Baseball Opens Five Game Homestand on Tuesday
3/12/2012 4:30:00 PM | Baseball
2012 Creighton Baseball
Home Opener • TD Ameritrade Park Omaha
Creighton (7-6) vs. BYU (5-6) • March 13 • 6:00 pm
vs. La Tech (9-6) • March 14 • 6:00 pm
vs. North Dakota • March 16/17 • CU Sports Complex
Home Opener • TD Ameritrade Park Omaha
Creighton (7-6) vs. BYU (5-6) • March 13 • 6:00 pm
vs. La Tech (9-6) • March 14 • 6:00 pm
vs. North Dakota • March 16/17 • CU Sports Complex
Follow the Bluejays
Creighton will play their first home games of the 2012 season on Tuesday and Wednesday, hosting BYU and Louisiana Tech at 6:00 pm each night, respectively. Tuesday night marks the first of 26 regular-season games that will be played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha this week. Creighton will then return to the CU Sports Complex for a three-game series with North Dakota, with one game on Friday and a double header on Saturday. The games can be followed through live stats at www.gocreighton.com, as well as live Twitter updates (@gocreighton and @CU_baseball) during and after the games.
Creighton will play their first home games of the 2012 season on Tuesday and Wednesday, hosting BYU and Louisiana Tech at 6:00 pm each night, respectively. Tuesday night marks the first of 26 regular-season games that will be played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha this week. Creighton will then return to the CU Sports Complex for a three-game series with North Dakota, with one game on Friday and a double header on Saturday. The games can be followed through live stats at www.gocreighton.com, as well as live Twitter updates (@gocreighton and @CU_baseball) during and after the games.
Meet Creighton
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, both which have been tabbed preseason All-MVC picks. 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 led offensively on the season by Nick Judkins. The senior is hitting .404 on the season, with a .519 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage. He hit .474 last week in California to lead the Bluejays to four wins. Judkins has 21 hits and 13 RBI, both which lead the club. Chance Ross has secured his role as the Bluejay leadoff hitter, as the senior has a .485 on-base percentage and a team-leading 13 walks in the leadoff position.
• Nick Judkins reached base safely five of the six times in the Sunday game at Pacific, reaching twice by hit-by-pitch, twice by bunt and once with a single.
• Nick Judkins has a team-high .519 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage.
• Judkins has reached base safely in every game this season, the longest streak since Trever Adams ended last season on a 45-game streak.
• Mike Gerber has hit a double in the last three games straight. The sophomore has four total on the season.
• Chance Ross, Anthony Bemboom and Scott Thornburg each had a pair of hits in Creighton's 12-2 win over Pacific.
• Chance Ross has reached base safely to open a game in the last five games.
• Chance Ross has been walked a team-high 13 times this season, holding a .485 on-base percentage. He sits in a tie for second in the MVC in walks.
• Petr Zyma's number was called for the first time this season, but the junior from the Czech Republic wouldn't get an at-bat. Zyma was plunked in the side, one of nine batters to be hit by a pitch on the weekend at Pacific.
• Brennan Murphy was a perfect 3-3 in stolen bases while in California last week and now sits 5-5 on the season. The school record for stolen bases in a season is 52, but a player hasn't stolen more than 27 bases since 2002.
On the pitcher's mound, four different Bluejay pitchers have made starts this season. Ty Blach continues to lead the team, holding a 1.73 ERA in his four starts. The junior southpaw has tossed a team-high 26.0 innings this season, striking out 15 batters and holding opponents to a .211 average against.
• Ty Blach and Reese McGraw have each been named MVC Pitchers of the Week already this season.
• Shane Liska has made four appearances this season, tossing a career-long 3.0 innings at Sacramento State.
• Andrew Urban became the first Bluejay newcomer since Ty Blach's freshman year to make it into the starting rotation in his first year on campus. The JUCO transfer is the first since Jeremy Hauer to make it into the starting rotation since 2008-09.
• Ty Blach and Nick Musec had long outings in their last starts, Musec going 7.0 innings and Blach 6.2 innings. They both faced the minimum batters in five innings.
• Nick Musec tossed a career-high 7.0 innings in the 12-2 win over Pacific last week. He struck out two and allowed just two earned runs.
• Kurt Spomer picked up his second save on the trip to California, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning at UC Davis.
• Freshman Mark Lukowski and senior Ryan Knott both made their first appearances on the mound last week; Lukowski tossed a pair of innings at Sacramento State and Pacific, while Knott came in in relief against Sacramento State.
Meet BYU
The Cougars sit at 5-6 overall on the season, all games which have been played away from home. They have played three WCC games, holding a 2-1 mark in conference play so far this season. BYU is scheduled to take on Nebraska-Omaha on Monday afternoon prior to the game with the Bluejays.
As a team, BYU is hitting .229 on the season. The Cougars have pushed across 37 runs on 85 hits this season, 15 of which have been for extra bases. BYU has not hit a home run yet this season. Leading the offensive charge is Tanner Chauncey, who is tied for the team lead with 12 hits and hitting .462. Alex Wolfe and Brock Whitney are hitting .286 and .267, respectively. The Cougars have one sacrifice fly and just seven sacrifice bunts on the season.
The pitching staff holds a combined 3.83 earned run average, allowing 40 earned runs in 94 innings of work. The staff has surrendered 21 extra base-hits this season. Mason Marshall, Marc Oslund, Chris Howard and Matt Milke have each made four appearances on the season, with Marshall holding the lone saves (2) for the Cougars.
The Cougars are hold a .970 fielding percentage, committing 12 defensive errors on the season, but no individual player has more than two.
Meet La Tech
The Bulldogs are sitting at 9-6 on the season, including a 4-3 mark away from home. They beat Lamar 8-1 last Wednesday, their final game before making the trek to Nebraska. The Bulldogs will take on Nebraska Lincoln in a four-game series March 15-18.
