Creighton University
Arkansas State
Baseball Falls in Series Finale with Arkansas State
3/7/2011 5:44:00 PM | Baseball
JONESBORO, Ark. - It is tough to beat a team three times, and Monday's game proved that to be true, as the Arkansas State Red Wolves (5-8) earned an 8-6 win over the Creighton Bluejays (9-2) in the final game of the series. The two teams combined for 14 runs on 18 hits, and while Creighton only left four runners on base compared to the eight of Arkansas State, the Jays couldn't put enough together to earn its 10th win of the season.
The Jays jumped to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first and one in the second. Michael Mutcheson led off the game for the Jays with a double down the left field line. After Nick Judkins struck out swinging, Jimmy Swift stood in and knocked a ball between short and third, hustling down the line for an infield single. Mutcheson scored and Swift advanced to second on a quick throw by the shortstop. Trever Adams stood in next, driving a ball to right center field that got up in the wind, driving in Swift and sliding safely into third base. Creighton scored one more run in the inning when Alex Staehely flied out to center, scoring Adams with a sacrifice fly.
Arkansas State put one run on the board in the bottom of the second on just one ASU hit, but three back-to-back-to-back walks, including a four pitch walk that walked in the Red Wolves first run of the game. The Jays answered right away, putting up another single run in the top of the second. Anthony Bemboom led off the inning driving a single through the right side and then stole his second base of the season. Bemboom advanced to third base after Chance Ross sacrifice bunted him over, and then scored on an RBI ground out by Mike Gerber.
After taking an early 4-1 lead, the Bluejay pitching staff was roughed up for seven runs on five hits and no Bluejay errors in the bottom of the second. The pitching staff gave up three walks in the inning and had a runner advance on a wild pitch. After walking Johnson, the leadoff batter, Zach Maggio ripped a double down the right field line off Bluejay starter Greg Hellhake, scoring Johnson. Kurt Spomer then came in for Hellhake and walked back to back batters to load the bases. Castaldo then knocked in two runners with a double to left field to tie the game at 4-4. The Red Wolves took the lead, their first of the series, with a sacrifice fly. ASU put up two more runs on three hits to finish the seven run inning. It marks the first time this season the Jays have had an opponent bat completely through the line-up against them.
The game calmed down from an offensive perspective through the rest of the game, as the Jays would add two runs on solo homeruns, while the Creighton pitching staff would hol the Red Wolves scoreless. Staehely hit his first round-tripper of the season in the top of the sixth inning, driving one over the left center field fence. Two innings later, Adams knocked out his second of the season and of the series, hitting one off the scoreboard in right field. A late rally attempt by the Creighton bench wouldn't pull through, however, as 8-6 would be the closest the Jays would get.
Creighton relievers Jack VanLeur, Mark Winkelman and Chase Webb finished the game with a combined six innings pitched, giving up three hits and no runs. The three struck out eight batters combined and didn't allow a single walk.
The Jays finished the game with nine hits while walking just one time. Adams led the offensive charge going three-for-four with two runs and two RBI, while Bemboom went two-for-three from the dish, scoring one run. The ASU offense also had nine hits on the day, striking out eight times and drawing six walks. Spomer takes the loss for the Jays, falling to 0-1 on the season after giving up five runs on four hits in 1.0 innings of work.
Creighton now travels to Conway, Ark., to take on Central Arkansas in a Tuesday and Wednesday mid-week pair of games. The two teams will face off with a 6:00 pm game on Tuesday followed by a 1:00 pm Wednesday game. Follow both games at www.gocreighton.com with live stats. Click on the link on the right side of the front page for the live stats on game day.
