Creighton University
Wichita State
Wichita State Tops Baseball In Series Opener, 8-0
5/7/2010 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - Six Wichita State players had multiple hits, as the Shockers pulled away with a combined six runs in the seventh and eighth innings to hand Creighton an 8-0 defeat, Friday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Bret Bascue had the biggest blow of the afternoon with a three-run double in the seventh that extended the Shocker lead to six. He finished a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI. Johnny Coy also helped lead the 15-hit Shocker attack with a 3-for-5 afternoon.
Jordan Cooper (7-2) pitched seven strong innings to pick up his seventh win of the season. Jonas Dufek (7-2) took the loss, giving up the first four Shocker (30-17, 11-5) runs in six innings, while striking out four.
Alex Staehely was the lone bright spot for the Jays (22-18, 9-10 MVC), as he matched a season and career high with three hits. Trever Adams also added a pair of hits for CU.
Dufek and Cooper traded zeroes until the top of the fifth inning when the Shockers used a little help from Mother Nature and her gusty winds to score a pair of runs in the fifth.
After Dufek retired the first two on two pitches, Preston Springer lofted a pop-up that third baseman Jimmy Swift lost in the sun. Cody Lassley followed by doubling him home, as the wind blew his ball just out of reach of Adams in left. The Shockers capped the inning with a Travis Bennett single that was pushed away from a diving Joey Bowens in center to score Lassley for a 2-0 Wichita lead.
The Shockers chased Dufek in the seventh by pulling away with four runs. Two big hits made up the frame as Springer led off with his 10th home run on a shot to deep right center. After a single, Dufek exited for Jack VanLeur. VanLeur then put the next two runners on, before Bascue's big hit cleared the bases to make it 6-0 Shockers.
The Shockers tacked on two more runs in the seventh off Matt Patterson. Kevin Hall singled home Will Baez with two outs and moved to second on the throw. Coy then responded with his third hit of the day to bring in Baez for the final 8-0 margin.
The Jays and Shocker will be back at Rosenblatt on Saturday for game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 12:07 p.m.
NOTES: Staehely's three hits matched a season and career-high ... Dufek's now pitched six or more innings in his last four starts ... The game was played with just two umpires for the first four innings, as Tim Catton's flight was delayed ... The Jays haven't given up a run in the first three innings in any of their last five games ... Creighton put the leadoff man on in six of the nine innings, going 6-for-13 with the bases empty ... The last time Creighton was shut out in Omaha by the Shockers was April 19, 2002 ... The 8-0 shutout was the first time the Jays have been blanked this season. The last time that happened was April 11, 2009 by Northern Iowa ... Creighton has dropped the last two series openers against Wichita after winning the last three ... Wichita's 15 hits were one away from a season-high against the Jays ... Carson Vitale's throwing error ended a streak of 191 chances without an error against Wichita State, dating back to 2008.