The Bulldogs are hitting .315 on the season, blasting out 13 home runs on the season and 32 other multi-base hits, for a .448 slugging percentage. Leading the charge offensively are Alex Williams and Ryan Gebhardt, who hold .431 and .422 averages, respectively. Williams leads the team with six home runs and a .738 slugging percentage, while Gebhardt leads the team with 15 runs scored and six doubles. La Tech has successfully stolen 8-14 bases this season.
On the hill, Caleb Dudley has three saves in seven appearances on the season, while Phil Maton leads the team with a 3-0 mark in five appearances, fanning 30 batters in his 25.2 innings of work. Six different Bulldogs have made appearances on the season, who have a collective 5.86 earned run average.
Defensively, the Bulldogs have a .956 fielding percentage on the season, committing 25 errors as a team.
Meet North Dakota
Fourth-year head coach Jeff Dodson's 27-man roster is filled with 10 returning letterwinners, three redshirt freshmen and 14 newcomers (11 true freshmen). Two of those 14 newcomers will be sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.
The Sioux will play their first 26 games this season on the road. UND will have a 15-game homestand beginning with a doubleheader against Valley City State on April 25.
UND was pegged to finish seventh in the Great West Conference preseason coahces' poll. The Sioux will host home GWC series against Northern Colorado (April 27-29), NYIT (May 4-6) and Houston Baptist (May 11-13).
Against BYU
Last season marked the first meeting between the two schools, with each team taking a game in the pair of games in March. Creighton won the opener, a 6-5 win on March 21 holding the 12-10 advantage in hits, while the Cougars pounded out 17 hits off starter Brandon Koenigstein in the second game, winning 11-4 at the CU Sports Complex.
Against the WCC
The BYU Cougars are the second team the Bluejays will play from the WCC this season, as Creighton fell in a pair of games to Portland at the end of February. Creighton is now 8-5 overall against the WCC in program history.
Against La Tech
Creighton and Louisiana Tech will be meeting for the second time in program history, with the first meeting coming in 1992. The Bluejays took that, a 6-5 win on Feb. 28 1992 at as part of the Louisiana Classic at McNeese State.
Against the WAC
Louisiana Tech is the second school from the WAC the Bluejays will play this season. Sacramento State, who topped the Jays 7-2 last week, is also a member of the conference. Overall, Creighton is 17-12-1 against the WAC
Against North Dakota
The Jays and Fighting Sioux have met on the baseball field four times in the history of the school. All four meetings have been in Omaha, with Creighton holding a 3-1 advantage. The two teams played in 2009, with each team winning a game. The Jays won the opener 13-6, but then fell 6-7 in game two.
Against the Great West
Creighton and the Great West do not have a big history, with the only games between the two schools played in 2009, a split with North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux had just become part of the Great West in July of 2008, after making the jump from Division II to Division I. The Jays, thus, are 1-1 against teams from the Great West Conference.
Meet the Coaches
Creighton: Ed Servais (9th Season): Ed Servais enters his ninth season leading the Creighton baseball program in 2012. He is the winningest coach in program history, surpassing Jack Dahm (283) and Jim Hendry (289) in 2011, when he led his team to a 45-16 overall record, Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles and a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Servais was named the MVC Coach of the Year following the 2011 season, the fourth time he has earned the award in his eight years at Creighton.
Servais currently holds a .644 winning percentage at the helm of the Jays, the top number in school history. He has taken the Bluejys to three NCAA Tournaments, including 2011. He has also led the Bluejays to an average of 37 wins in each of the last eight seasons.
Servais' tenure has ranked among the best as a Creighton head coach, as he has guided the team to a 306-171 record, placing him second in the Missouri Valley Conference, fifth in the Midwest, and in the top 20 in the nation in winning percentage during that time. The Bluejays are one of just 10 schools in the Midwest to earn five or more NCAA Regional berths in the last 13 years, and one of two in the MVC along with Wichita State. Servais also has led the Jays to the MVC Tournament title in 2007 and regular-season crown in 2005, and both in the 2011 season.
His teams have finished among the nation's best in fielding percentage and sacrifice bunts every season, including 2011, when the Bluejays finished fourth in fielding percentage (.980) and fourth in sacrifice bunts, with 84. Since coming to Creighton, Servais' teams have committed the fewest errors in the nation, while holding a .977 fielding percentage in the last eight seasons, which also leads the country.
BYU: Vance Law (13th Season): Law, former major league all-star and dual-sport Cougar athlete, enters his 13th year at the helm of the baseball program after compiling a 12-year record of 375-321-2 (.539).
Before coming to BYU, Law was the head baseball coach at Provo High School, where he compiled a 64-55 (.538) record in five seasons. In 1997, he led the Bulldogs to the state title (18-9 record) and was named 4A Coach of the Year. He previously had served for two seasons as an assistant coach at Utah Valley State College in 1993-94.
The infielder/outfielder played 14 years of professional baseball, including 10 on the major league level with a career .257 batting average. He started out as a 39th round draft pick and worked his way up with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1978-81), Chicago White Sox (1982-84), Montreal Expos (1985-87), Chicago Cubs (1988-89), and Oakland Athletics (1991). He also played in 1990 for the Chunichi Dragons in Nagoya, Japan.
La Tech: Wade Simoneaux (10th Season): Entering his tenth season at the helm of the Louisiana Tech baseball program, Wade Simoneaux has turned the Bulldogs into perhaps one of the more prolific offensive teams in the south.
In just ten seasons with the Bulldogs, Simoneaux has compiled over 230 wins and has turned J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park into a true home field advantage as LA Tech has built a .686 winning percentage since 2006.
The 2011 Bulldogs compiled a 34-27 record and had the best finish in the WAC tournament than any other team in school history (2-2). As a result, two players, Will Alvis and Ryan Gebhardt, were named to the all-tournament team.
Over the past six seasons Simoneaux has totaled 148 wins including two 30-plus win seasons. The five year stretch marks the most successful period for a Bulldog head coach since Pat Patterson and Mike Kane combined to win 171 games between 1988 and 1992.
