Baseball Opens Season at Central Arkansas Friday
2/15/2012 6:33:00 PM | Baseball
2012 Creighton Baseball
Defending MVC Regular-Season and Conference Champions
Opening weekend
Creighton (0-0) at Central Arkansas (0-0)
Defending MVC Regular-Season and Conference Champions
Opening weekend
Creighton (0-0) at Central Arkansas (0-0)
Central Arkansas Bears
www.ucasports.com
Record: 0-0 • Location: Conway, Ark. • Enrollment: 11,783
Head Coach: Allen Gum
Career Record: 250-97 • School Record: 24-29
Assistant Coaches: Kirk Kelley, Dallas Black
2011 Record: 324-29 • Starters returning/lost: 4/5
www.ucasports.com
Record: 0-0 • Location: Conway, Ark. • Enrollment: 11,783
Head Coach: Allen Gum
Career Record: 250-97 • School Record: 24-29
Assistant Coaches: Kirk Kelley, Dallas Black
2011 Record: 324-29 • Starters returning/lost: 4/5
Creighton travels to Conway, Arkansas this weekend to take on the Central Arkansas Bears in a three-game series. Game-times are slated for 2:00 p.m. on Friday, 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Live stats, as well as live Twitter updates (@gocreighton) will be available through the Creighton website.
The Bluejays are coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history, finishing 2011 with a 45-16 overall record. Creighton won the Missouri Valley Conference both regular-season and tournament titles in 2011, marking the first time in program history the Jays have claimed both in a single season.
Creighton returns seven starting position players from the squad last season, led by centerfielder Mike Gerber and senior catcher Anthony Bemboom. Gerber finished with a .280 average last season, playing flawless defense in center, while Bemboom shot down seven runners attempting to steal and finished with a .233 average.
Highlighting a deep pitching staff will be junior Ty Blach, who has already picked up preseason All-America nods. The southpaw held a 10-3 record last season, fanning 100 batters in 102.0 innings of work. Out of the pen, which lost just one pitcher from last season (Jack VanLeur), look for Kurt Spomer (13 saves in 2011), Mark Winkelman (35 appearances) and Reese McGraw (35 appearances, 5 saves) to headline one of the deepest staff's in Ed Servais' tenure.
The Bluejays are coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history, finishing 2011 with a 45-16 overall record. Creighton won the Missouri Valley Conference both regular-season and tournament titles in 2011, marking the first time in program history the Jays have claimed both in a single season.
Creighton returns seven starting position players from the squad last season, led by centerfielder Mike Gerber and senior catcher Anthony Bemboom. Gerber finished with a .280 average last season, playing flawless defense in center, while Bemboom shot down seven runners attempting to steal and finished with a .233 average.
Highlighting a deep pitching staff will be junior Ty Blach, who has already picked up preseason All-America nods. The southpaw held a 10-3 record last season, fanning 100 batters in 102.0 innings of work. Out of the pen, which lost just one pitcher from last season (Jack VanLeur), look for Kurt Spomer (13 saves in 2011), Mark Winkelman (35 appearances) and Reese McGraw (35 appearances, 5 saves) to headline one of the deepest staff's in Ed Servais' tenure.
What a Ride
The Bluejays are coming off one of the best season's in program history, finishing with a 45-16 overall record, and claiming the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament championship in the same season for the first time in program history. The tournament title gave Creighton the MVC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, the fifth time in 13 seasons and the third time in Ed Servais' career at Creighton.
Among the Best in 2011
As is true to any Ed Servais coached team, the 2011 Bluejays thrived on the team-game concept, highlighted by solid defense and offensive execution. The Jays led the MVC and finished fourth in the nation in fielding percentage with a .980, led by first baseman Nick Judkins, who finished with just two errors in 596 chances. Offensively, the junior tied a school record with 22 sacrifice bunts on the year. Trever Adams provided the power for the Bluejays, earning All-American nods from Baseball America, NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball after finishing the season with a .387 batting average, 14 homeruns and 57 runs driven in. Freshman Mike Gerber earned Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball after stepping in as the every-day starting centerfielder, playing flawless defense and blasting a .488 slugging percentage on offense.
