Creighton University
Bradley
Bradley Posts 8-4 Win Over Baseball
4/17/2010 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
PEORIA, Ill. - Three Bradley runs in the eighth inning blew open a one-run game, as the Braves evened their series with Creighton by posting an 8-4 win Thursday evening at O'Brien Field.
The Braves overcame its second straight three-error game by scoring all of their runs from the sixth inning on. The Braves put up three in the sixth, two in the seventh and the three insurance runs in the eighth.
Brandon Koenigstein (3-2) suffered his second straight loss after starting his career 8-0. He allowed five runs in 6.2 innings with four strikeouts. Jacob Booden (4-2) earned the win, allowing one earned run on just four hits in six innings of work.
Elliot Soto went 2-for-4 with a run, while Ian Dike went 2-for-2 with two runs and a pair of walks. T.J. Roemmich had the only RBI for Creighton (15-13, 4-7 MVC), as the Jays scored their other three runs on a wild pitch and two Bradley (11-18, 4-7 MVC) errors.
Three, two-out hits in the eighth gave the Braves breathing room. Mike McMillan and Jason Leblebijian recorded back-to-back, RBI-doubles to make it a 7-4 Brave lead. After a hit batsman, Rob Elliott singled home Leblebijian with a single for the final 8-4 margin.
Carson Vitale came within feet in the top of the inning of making it a completely different game. With two out and Bluejay runners on first and second, his shot down the right field line sliced just in front of the foul pole, before Vitale struck out on the next pitch to end the inning.
Three different Braves had two hits to add to an 11-hit attack. McMillan and Leblebijian both had two, while Brian Martin had two hits and two RBI.
Creighton took the 1-0 lead in the fifth as Dike scored on a two-out wild pitch from Booden after a single to start the inning.
The Jays bumped the lead to two in the sixth, as Bradley's defense continued to have trouble with the bunt. Soto doubled to start the sixth, and scored when McMillan threw Swift's sacrifice bunt errantly to first.
Bradley came back to take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Martin and McMillan posted RBI singles in the frame and Mike Tauchman posted a run scoring single to put the Braves up 3-2.
Creighton tied the game in the seventh, benefitting from another mishandled bunt by Bradley. Vitale got the bunt sign after a lead-off walk to Dike. His bunt was thrown wildly by Booden, putting runners on second and third. After a walk to Clay Cuno, Alex Staehely scored Dike with a sacrifice fly, to tie the game at three.
Bradley took the lead for good with two runs in their half of the seventh. Matt Fritz tripled home Leblebijian after his lead-off single and Martin recorded his second RBI in as many innings for a two-run Brave lead.
The Jays and Braves will wrap-up their series Sunday back at O'Brien Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
NOTES: Koenigstein's three scoreless frames to start the game was just the third time in 11 Valley contests the Jays have not allowed a run in the first three innings ... Koenigstein's four strikeouts were a season high ... Of Creighton's 11 runs this series, just three are earned.