Plain and Simple, Simoneaux has returned a winning tradition to Louisiana Tech as evident by the 16 student-athletes selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, six all-Americans, two freshman all-American, one ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-American and 28 all-WAC performers.
North Dakota: Jeff Dodson (4th Season): Dodson officially became the first Division I baseball coach in the history of the University of North Dakota when he was hired on June 20, 2008. He took over a program that spent the previous 50 seasons playing at the Division II level in the North Central Conference.
The 2012 season will be his fourth as the program wraps up its transition to Division I baseball. He will have a roster that features 14 freshman as his roster starts to become fully-represented by his recruits.
Dodson helped his club overcome a shaky start to the 2011 season with a strong finish to the season, winning six of its last 10 games. A nice run on their home field at the Great West Conference Tournament capped that stretch . No. 7 seed UND upset No. 2 seed Northern Colorado and No. 3 seed Houston Baptist to reach the semifinals, but the magical run ended there as UND dropped two straight to conclude their season.
Last Time Against the Cougars
Creighton and BYU squared off at the CU Sports Complex last year in a pair of games. In the opener, Creighton jumped out to a 2-0 lead early, but then had to fight to regain the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Trever Adams went a perfect four-for-four from the plate, while Jimmy Swift and Alex Staehely each picked up three hits of their own. Bluejay closer Reese McGraw picked up his team-leading fourth save in the game, striking out a batter to strand a pair of BYU runners on base. In game two, the Cougar bats were hot from the start. With two outs and runners on first and second in the first inning, the Cougars rattled off six straight hits, including a home run, to lead 7-0 after one inning. The Cougars continued with their hot bats, rattling off 17 hits on the day to claim an 11-4 win Christiansen may be best known for the three-game series he coaches at SDSU against Kansas overnight in the Metrodome, playing a doubleheader at 1:30 a.m. due to scheduling changes, and a 3:30 p.m. game the next day.
The Real Stuff
The Bluejays have spent a good amount of time this preseason practicing outside, thanks to beautiful weather and a mild winter. The Jays played the opening weekend on a field with turf infield and grass outfield. They then played on all grass in the lone game played at Portland, but made the switch back to a combination field when playing at Lower Columbia College for the final game against the Pilots (switched due to rain). TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, the home of the Bluejays, is a completely natural field.
Opening Day at Home
In the past 10 years, Creighton has a 9-1 record on opening day. This marks the first season that opening day will be played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, even though the team will make a return appearance at the CU Sports Complex at the end of the week. Under head coach Ed Servais, the Jays are 7-1 on opening day. The only blemish on Servais' opening day mark came in 2010, in an 8-5 loss to Indiana State. Below are the opening day scores from the past 10 seasons.
3/11/11 South Dakota State W 6-0
4/2/10 Indiana State L 5-8
3/14/09 South Dakota State W 8-2
3/15/08 Chicago State W(7) 11-0
3/9/07 Saint Louis W 6-1
3/14/06 North Dakota State W 13-4
2/25/05 Saint Louis W 13-12
3/19/04 North Dakota State W 14-2
3/25/03 Kansas State W 11-6
3/5/02 Dana College W 16-7
Home Series
The Jays have also had good success in the opening series in the last 10 years. Creighton is 24-6 in the first home series of the season. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 the Jays opened with a single game at home followed by a conference home series in each season. Below are the opening series opponents and results
2011South Dakota State 3-0
2010 Indiana State 1-2
2009 South Dakota State 2-1
2008 Chicago State 4-0
2007 Saint Louis 3-0
2006 North Dakota State 2-0
2005 Saint Louis 2-0
2004 Evansville 3-0
2003 Missouri State 2-2
2002 Illinois State 2-1
Putting Fans in the Seats
Creighton has played 176 home games in Ed Servais' tenure at CU, with 116 of them being played at the CU Sports Complex , 43 held at Rosenblatt Stadium and most recently 17 played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. In games played on campus, Creighton averages 401 fans per game. In the games played at the new home of Bluejay baseball, Creighton averaged near 8,000 fans a game last season.
Keeping Our Bags Packed
Even though the weather in Omaha has been unseasonably warm, with temperatures making it into the 60's on some days and the snow off the field, Creighton opened up the 2012 season with 13 straight road games. The Bluejays spent time in Arkansas, Oregon, and a week in California, traveling 8,629 miles.
Omaha to Conway, Ark. and back 1160 mi.
Omaha to Portland Ore. and back 2732 mi.
Portland, Ore. to Longmont, Wash. and back 96 mi.
Omaha to Sacramento, Calif. 2688 mi.
Sacramento, Calif. to Berkely, Calif. and back 156 mi.
Sacramento, Calif. to Stockton, Calif. 48 mi.
Stockton, Calif. to San Francisco, Calif. 83 mi.
San Francisco, Calif. to Omaha 1666 mi.
Top Three
After the first week of rating teams in college baseball, the Bluejays sat in second place in the NCAA with a .988 fielding percentage. After the California trip, the Bluejays sit at .985, third in the NCAA.
Anthony Bemboom ranks 16th in sacrifice bunts per game (0.38 per game), while Scott Thorburg is 22nd in Hit By Pitch per games (0.5) and Chance Ross is 25th in base on balls per game, averaging one a game.
The Top of the Charts
Ty Blach was tabbed the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week following the opening weekend of play, the first time in his career he has earned the award. Blach picked up the first win on the mound in 2012, striking out six batters in 5.0 innings of work on Friday, Feb. 17.
Give Us Another
Reese McGraw was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 28, after the second weekend of play. McGraw made a pair of appearances on the weekend at UC Davis, each one a scoreless affair on the mound. The right-hander picked up his first save of the season in the 7-6 win on Friday, tossing 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings in relief. He struck out a pair of batters and faced just the minumum in his two innings. In the win on Sunday, McGraw threw another 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball, surrendering just two hits and striking out one to pick up his second win of the season (2-1).
Free Baseball
The Bluejays have already been a part of a pair of extra inning games this season, defeating Central Arkansas 7-3 but falling 3-2 at Portland. The Bluejays have played at least four extra inning games the last five years, with six extra frame games in each of the last three years.