Energizer Batteries
On the mound, Creighton finished the season as one of three teams (Creighton, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech) with two pitchers with over 10-wins and 100 strikeouts, with Jonas Dufek finishing with a 12-1 record (128 strikeouts) and southpaw standout Ty Blach held a 10-3 record (100 strikeouts). The starter
Out of the Pen
Junior Kurt Spomer emerged as a closer for the pitching staff in 2011, moving into second on the Creighton all-time charts with 13 saves on the year. Three different pitchers made 35 appearances on the season, with Spomer, Mark Winkelman and Reese McGraw used as workhorses out of the bullpen. Jack VanLeur, who sits second in all-time appearances, finished the season with 34 appearances and his Bluejay career with 115.
Dancing
Creighton entered the NCAA tournament as the 25th ranked team in the nation, and rode a stellar pitching performance from Jonas Dufek in the opening round to defeat Georgia 2-1. Dufek, who earned MVC first team honors, fanned 10 batters in his second complete game of the season. Creighton then hit a pair of road blocks, falling to #13 Oregon State 5-1 before being eliminated by Georgia, 5-4 in 11 innings.
For the Mantel
Any time a team has such a successful season, individual accolades are sure to follow, and 2011 was no different. Head coach Ed Servais was named the MVC Coach of the year for the fourth time in his career following 2011, highlighting the Missouri Valley Conference awards handed out to the Bluejays following the season. Jonas Dufek, Trever Adams and Jimmy Swift were named first teamers, while Ty Blach, Mike Gerber and Kurt Spomer were named to the second team. Adams and Dufek were named All-Americans, while Gerber picked up Freshman All-America honors. Blach also became just the seventh Creighton baseball player to garner CoSIDA Academic All-American honors.
Big Shoes to Fill
Creighton will look to replace All-America outfielder Trever Adams and Friday night pitcher Jonas Dufek, who also received All-America honors, as they were both drafted following the season. Jimmy Swift, Creighton's starting shortstop and Jack VanLeur (34 appearances out of the bullpen last season, 115 career appearances) also signed professional contracts, while Greg Hellhake and Joey Bowens both ended their Bluejay careers due to graduation.
Big Dog
Ed Servais became the winningest coach in program history last season, surpassing both Jim Hendry and Jack Dahm to post a 299-165 overall record at the helm of the Jays. He now is in the top-20 in winning percentage among active head coaches, holding a .644 overall record. Servais was also named the MVC Coach of the Year, picking up the honor for the fourth time in his first eight years at Creighton.
Midevil Warrior
Head coach Ed Servais is approaching a pair of milestones as he opens the 2012 season. Servais is just one win away from his 300th as a Bluejay head coach (299-165), and just 19 wins away from 500 in his career (481-247-1).
In the Field
Creighton returns seven position starters and one member from its starting rotation this season, padded by a full return of the Bullpen staff. Freshman All-American Mike Gerber will be counted on to expand his offensive numbers, stepping immediately into the starting centerfield position last season. The Bluejays return 75% of their infield in Chance Ross (3B), Alex Staehely (SS) and Nick Judkins (1B). Senior catcher Anthony Bemboom returns behind the dish, leading the squad with seven runners caught stealing last season.
Starting Rotation
On the mound, Ty Blach will enter the season as one of the most feared pitchers in the conference, aiming to improve on his 10-3 record a season ago. Replacing Jonas Dufek will be a major concentration leading up to the season, but expect Brandon Koenigstein and newcomer Andrew Urban to step into the big shoes. The Bluejays return nearly all of their bullpen from last season, including three players who made 35 appearances last season (Kurt Spomer, Reese McGraw and Mark Winkelman).
Feeling at Home Again
Creighton made the move into their new home at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on April 19, 2011. The $128 milliion dollar facility will be Creighton's new stadium, replacing the CU Sports Complex, where the Bluejays have called home since 1977. The Bluejays finished 14-4 in the new ballpark, winning the MVC Tournament to complete the first season of play. Below are a list of firsts from the new move.
First Game: April 19, 2011
Nebraska 2, Creighton 1
Ceremonial First Pitch: Fred Tomczyk, TD CEO
First Pitch: 6:42 pm by CU's Ty Blach (4/19/11)
First Hit: NU's Cody Asche (4/19/11)
First Double: NU's Tanner Krietemeier (4/19/11)
First Run: Creighton's Trever Adams (4/19/11)
First RBI: Creighton's Mike Gerber (4/19/11)
First Home run: Creighton's Mike Gerber (4/22/11)
First Strikeout:: NU's Bryan Peters by Blach (4/19/11)
First Double play: CU (Swift-Staehely-Judkins) (4/19/11)
First Win: NU's Logan Ehlers (4/19/11)
First Loss: CU's Mark Winkelman (4/19/11)
First Telecast: NET Sports/CBS Sports Netwprl (4/19/11)
First CWS: 2011
First CWS Champions: South Carolina
Against the Bears
Creighton and Central Arkansas have met two different times, with Creighton taking the initial meeting 3-2 in 2010, and UCA winning 8-7 last season during Creighton's spring break trip last season.
