time at Creighton. His pitching staffs have been in the top-14 nationally in ERA in each of his first three seasons, including a 13th place mark last season. Only North Carolina and Virginia have been in the top-14 in each of the last three seasons. Since Smith's arrival, Creighton has combined for a 3.82 ERA in three years; good for seventh in the country.
Iron Men
When last year's lineup card was made out before games, it was a sure bet you would see Darin Ruf, Vicente Cafaro, Robbie Knight, Elliot Soto, Jimmy Swift and T.J. Roemmich in starting slots. All six of those players played in and started every game last season. Even more impressive, Knight currently has a streak of 99 straight starts and has appeared in 146 straight games. In his three years with CU, he has missed just one game, and has started all but three.
Sacrificing Will Suffice
Creighton has been known for its small-ball ways, which has landed them in the NCAA Division I record books. In three of the last four seasons, Creighton's sacrifice hit totals have landed them top-15 marks in the NCAA record books. Below is a partial list of the top-15.
Team Year G SH
Texas 2000 67 126
UC Irvine 2007 65 118
Pepperdine 1997 59 114
5. Creighton 2008 58 95
8. Creighton 2007 61 93
15. Creighton 2006 52 81
Fast Start in February
In his first three years on the job, head coach Ed Servais posted .500 records or better in the month of February. Since then, the Jays have been below .500 in each of their last three Februarys. Here are Creighton's records in the month since 2004:
Year Record
2004 3-3
2005 6-2
2006 5-3
2007 2-4
2008 1-2
2009 0-6
2010 3-1
You Close at Six?!?
Since 2008, Creighton has won 33 straight games when leading after six innings. The Jays were a stellar 25-0 last year and last lost in that situation on May 6, 2008 at Missouri. In that game, the Tigers rallied for two runs in the eighth and two in the bottom of the ninth to top Creighton, 5-4.
The Wins Keep Coming
Seasons of 30+ wins have become the norm for Creighton, as their 31-win season in 2009 marked the sixth straight season of breaking the 30-win barrier. Between 1994 and 2002 the Jays had just four such, seasons, but from 1985 through 1993 the Jays posted no fewer than 32 games.
Sunday Funday
After having a rough opening weekend, the MVC rebounded in fine fashion, going 8-1 on Sunday in non-conference action. Three of the wins were in extra innings (CU, Evansville, Illinois State) and two other wins were by one run (Indiana State and Missouri State). The only MVC to falter on Sunday was Bradley, who lost a one-run game at Mempis, 3-2 in 10 innings.
Creighton Outs Come in Pairs
Creighton's nifty glove work resulted in a top-10 national ranking in double plays in 2009. The Jays finished seventh overall with 69, and eighth in double plays per game with 1.23.
Local Flavor
Creighton has taken advantage of the rich baseball talent in the Omaha-metro area by recruiting several local players. In all, there are six Omaha natives, and several others from outlying cities.
Player, Year Hometown / HS
Robbie Knight Omaha / Millard North
Zane Hinkel Omaha / Creighton Prep
Vince Bellino Papillion / Creighton Prep
Austin Cole Omaha / Skutt Catholic
Bobby Lackovic Omaha / Skutt Catholic
T.C. Manning Omaha / Creighton Prep
Jonas Dufek Omaha / Millard West
Mike Nihsen Ralston / Ralston
It's About Time!
Elliot Soto has been a mainstay in the Bluejay lineup over the last 2+ seasons. Soto accomplished a long-awaited career first against SIU-Edwardsville on Feb. 20, as the junior shortstop hit his first career home run. The fence-scraper happened in Soto's 404th career at-bat.
Patience Is Overrated
Unlike Soto, Michael Blatchford took considerably less time to take his first home run trot. Blatchford got all of a fastball on the first pitch of his first collegiate at-bat for his first career round-tripper. Since 1999, Blatchford is one of four Jays to homer in their first at-bat, and one of five to record a home run as their first hit. Those players are:
Date Player Score Opponent
2/20/10 Michael Blatchford W, 22-0 SIU-Edwardsville
4/18/04 Jeff Daneff (Pitcher) W, 9-7 (14) vs. Illinois St.
2/19/02 Dan Norquist L, 10-9 at Kansas St.
2/23/02 Gabe Lapito L, 23-10 UC Santa Barbara
First hit only
2/25/06 Michael Lam (3rd AB) W, 9-5 at Saint Louis
Moving Just Down the Block
The 2010 season will mark the last season in Rosenblatt Stadium for Creighton. The Jays will play a handfull of games in 2011 in the new TD AMERITRADE Park before moving there full-time in 2012.
Jays Land Three On Preseason MVC Team
Three Creighton players were named to the 2010 Preseason all-MVC Team. Elliot Soto, Robbie Knight and Bobby Lackovic all earned spots on the team, in a vote of the league's coaches. All three earned all-Valley honors last season, as Soto was a first team pick, Knight was a second team selection and Lackovic was an honorable mention.
Creighton Picked Second in Preseason Coaches Poll
Creighton earned one first place vote in the preseason coaches poll, landing them in third overall. Last year, the Jays were picked second, but fell to fourth in the final regular season standings. Wichita State was picked first, followed by Missouri State.
Jays Sign Four In Early Signing Period
Creighton inked four players during this fall's early signing period. Anthony Bemboom, Matthew Hartmann, Mike Gerber and Andrew Holt will all don the Blue and White in 2011.
Bemboom, a catcher, is the lone junior college transfer, coming from Iowa Western Community College. Hartmann comes from Lincoln Way East HS in Mokena, Ill., Gerber hails from Neuqua Valley HS in Naperville, Ill. and Holt attends Central Catholic HS in Bloomington, Ill.
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/ Baseball2013 Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Dan Smith
Friday, October 30
Jim Hendry & Alan Benes (4/11/11)
Friday, October 30
CREIGHTON BASEBALL
Thursday, October 15
Ambidextrous Pitcher
Thursday, October 15