It's Was Good to be Back
A Creighton baseball team hasn't made a trip to California since 2000, when the Bluejays took part in the Pspsi/ohnny Quik Classic held at Fresno State. In the final year of participation, the Bluejays went 5-1, with wins over Bowling Green (4-1), Temple (15-0), Fresno State (12-3), Gonzaga (11-2), and UNC-Asheville (5-3), before dropping the final game to host Fresno State 5-1.
The Bluejays finished the Spring Break Trip to California 4-4, taking two-of-three in bothweekend series, but falling in the two midweek games at California and Sacramento State.
Flocks of Jays
Creighton stranded 18 runners on base on the weekend at Portland, nine in each game. Creighton dropped the first game 3-2 in 10 innings before falling 5-3 in the final game of the series. Overall on the season, the Bluejays have left 45 players on base, with opponents stranding 39.
Peg Leg
The Bluejays had a hard time picking up the pick off motion by the Portland staff, getting pegged off first base four times in the two games with the Pilots. In total, Creighton had 12 players picked off last season.
Playing With Swagger
Freshman Jake Peter led the Bluejays offensively in the pair of games at Portland on the weekend, starting both games at second base and posting a .429 (3-for-7) average from the plate. Two of Peter's hits were doubles, giving him a slugging percentage of .714 through the two games. Peter also played flawless defense, not committing an error in 16 chances.
On the season, Peter has a .444 batting average and a .667 slugging percentage, as two of his four hits are doubles.
Blach on Top
The reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week, Ty Blach put together one of his best pitching performances at Creighton in the series opener against Portland. Blach tossed 8.0 complete innings of work, tying his career high for innings pitched, and allowing just a pair of hits and one earned run while also striking out a pair of batters. Blach kept the Pilots baffled from the plate through the first eight innings, facing a single batter in the ninth before the Bluejays went to the bullpen.
Eight is Great
Ty Blach threw 8.0 complete innings of work in the game on Friday at Portland, allowing just one earned run and two hits. It marks the fifth time in his career the junior has gone for 8.0 innings, although he did it just once last season. The five outings, including hits surrendered and strikeouts, are listed below:
Date Opponent K Hits
2/24/12 @ Portland 2 2
2/20/11 vs. Missouri State 8 4
4/4/10 vs. Indiana State 4 5
4/18/10 at Bradley 6 6
4/25/10 at Missouri State 6 6
Domination Nation
Ty Blach has started as the most dominant pitcher in the Bluejay rotation early this season. As the Friday night starter, Blach has a pair of starts on the mound for the Jays, holding a 0.69 earned run average in 13.0 innings of work. He has struck out eight batters and only allowed one earned run on the season.
Not Getting Overtime
The opening game between the Bluejays and Pilots last Friday was on pace to be one of the quickest games in the last three seasons for the Bluejays, as Ty Blach and Kyle Kraus were at the seventh inning stretch just 1:17 into the game. It helped that Blach threw a first-pitch strike to 21 of the 28 batters he faced. Below are the five fastest recorded games in the last three seasons for the Jays:
Date Opponent Pitcher of Record Time
3/19/11 vs Valparaiso Jonas Dufek 1:25
5/6/11 at Wichita State Ty Blach 1:36
6/3/11 vs Georgia Jonas Dufek 1:50
4/27/10 Air Force Jack VanLeur 1:54
4/25/10 at Missouri State Ty Blach 1:57
Clearing the Bullpen
Creighton used seven pitchers in the two games at Portland, tossing five different Jays in the rain-delayed second game. On the opening weekend, the Jays used 10 different pitchers in the three games, none tossing more than 5.0 innings. Below shows the innings pitched per player over the last weekend.
Ty Blach 8.0 1.12
Brandon Koenigstein 3.1 8.10
Chase Webb 2.1 0.00
Reese McGraw 1.2 5.40
Kurt Spomer 1.0 9.00
Nick Musec 0.2 0.00
Mark Winkelman 0.2 27.00
Walk This Way
Chance Ross has been the leadoff batter for the Bluejays in the first 13 games, and has done a good job at getting himself on base. The senior third baseman leads the team with 13 walks on the season and reached with a hit by pitch four times. He holds a .485 on-base percentage, second on the team to Jake Peter. Ross had 13 total walks last season.
Two For One
After a down year in terms of turning double plays in 2010 (Creighton led the nation in double plays/game for three years straight) the Bluejay infield has turned 13 double plays already in the first 13 games. The Jays turned 45 double plays last season.
Switching it Up
Creighton used three different defensive starting lineups on opening weekend, as Ed Servais looks to find the perfect combination. Brad McKewon, Anthony Bemboom and Erik Mattingly all saw time in left field, while Michael Mutcheson and Jake Peter were each in at second base. Bemboom and Scott Thornburg split catching duties through the weekend.
Midevil Warrior
Head coach Ed Servais surpassed the first of a pair of milestones he will be looking to overcome in the 2012 season. Servais earned his 300th as a Bluejay head coach (306-171 after the first two weekends). The skipper needs just 12 wins to get his 500th of his career (488-253-1).
Big Dog
Ed Servais became the winningest coach in program history last season, surpassing both Jim Hendry and Jack Dahm to post a 306-171 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.
Offseason Pays Off
Nick Judkins was named to the All-Star team of the Northwoods League this summer, Judkins hit .309 with a .414 on-base percentage for the Mankato MoonDogs and has contiuned his success at the start of this season.
Judkins finished the weekend 4-for-12 (.333) from the plate, scoring three runs and driving in three. His two-run home run put the Bluejays on the board first in the final game of the series, the fi rst round-tripper of the season for the Jays. Judkins added a double and finished with a .667 slugging percentage to add to his .429 on-base percentage. Judkins was one of three Bluejays with a stolen base on the opening weekend. The senior also played flawless defense, error-free in 31 chances at first base.