March 9, 2011
Creighton 7, Central Arkansas 8
For the first timein the 2011 season, the Jays dropped back to back games, this time losing to Central Arkansas (just two days after falling at Arkansas State). The Jays scored first, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. But Central Arkansas roughed up Creighton starter Brandon Koenigstein for five hits and four runs in the first two innings, including a two run home run ovre the right field fence. Creighton tied up the game at seven a piece in the fourth inning. Central Arkansas won the game in the bottom of the ninth on back to back doubles off Reese McGraw.
Meet the Bears
Central Arkansas returns four starters from the team that finished the 2011 season with a 24-29 overall record. Head coach Alan Gum is in his second season overall with the Bears.
Second-Best
Creighton was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, picking up three votes in the preseason coaches poll. The Bluejays will aim to repeat as regular-season champions and then head to Springfield, Mo., to try to repeat as Tournament champions.
On the 2012 Schedule
Games against three teams who played in the 2011 NCAA Baseball Tournament, including the California Golden Bears who made it to the College World Series, highlight the 2012 Creighton baseball spring schedule. The Bluejays will meet up with the Cal Bears in a single game as part of the spring break trip in California, while also traveling to Kansas State (Fullerton Regional) and hosting Dallas Baptist (Ft. Worth Regional).
The Bluejays will also host four different Missouri Valley Conference weekend series, kicked off by hosting Evansville at the end of March and closing the regular season hosting Wichita State just prior to the MVC Tournament.
Wild Thing is Back
Kurt Spomer has earned a spot on the NCBWA preseason Stopper of the Year Award list. Spomer, who led the league with 13 saves a season ago, was named to the second team All-MVC in 2011. The senior made 35 appearances last season, 34 from the bullpen and one start against Nebraska. In 48.2 innings of work, Spomer surrendered 35 hits and held a 2.22 earned run average, including two stretches of six-plus appearances without an earned run allowed. He held a 37-13 strikeout-walk ratio, finishign the season with a 3-4 record along with his 13 saves.
Within Reach
The National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America have released their 2012 preseason baseball poll, and the Creighton baseball squad is among the teams receiving votes. After finishing the 2011 season with a 45-16 overall record and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the Bluejays have high expectations for the 2012 season.
Blach Among Best
Bluejay junior southpaw Ty Blach has picked up a pair of preseason accolades, being named to the 2012 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America team and earning NCBWA Preseason All-America honors. The Friday night starter turned in one of the top pitching performances in the league last season, sitting ninth in the country and leading the Valley with 18 games started on the mound. He finished with a 10-3 record, owning the second most wins on the Bluejay staff and in the conference. Blach's 100 strikeouts placed him second on the Bluejay squad, and ninth on the Creighton all-time charts.
Put Him in the Books
Blach put his name on the single-season, top-10 charts in numerous categories last season, including wins (10), strikeouts (100), and ERA in a season (2.65). He holds a career 2.84 earned run average, a number that sits second on the all-time charts. He also has a .684 (13-6) career winning percentage, which also sits on the top-10 lists.
Fresh Faces
Creighton will have many new faces fighting for playing time in 2012. Already slated to start in right-field will be Brennan Murphy, a junior from Butler Community College. He helped lead his team to the NJCAA playoffs and earning second-team all-conference accolades. Look for freshman Jake Peter and junior Petr Zyma to provide depth and even fight for starting spots on the infield this season. Peter led his Mason City high school team to back-to-back state tournaments his junior and senior seasons, while Zyma was part of the Czech National Baseball Team in 2010.
Opening Day Numbers
The Jays are looking to move one step closer to evening the opening day record to .500. In the 43 recorded openers, Creighton is 21-22, including the 5-1 win over Toledo in the opener last season at the USA Baseball Training Center in Cary, N.C. The Jays are 20-13 in neutral site openers but just 12-24 in the season-opening road contests. Creighton has won five of the eight season openers under Ed Servais. Below is a list of those games:
Date Opponent Score Location
2/19/11 Toledo W, 5-1 Cary, N.C.
2/20/10 SIU Edwardsville W, 22-0 Conway, Ark.
2/20/09 Sam Houston St. L, 8-6 Huntsville, Texas
2/22/08 Washington St. W, 8-4 Pullman, Wash.
