Creighton University
Air Force
Baseball Swept In Doubleheader With Air Force
4/27/2010 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton held Air Force All-American Matt Alexander to just two hits in Tuesday's doubleheader. Unfortunately for the Jays, those two hits were game changers.
Alexander's two-run double in the sixth inning of game one was the difference, while his RBI-single in game two tied the game in the sixth. That single preceded Nathan Carter's three-run, game-winning homer, as the Falcons (11-30) swept a doubleheader from Creighton (18-17) by counts of 4-3 and 6-2, at the CU Sports Complex.
Four different players for Creighton had two hits on the afternoon, as Scott Thornburg and Carson Vitale went for two apiece in game one, while Elliot Soto and Jimmy Swift matched that in game two. Five different Jays also had an RBI on the day.
Alexander and Carter finished the afternoon with three RBI to pace the Falcons, while K.J. Randhawa posted three runs. Addison Gentry also posted four hits on the afternoon.
Evan Abrecht was productive out of the back of the Falcon bullpen, as he saved both games for Air Force.
Creighton will be back in action tomorrow at Rosenblatt Stadium against Iowa and former Bluejay head coach Jack Dahm. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the 'Blatt.
GAME ONE
Alexander delivered his first blow of the afternoon with the game tied in the sixth inning. With two out, Randhawa doubled and Garrett Custons walked. Alexander followed by ripping a 1-2 offering from Jack VanLeur into the right-center gap for what was the winning hit.
Creighton tried to rally back in the sixth, as Thornburg tripled and scored on an Ian Dike groundout to make it a 4-3 game, but that's as close as it would get as the final four Jays would go down in order.
The Bluejays never led in game one, as Air Force took a quick lead. Blair Roberts tripled on the first pitch of the game, and came in on a Randhawa groundout.
Creighton tied it in the second, putting the first three men on. T.J. Roemmich walked, and Thornburg singled on a fake-bunt, hit and run. Vitale followed with a sharp single through the left side to knot the game at one.
The Falcons came back with a run in the fourth, to make it 2-1. Randhawa and Gentry singled to start the frame, and stood on second and third with two out. Jonas Dufek came on in relief, but his second pitch was wild as Randhawa beat him to the plate to take the lead.
The Bluejays answered in the third with a two-out rally. Soto walked, stole second and moved to third on the throw by Alex Bast. After a Swift walk, Trever Adams ball on a hit and run squeaked through the right side to knot the game at two before Alexander's game winner.
VanLeur suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs on two hits in two innings. Andrew Loyd pitched to one batter in the fifth to earn his second win of the season, while Abrecht struck out three in two inning of work for his second save of the season.
GAME TWO
After not leading at any point in game one, the Jays jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Roemmich posted an RBI single and Thornburg lofted a sacrifice fly to left to give the Jays the early lead.
The Falcons scored a run in the second on a Matthew Roberts RBI-single, but the Jays held that 2-1 lead all the way until the sixth inning.
With two outs and men on first and second, Alexander tied the game at two with a single to right field. Bobby Lackovic was summoned from the bullpen, but Carter greeted him with a three-run shot to left that gave the Falcons all the runs they would need.
Matt Patterson (1-2) took the loss, giving up three earned runs in 1.2 innings. Jack Hourin (1-0) threw 1.1 innings for his first win and Abrecht hurled the final 1.1 innings for his second save of the day.
NOTES: The Jays have not been swept in doubleheaders twice in the same season since 2003 ... Lackovic has given up home runs in back-to-back appearances after giving up just one the whole season ... Soto's seven-game hit streak was halted in game one ... Creighton's 7-9 hole hitters went a combined 0-15 on the afternoon ... Of Creighton's 11 men left on base, six were in scoring position.