New Kids On The Block
Andrew Urban became the first fresh face to make it into the starting rotation since Ty Blach earned a spot as the Sunday starter midway through his freshman season (2010). Urban is the first junior college transfer to start in the rotation since Jeremy Hauer started in 2008-09 (Hauer transferred from Indian Hills, Urban from Hutchinson CC).
Jake Peter earned his first start on Sunday, Feb. 19 at Central Arkansas, finishing 1-2 from the plate, while playing second base. Peter drove in a run and picked up his first collegiate basehit in the same at-bat. Alex Staehely, who has made the switch to second base, also started at second base as a true freshman.
Making his first appearance for the Bluejays on opening weekend was Shane Liska. The graduate student and transfer from Duke tossed 0.2 inning in the Sunday, Feb. 19 game, striking out one and hitting a batter.
Replacing Trever Adams in right field, Brennan Murphy started every game on the weekend, finishing 4-for-12 with an RBI and two runs scored. He also finished 2-for-2 on the basepaths to pace the Jays on the first weekend
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Nick Judkins needed just three games to send out Creighton's first home run of the season, lining a two-run shot over the right field fence in the 5-1 win over Central Arkansas on Feb. 19. Creighton didn't have a home run until the seventh game of the season last year, when Anthony Bemboom drove out a three-run shot in the seventh inning at New Mexico on Feb. 26.
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.
Four Bluejays were named to the preseason all-conference team, with Ty Blach, Anthony Bemboom, Mike Gerber and Kurt Spomer all earning preseason nods.
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.
In Mid-season Form
Ty Blach opened the 2012 campaign with 5.0 flawless innings of baseball, striking out six batters in his first start, a 4-3 win at Central Arkansas. The junior finished last season with a 10-3 record, striking out 100 in the process.
Chase Webb and Reese McGraw both started off their seasons perfectly on the mound, striking out the first two batters they saw. Webb did it by throwing six straight strikes for two strikeouts.
Pinching In
Junior Jordan Makovicka became the first Bluejay to have a pinch hit in 2012, when he hit a pop-up in the top of the ninth inning of the Feb. 18, 7-3 win over Central Arkansas. Makovicka led the squad in pinch hits last season, asked to come in off the bench in 15 different games. Makovicka hit .400 in pinch hit situations last year, bested only by Scott Thornburg, who hit .429 in seven pinch hit at bats last season.
Player AB Avg. OB%
Thornburg 7 .429 .429
Makovicka 10 .400 .571
Thibodeaux 10 .400 .400
Cuno 8 .375 .500
Bemboom 4 .250 .400
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.
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, both which have been tabbed preseason All-MVC picks. 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 led offensively on the season by Nick Judkins. The senior is hitting .404 on the season, with a .519 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage. He hit .474 last week in California to lead the Bluejays to four wins. Judkins has 21 hits and 13 RBI, both which lead the club. Chance Ross has secured his role as the Bluejay leadoff hitter, as the senior has a .485 on-base percentage and a team-leading 13 walks in the leadoff position.
• Nick Judkins reached base safely five of the six times in the Sunday game at Pacific, reaching twice by hit-by-pitch, twice by bunt and once with a single.
• Nick Judkins has a team-high .519 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage.
• Judkins has reached base safely in every game this season, the longest streak since Trever Adams ended last season on a 45-game streak.
• Mike Gerber has hit a double in the last three games straight. The sophomore has four total on the season.
• Chance Ross, Anthony Bemboom and Scott Thornburg each had a pair of hits in Creighton's 12-2 win over Pacific.
• Chance Ross has reached base safely to open a game in the last five games.
• Chance Ross has been walked a team-high 13 times this season, holding a .485 on-base percentage. He sits in a tie for second in the MVC in walks.
• Petr Zyma's number was called for the first time this season, but the junior from the Czech Republic wouldn't get an at-bat. Zyma was plunked in the side, one of nine batters to be hit by a pitch on the weekend at Pacific.
• Brennan Murphy was a perfect 3-3 in stolen bases while in California last week and now sits 5-5 on the season. The school record for stolen bases in a season is 52, but a player hasn't stolen more than 27 bases since 2002.
On the pitcher's mound, four different Bluejay pitchers have made starts this season. Ty Blach continues to lead the team, holding a 1.73 ERA in his four starts. The junior southpaw has tossed a team-high 26.0 innings this season, striking out 15 batters and holding opponents to a .211 average against.
• Ty Blach and Reese McGraw have each been named MVC Pitchers of the Week already this season.
• Shane Liska has made four appearances this season, tossing a career-long 3.0 innings at Sacramento State.
• Andrew Urban became the first Bluejay newcomer since Ty Blach's freshman year to make it into the starting rotation in his first year on campus. The JUCO transfer is the first since Jeremy Hauer to make it into the starting rotation since 2008-09.
• Ty Blach and Nick Musec had long outings in their last starts, Musec going 7.0 innings and Blach 6.2 innings. They both faced the minimum batters in five innings.
• Nick Musec tossed a career-high 7.0 innings in the 12-2 win over Pacific last week. He struck out two and allowed just two earned runs.
• Kurt Spomer picked up his second save on the trip to California, tossing 1.0 scoreless inning at UC Davis.
• Freshman Mark Lukowski and senior Ryan Knott both made their first appearances on the mound last week; Lukowski tossed a pair of innings at Sacramento State and Pacific, while Knott came in in relief against Sacramento State.
Meet BYU
The Cougars sit at 5-6 overall on the season, all games which have been played away from home. They have played three WCC games, holding a 2-1 mark in conference play so far this season. BYU is scheduled to take on Nebraska-Omaha on Monday afternoon prior to the game with the Bluejays.
As a team, BYU is hitting .229 on the season. The Cougars have pushed across 37 runs on 85 hits this season, 15 of which have been for extra bases. BYU has not hit a home run yet this season. Leading the offensive charge is Tanner Chauncey, who is tied for the team lead with 12 hits and hitting .462. Alex Wolfe and Brock Whitney are hitting .286 and .267, respectively. The Cougars have one sacrifice fly and just seven sacrifice bunts on the season.