2/9/07 Gardner-Webb W, 4-3 Rock Hill, S.C.
2/11/06 Ark.-Little Rock L, 11-12 Little Rock, Ark.
2/11/05 Sam Houston St. W, 9-6 Huntsville, Texas
2/14/04 Southern Utah L, 10-5 Colorado Springs, Colo.
Opening Shut-Outs
There have only been three opening day shutouts in Bluejay history, one of which happened in 2010. Jonas Dufek (5.0 IP), Jack VanLeur (2.0 IP), Mark Winkelman (1.0 IP) and Kurt Spomer (1.0 IP) each had a part in the 22-0 opening win over SIU Edwardsville. The other two shutouts have come in 1984, a 12-0 win over Xavier and in 1970, a 3-0 win over MVC foe Wichita State.
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. The Jays then went sub-.500 in each of the middle three Februarys. The Bluejays have had great success in the last two Februarys, posting a .750, three-for-four February record in 2010 and a 7-1 mark last season, thanks in part to the four-game sweep at New Mexico. Here are Creighton's records in the month since 2004:
Year Record
The Bluejays are coming off one of the best season's in program history, finishing with a 45-16 overall record, and claiming the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament championship in the same season for the first time in program history. The tournament title gave Creighton the MVC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, the fifth time in 13 seasons and the third time in Ed Servais' career at Creighton.
Among the Best in 2011
As is true to any Ed Servais coached team, the 2011 Bluejays thrived on the team-game concept, highlighted by solid defense and offensive execution. The Jays led the MVC and finished fourth in the nation in fielding percentage with a .980, led by first baseman Nick Judkins, who finished with just two errors in 596 chances. Offensively, the junior tied a school record with 22 sacrifice bunts on the year. Trever Adams provided the power for the Bluejays, earning All-American nods from Baseball America, NCBWA and Collegiate Baseball after finishing the season with a .387 batting average, 14 homeruns and 57 runs driven in. Freshman Mike Gerber earned Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball after stepping in as the every-day starting centerfielder, playing flawless defense and blasting a .488 slugging percentage on offense.
Energizer Batteries
On the mound, Creighton finished the season as one of three teams (Creighton, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech) with two pitchers with over 10-wins and 100 strikeouts, with Jonas Dufek finishing with a 12-1 record (128 strikeouts) and southpaw standout Ty Blach held a 10-3 record (100 strikeouts). The starter
Out of the Pen
Junior Kurt Spomer emerged as a closer for the pitching staff in 2011, moving into second on the Creighton all-time charts with 13 saves on the year. Three different pitchers made 35 appearances on the season, with Spomer, Mark Winkelman and Reese McGraw used as workhorses out of the bullpen. Jack VanLeur, who sits second in all-time appearances, finished the season with 34 appearances and his Bluejay career with 115.
Dancing
Creighton entered the NCAA tournament as the 25th ranked team in the nation, and rode a stellar pitching performance from Jonas Dufek in the opening round to defeat Georgia 2-1. Dufek, who earned MVC first team honors, fanned 10 batters in his second complete game of the season. Creighton then hit a pair of road blocks, falling to #13 Oregon State 5-1 before being eliminated by Georgia, 5-4 in 11 innings.
For the Mantel
Any time a team has such a successful season, individual accolades are sure to follow, and 2011 was no different. Head coach Ed Servais was named the MVC Coach of the year for the fourth time in his career following 2011, highlighting the Missouri Valley Conference awards handed out to the Bluejays following the season. Jonas Dufek, Trever Adams and Jimmy Swift were named first teamers, while Ty Blach, Mike Gerber and Kurt Spomer were named to the second team. Adams and Dufek were named All-Americans, while Gerber picked up Freshman All-America honors. Blach also became just the seventh Creighton baseball player to garner CoSIDA Academic All-American honors.
Big Shoes to Fill
Creighton will look to replace All-America outfielder Trever Adams and Friday night pitcher Jonas Dufek, who also received All-America honors, as they were both drafted following the season. Jimmy Swift, Creighton's starting shortstop and Jack VanLeur (34 appearances out of the bullpen last season, 115 career appearances) also signed professional contracts, while Greg Hellhake and Joey Bowens both ended their Bluejay careers due to graduation.
Big Dog
Ed Servais became the winningest coach in program history last season, surpassing both Jim Hendry and Jack Dahm to post a 299-165 overall record at the helm of the Jays. He now is in the top-20 in winning percentage among active head coaches, holding a .644 overall record. Servais was also named the MVC Coach of the Year, picking up the honor for the fourth time in his first eight years at Creighton.
Midevil Warrior
Head coach Ed Servais is approaching a pair of milestones as he opens the 2012 season. Servais is just one win away from his 300th as a Bluejay head coach (299-165), and just 19 wins away from 500 in his career (481-247-1).
In the Field
Creighton returns seven position starters and one member from its starting rotation this season, padded by a full return of the Bullpen staff. Freshman All-American Mike Gerber will be counted on to expand his offensive numbers, stepping immediately into the starting centerfield position last season. The Bluejays return 75% of their infield in Chance Ross (3B), Alex Staehely (SS) and Nick Judkins (1B). Senior catcher Anthony Bemboom returns behind the dish, leading the squad with seven runners caught stealing last season.
Starting Rotation
On the mound, Ty Blach will enter the season as one of the most feared pitchers in the conference, aiming to improve on his 10-3 record a season ago. Replacing Jonas Dufek will be a major concentration leading up to the season, but expect Brandon Koenigstein and newcomer Andrew Urban to step into the big shoes. The Bluejays return nearly all of their bullpen from last season, including three players who made 35 appearances last season (Kurt Spomer, Reese McGraw and Mark Winkelman).
Feeling at Home Again
Creighton made the move into their new home at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha on April 19, 2011. The $128 milliion dollar facility will be Creighton's new stadium, replacing the CU Sports Complex, where the Bluejays have called home since 1977. The Bluejays finished 14-4 in the new ballpark, winning the MVC Tournament to complete the first season of play. Below are a list of firsts from the new move.
First Game: April 19, 2011
Nebraska 2, Creighton 1
Ceremonial First Pitch: Fred Tomczyk, TD CEO
First Pitch: 6:42 pm by CU's Ty Blach (4/19/11)
First Hit: NU's Cody Asche (4/19/11)
First Double: NU's Tanner Krietemeier (4/19/11)
First Run: Creighton's Trever Adams (4/19/11)
First RBI: Creighton's Mike Gerber (4/19/11)
First Home run: Creighton's Mike Gerber (4/22/11)
First Strikeout:: NU's Bryan Peters by Blach (4/19/11)
First Double play: CU (Swift-Staehely-Judkins) (4/19/11)
First Win: NU's Logan Ehlers (4/19/11)
First Loss: CU's Mark Winkelman (4/19/11)
First Telecast: NET Sports/CBS Sports Netwprl (4/19/11)
First CWS: 2011
First CWS Champions: South Carolina
Against the Bears
Creighton and Central Arkansas have met two different times, with Creighton taking the initial meeting 3-2 in 2010, and UCA winning 8-7 last season during Creighton's spring break trip last season.
March 9, 2011
Creighton 7, Central Arkansas 8
For the first timein the 2011 season, the Jays dropped back to back games, this time losing to Central Arkansas (just two days after falling at Arkansas State). The Jays scored first, putting two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. But Central Arkansas roughed up Creighton starter Brandon Koenigstein for five hits and four runs in the first two innings, including a two run home run ovre the right field fence. Creighton tied up the game at seven a piece in the fourth inning. Central Arkansas won the game in the bottom of the ninth on back to back doubles off Reese McGraw.
Meet the Bears
Central Arkansas returns four starters from the team that finished the 2011 season with a 24-29 overall record. Head coach Alan Gum is in his second season overall with the Bears.
Second-Best
Creighton was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference this season, picking up three votes in the preseason coaches poll. The Bluejays will aim to repeat as regular-season champions and then head to Springfield, Mo., to try to repeat as Tournament champions.
On the 2012 Schedule
Games against three teams who played in the 2011 NCAA Baseball Tournament, including the California Golden Bears who made it to the College World Series, highlight the 2012 Creighton baseball spring schedule. The Bluejays will meet up with the Cal Bears in a single game as part of the spring break trip in California, while also traveling to Kansas State (Fullerton Regional) and hosting Dallas Baptist (Ft. Worth Regional).
The Bluejays will also host four different Missouri Valley Conference weekend series, kicked off by hosting Evansville at the end of March and closing the regular season hosting Wichita State just prior to the MVC Tournament.
Wild Thing is Back
Kurt Spomer has earned a spot on the NCBWA preseason Stopper of the Year Award list. Spomer, who led the league with 13 saves a season ago, was named to the second team All-MVC in 2011. The senior made 35 appearances last season, 34 from the bullpen and one start against Nebraska. In 48.2 innings of work, Spomer surrendered 35 hits and held a 2.22 earned run average, including two stretches of six-plus appearances without an earned run allowed. He held a 37-13 strikeout-walk ratio, finishign the season with a 3-4 record along with his 13 saves.