The pitching staff holds a combined 3.83 earned run average, allowing 40 earned runs in 94 innings of work. The staff has surrendered 21 extra base-hits this season. Mason Marshall, Marc Oslund, Chris Howard and Matt Milke have each made four appearances on the season, with Marshall holding the lone saves (2) for the Cougars.
The Cougars are hold a .970 fielding percentage, committing 12 defensive errors on the season, but no individual player has more than two.
Meet La Tech
The Bulldogs are sitting at 9-6 on the season, including a 4-3 mark away from home. They beat Lamar 8-1 last Wednesday, their final game before making the trek to Nebraska. The Bulldogs will take on Nebraska Lincoln in a four-game series March 15-18.
The Bulldogs are hitting .315 on the season, blasting out 13 home runs on the season and 32 other multi-base hits, for a .448 slugging percentage. Leading the charge offensively are Alex Williams and Ryan Gebhardt, who hold .431 and .422 averages, respectively. Williams leads the team with six home runs and a .738 slugging percentage, while Gebhardt leads the team with 15 runs scored and six doubles. La Tech has successfully stolen 8-14 bases this season.
On the hill, Caleb Dudley has three saves in seven appearances on the season, while Phil Maton leads the team with a 3-0 mark in five appearances, fanning 30 batters in his 25.2 innings of work. Six different Bulldogs have made appearances on the season, who have a collective 5.86 earned run average.
Defensively, the Bulldogs have a .956 fielding percentage on the season, committing 25 errors as a team.
Meet North Dakota
Fourth-year head coach Jeff Dodson's 27-man roster is filled with 10 returning letterwinners, three redshirt freshmen and 14 newcomers (11 true freshmen). Two of those 14 newcomers will be sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.
The Sioux will play their first 26 games this season on the road. UND will have a 15-game homestand beginning with a doubleheader against Valley City State on April 25.
UND was pegged to finish seventh in the Great West Conference preseason coahces' poll. The Sioux will host home GWC series against Northern Colorado (April 27-29), NYIT (May 4-6) and Houston Baptist (May 11-13).
Against BYU
Last season marked the first meeting between the two schools, with each team taking a game in the pair of games in March. Creighton won the opener, a 6-5 win on March 21 holding the 12-10 advantage in hits, while the Cougars pounded out 17 hits off starter Brandon Koenigstein in the second game, winning 11-4 at the CU Sports Complex.
Against the WCC
The BYU Cougars are the second team the Bluejays will play from the WCC this season, as Creighton fell in a pair of games to Portland at the end of February. Creighton is now 8-5 overall against the WCC in program history.
Against La Tech
Creighton and Louisiana Tech will be meeting for the second time in program history, with the first meeting coming in 1992. The Bluejays took that, a 6-5 win on Feb. 28 1992 at as part of the Louisiana Classic at McNeese State.
Against the WAC
Louisiana Tech is the second school from the WAC the Bluejays will play this season. Sacramento State, who topped the Jays 7-2 last week, is also a member of the conference. Overall, Creighton is 17-12-1 against the WAC
Against North Dakota
The Jays and Fighting Sioux have met on the baseball field four times in the history of the school. All four meetings have been in Omaha, with Creighton holding a 3-1 advantage. The two teams played in 2009, with each team winning a game. The Jays won the opener 13-6, but then fell 6-7 in game two.
Against the Great West
Creighton and the Great West do not have a big history, with the only games between the two schools played in 2009, a split with North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux had just become part of the Great West in July of 2008, after making the jump from Division II to Division I. The Jays, thus, are 1-1 against teams from the Great West Conference.
Meet the Coaches
Creighton: Ed Servais (9th Season): Ed Servais enters his ninth season leading the Creighton baseball program in 2012. He is the winningest coach in program history, surpassing Jack Dahm (283) and Jim Hendry (289) in 2011, when he led his team to a 45-16 overall record, Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles and a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Servais was named the MVC Coach of the Year following the 2011 season, the fourth time he has earned the award in his eight years at Creighton.
Servais currently holds a .644 winning percentage at the helm of the Jays, the top number in school history. He has taken the Bluejys to three NCAA Tournaments, including 2011. He has also led the Bluejays to an average of 37 wins in each of the last eight seasons.
Servais' tenure has ranked among the best as a Creighton head coach, as he has guided the team to a 306-171 record, placing him second in the Missouri Valley Conference, fifth in the Midwest, and in the top 20 in the nation in winning percentage during that time. The Bluejays are one of just 10 schools in the Midwest to earn five or more NCAA Regional berths in the last 13 years, and one of two in the MVC along with Wichita State. Servais also has led the Jays to the MVC Tournament title in 2007 and regular-season crown in 2005, and both in the 2011 season.
His teams have finished among the nation's best in fielding percentage and sacrifice bunts every season, including 2011, when the Bluejays finished fourth in fielding percentage (.980) and fourth in sacrifice bunts, with 84. Since coming to Creighton, Servais' teams have committed the fewest errors in the nation, while holding a .977 fielding percentage in the last eight seasons, which also leads the country.
BYU: Vance Law (13th Season): Law, former major league all-star and dual-sport Cougar athlete, enters his 13th year at the helm of the baseball program after compiling a 12-year record of 375-321-2 (.539).
Before coming to BYU, Law was the head baseball coach at Provo High School, where he compiled a 64-55 (.538) record in five seasons. In 1997, he led the Bulldogs to the state title (18-9 record) and was named 4A Coach of the Year. He previously had served for two seasons as an assistant coach at Utah Valley State College in 1993-94.
The infielder/outfielder played 14 years of professional baseball, including 10 on the major league level with a career .257 batting average. He started out as a 39th round draft pick and worked his way up with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1978-81), Chicago White Sox (1982-84), Montreal Expos (1985-87), Chicago Cubs (1988-89), and Oakland Athletics (1991). He also played in 1990 for the Chunichi Dragons in Nagoya, Japan.
La Tech: Wade Simoneaux (10th Season): Entering his tenth season at the helm of the Louisiana Tech baseball program, Wade Simoneaux has turned the Bulldogs into perhaps one of the more prolific offensive teams in the south.
In just ten seasons with the Bulldogs, Simoneaux has compiled over 230 wins and has turned J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park into a true home field advantage as LA Tech has built a .686 winning percentage since 2006.
The 2011 Bulldogs compiled a 34-27 record and had the best finish in the WAC tournament than any other team in school history (2-2). As a result, two players, Will Alvis and Ryan Gebhardt, were named to the all-tournament team.
Over the past six seasons Simoneaux has totaled 148 wins including two 30-plus win seasons. The five year stretch marks the most successful period for a Bulldog head coach since Pat Patterson and Mike Kane combined to win 171 games between 1988 and 1992.
Plain and Simple, Simoneaux has returned a winning tradition to Louisiana Tech as evident by the 16 student-athletes selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, six all-Americans, two freshman all-American, one ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-American and 28 all-WAC performers.
North Dakota: Jeff Dodson (4th Season): Dodson officially became the first Division I baseball coach in the history of the University of North Dakota when he was hired on June 20, 2008. He took over a program that spent the previous 50 seasons playing at the Division II level in the North Central Conference.
The 2012 season will be his fourth as the program wraps up its transition to Division I baseball. He will have a roster that features 14 freshman as his roster starts to become fully-represented by his recruits.
Dodson helped his club overcome a shaky start to the 2011 season with a strong finish to the season, winning six of its last 10 games. A nice run on their home field at the Great West Conference Tournament capped that stretch . No. 7 seed UND upset No. 2 seed Northern Colorado and No. 3 seed Houston Baptist to reach the semifinals, but the magical run ended there as UND dropped two straight to conclude their season.
Last Time Against the Cougars
Creighton and BYU squared off at the CU Sports Complex last year in a pair of games. In the opener, Creighton jumped out to a 2-0 lead early, but then had to fight to regain the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Trever Adams went a perfect four-for-four from the plate, while Jimmy Swift and Alex Staehely each picked up three hits of their own. Bluejay closer Reese McGraw picked up his team-leading fourth save in the game, striking out a batter to strand a pair of BYU runners on base. In game two, the Cougar bats were hot from the start. With two outs and runners on first and second in the first inning, the Cougars rattled off six straight hits, including a home run, to lead 7-0 after one inning. The Cougars continued with their hot bats, rattling off 17 hits on the day to claim an 11-4 win Christiansen may be best known for the three-game series he coaches at SDSU against Kansas overnight in the Metrodome, playing a doubleheader at 1:30 a.m. due to scheduling changes, and a 3:30 p.m. game the next day.
The Real Stuff
The Bluejays have spent a good amount of time this preseason practicing outside, thanks to beautiful weather and a mild winter. The Jays played the opening weekend on a field with turf infield and grass outfield. They then played on all grass in the lone game played at Portland, but made the switch back to a combination field when playing at Lower Columbia College for the final game against the Pilots (switched due to rain). TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, the home of the Bluejays, is a completely natural field.
Opening Day at Home
In the past 10 years, Creighton has a 9-1 record on opening day. This marks the first season that opening day will be played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, even though the team will make a return appearance at the CU Sports Complex at the end of the week. Under head coach Ed Servais, the Jays are 7-1 on opening day. The only blemish on Servais' opening day mark came in 2010, in an 8-5 loss to Indiana State. Below are the opening day scores from the past 10 seasons.
3/11/11 South Dakota State W 6-0
4/2/10 Indiana State L 5-8
3/14/09 South Dakota State W 8-2
3/15/08 Chicago State W(7) 11-0
3/9/07 Saint Louis W 6-1
3/14/06 North Dakota State W 13-4
2/25/05 Saint Louis W 13-12
3/19/04 North Dakota State W 14-2
3/25/03 Kansas State W 11-6
3/5/02 Dana College W 16-7
Home Series
The Jays have also had good success in the opening series in the last 10 years. Creighton is 24-6 in the first home series of the season. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 the Jays opened with a single game at home followed by a conference home series in each season. Below are the opening series opponents and results
2011South Dakota State 3-0
2010 Indiana State 1-2
2009 South Dakota State 2-1
2008 Chicago State 4-0
2007 Saint Louis 3-0
2006 North Dakota State 2-0
2005 Saint Louis 2-0
2004 Evansville 3-0
2003 Missouri State 2-2
2002 Illinois State 2-1
Putting Fans in the Seats
Creighton has played 176 home games in Ed Servais' tenure at CU, with 116 of them being played at the CU Sports Complex , 43 held at Rosenblatt Stadium and most recently 17 played at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. In games played on campus, Creighton averages 401 fans per game. In the games played at the new home of Bluejay baseball, Creighton averaged near 8,000 fans a game last season.
Keeping Our Bags Packed
Even though the weather in Omaha has been unseasonably warm, with temperatures making it into the 60's on some days and the snow off the field, Creighton opened up the 2012 season with 13 straight road games. The Bluejays spent time in Arkansas, Oregon, and a week in California, traveling 8,629 miles.
Omaha to Conway, Ark. and back 1160 mi.
Omaha to Portland Ore. and back 2732 mi.
Portland, Ore. to Longmont, Wash. and back 96 mi.
Omaha to Sacramento, Calif. 2688 mi.
Sacramento, Calif. to Berkely, Calif. and back 156 mi.
Sacramento, Calif. to Stockton, Calif. 48 mi.
Stockton, Calif. to San Francisco, Calif. 83 mi.
San Francisco, Calif. to Omaha 1666 mi.
Top Three
After the first week of rating teams in college baseball, the Bluejays sat in second place in the NCAA with a .988 fielding percentage. After the California trip, the Bluejays sit at .985, third in the NCAA.
Anthony Bemboom ranks 16th in sacrifice bunts per game (0.38 per game), while Scott Thorburg is 22nd in Hit By Pitch per games (0.5) and Chance Ross is 25th in base on balls per game, averaging one a game.