Within Reach
The National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America have released their 2012 preseason baseball poll, and the Creighton baseball squad is among the teams receiving votes. After finishing the 2011 season with a 45-16 overall record and a spot in the NCAA Tournament, the Bluejays have high expectations for the 2012 season.
Blach Among Best
Bluejay junior southpaw Ty Blach has picked up a pair of preseason accolades, being named to the 2012 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America team and earning NCBWA Preseason All-America honors. The Friday night starter turned in one of the top pitching performances in the league last season, sitting ninth in the country and leading the Valley with 18 games started on the mound. He finished with a 10-3 record, owning the second most wins on the Bluejay staff and in the conference. Blach's 100 strikeouts placed him second on the Bluejay squad, and ninth on the Creighton all-time charts.
Put Him in the Books
Blach put his name on the single-season, top-10 charts in numerous categories last season, including wins (10), strikeouts (100), and ERA in a season (2.65). He holds a career 2.84 earned run average, a number that sits second on the all-time charts. He also has a .684 (13-6) career winning percentage, which also sits on the top-10 lists.
Fresh Faces
Creighton will have many new faces fighting for playing time in 2012. Already slated to start in right-field will be Brennan Murphy, a junior from Butler Community College. He helped lead his team to the NJCAA playoffs and earning second-team all-conference accolades. Look for freshman Jake Peter and junior Petr Zyma to provide depth and even fight for starting spots on the infield this season. Peter led his Mason City high school team to back-to-back state tournaments his junior and senior seasons, while Zyma was part of the Czech National Baseball Team in 2010.
Opening Day Numbers
The Jays are looking to move one step closer to evening the opening day record to .500. In the 43 recorded openers, Creighton is 21-22, including the 5-1 win over Toledo in the opener last season at the USA Baseball Training Center in Cary, N.C. The Jays are 20-13 in neutral site openers but just 12-24 in the season-opening road contests. Creighton has won five of the eight season openers under Ed Servais. Below is a list of those games:
Date Opponent Score Location
2/19/11 Toledo W, 5-1 Cary, N.C.
2/20/10 SIU Edwardsville W, 22-0 Conway, Ark.
2/20/09 Sam Houston St. L, 8-6 Huntsville, Texas
2/22/08 Washington St. W, 8-4 Pullman, Wash.
2/9/07 Gardner-Webb W, 4-3 Rock Hill, S.C.
2/11/06 Ark.-Little Rock L, 11-12 Little Rock, Ark.
2/11/05 Sam Houston St. W, 9-6 Huntsville, Texas
2/14/04 Southern Utah L, 10-5 Colorado Springs, Colo.
Opening Shut-Outs
There have only been three opening day shutouts in Bluejay history, one of which happened in 2010. Jonas Dufek (5.0 IP), Jack VanLeur (2.0 IP), Mark Winkelman (1.0 IP) and Kurt Spomer (1.0 IP) each had a part in the 22-0 opening win over SIU Edwardsville. The other two shutouts have come in 1984, a 12-0 win over Xavier and in 1970, a 3-0 win over MVC foe Wichita State.
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. The Jays then went sub-.500 in each of the middle three Februarys. The Bluejays have had great success in the last two Februarys, posting a .750, three-for-four February record in 2010 and a 7-1 mark last season, thanks in part to the four-game sweep at New Mexico. 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
2011 7-1
Dropping Bombs
While Creighton isn't typically know for its long-ball power hitting, the Jays have hit a homerun in five of the last ten season openers, including two in 2010. Below is a list:
2011 None
2010 Elliot Soto and Trever Adams
2009 Jimmy Swift
2008 None
2007 Tim Gradoville
2006 None
2005 6-2
2006 5-3
2007 2-4
2008 1-2
2009 0-6
2010 3-1
2011 7-1
Dropping Bombs
While Creighton isn't typically know for its long-ball power hitting, the Jays have hit a homerun in five of the last ten season openers, including two in 2010. Below is a list:
2011 None
2010 Elliot Soto and Trever Adams
2009 Jimmy Swift
2008 None
2007 Tim Gradoville
2006 None
2005 None
2004 None
2003 Ryan Fitzgerald
2002 Dan Norquist (pinch hit)
2004 None
2003 Ryan Fitzgerald
2002 Dan Norquist (pinch hit)
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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