The Top of the Charts
Ty Blach was tabbed the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week following the opening weekend of play, the first time in his career he has earned the award. Blach picked up the first win on the mound in 2012, striking out six batters in 5.0 innings of work on Friday, Feb. 17.
Give Us Another
Reese McGraw was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 28, after the second weekend of play. McGraw made a pair of appearances on the weekend at UC Davis, each one a scoreless affair on the mound. The right-hander picked up his first save of the season in the 7-6 win on Friday, tossing 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings in relief. He struck out a pair of batters and faced just the minumum in his two innings. In the win on Sunday, McGraw threw another 2.1 innings of scoreless baseball, surrendering just two hits and striking out one to pick up his second win of the season (2-1).
Free Baseball
The Bluejays have already been a part of a pair of extra inning games this season, defeating Central Arkansas 7-3 but falling 3-2 at Portland. The Bluejays have played at least four extra inning games the last five years, with six extra frame games in each of the last three years.
It's Was Good to be Back
A Creighton baseball team hasn't made a trip to California since 2000, when the Bluejays took part in the Pspsi/ohnny Quik Classic held at Fresno State. In the final year of participation, the Bluejays went 5-1, with wins over Bowling Green (4-1), Temple (15-0), Fresno State (12-3), Gonzaga (11-2), and UNC-Asheville (5-3), before dropping the final game to host Fresno State 5-1.
The Bluejays finished the Spring Break Trip to California 4-4, taking two-of-three in bothweekend series, but falling in the two midweek games at California and Sacramento State.
Flocks of Jays
Creighton stranded 18 runners on base on the weekend at Portland, nine in each game. Creighton dropped the first game 3-2 in 10 innings before falling 5-3 in the final game of the series. Overall on the season, the Bluejays have left 45 players on base, with opponents stranding 39.
Peg Leg
The Bluejays had a hard time picking up the pick off motion by the Portland staff, getting pegged off first base four times in the two games with the Pilots. In total, Creighton had 12 players picked off last season.
Playing With Swagger
Freshman Jake Peter led the Bluejays offensively in the pair of games at Portland on the weekend, starting both games at second base and posting a .429 (3-for-7) average from the plate. Two of Peter's hits were doubles, giving him a slugging percentage of .714 through the two games. Peter also played flawless defense, not committing an error in 16 chances.
On the season, Peter has a .444 batting average and a .667 slugging percentage, as two of his four hits are doubles.
Blach on Top
The reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week, Ty Blach put together one of his best pitching performances at Creighton in the series opener against Portland. Blach tossed 8.0 complete innings of work, tying his career high for innings pitched, and allowing just a pair of hits and one earned run while also striking out a pair of batters. Blach kept the Pilots baffled from the plate through the first eight innings, facing a single batter in the ninth before the Bluejays went to the bullpen.
Eight is Great
Ty Blach threw 8.0 complete innings of work in the game on Friday at Portland, allowing just one earned run and two hits. It marks the fifth time in his career the junior has gone for 8.0 innings, although he did it just once last season. The five outings, including hits surrendered and strikeouts, are listed below:
Date Opponent K Hits
2/24/12 @ Portland 2 2
2/20/11 vs. Missouri State 8 4
4/4/10 vs. Indiana State 4 5
4/18/10 at Bradley 6 6
4/25/10 at Missouri State 6 6
Domination Nation
Ty Blach has started as the most dominant pitcher in the Bluejay rotation early this season. As the Friday night starter, Blach has a pair of starts on the mound for the Jays, holding a 0.69 earned run average in 13.0 innings of work. He has struck out eight batters and only allowed one earned run on the season.
Not Getting Overtime
The opening game between the Bluejays and Pilots last Friday was on pace to be one of the quickest games in the last three seasons for the Bluejays, as Ty Blach and Kyle Kraus were at the seventh inning stretch just 1:17 into the game. It helped that Blach threw a first-pitch strike to 21 of the 28 batters he faced. Below are the five fastest recorded games in the last three seasons for the Jays:
Date Opponent Pitcher of Record Time
3/19/11 vs Valparaiso Jonas Dufek 1:25
5/6/11 at Wichita State Ty Blach 1:36
6/3/11 vs Georgia Jonas Dufek 1:50
4/27/10 Air Force Jack VanLeur 1:54
4/25/10 at Missouri State Ty Blach 1:57
Clearing the Bullpen
Creighton used seven pitchers in the two games at Portland, tossing five different Jays in the rain-delayed second game. On the opening weekend, the Jays used 10 different pitchers in the three games, none tossing more than 5.0 innings. Below shows the innings pitched per player over the last weekend.
Ty Blach 8.0 1.12
Brandon Koenigstein 3.1 8.10
Chase Webb 2.1 0.00
Reese McGraw 1.2 5.40
Kurt Spomer 1.0 9.00
Nick Musec 0.2 0.00
Mark Winkelman 0.2 27.00
Walk This Way
Chance Ross has been the leadoff batter for the Bluejays in the first 13 games, and has done a good job at getting himself on base. The senior third baseman leads the team with 13 walks on the season and reached with a hit by pitch four times. He holds a .485 on-base percentage, second on the team to Jake Peter. Ross had 13 total walks last season.
Two For One
After a down year in terms of turning double plays in 2010 (Creighton led the nation in double plays/game for three years straight) the Bluejay infield has turned 13 double plays already in the first 13 games. The Jays turned 45 double plays last season.
Switching it Up
Creighton used three different defensive starting lineups on opening weekend, as Ed Servais looks to find the perfect combination. Brad McKewon, Anthony Bemboom and Erik Mattingly all saw time in left field, while Michael Mutcheson and Jake Peter were each in at second base. Bemboom and Scott Thornburg split catching duties through the weekend.
Midevil Warrior
Head coach Ed Servais surpassed the first of a pair of milestones he will be looking to overcome in the 2012 season. Servais earned his 300th as a Bluejay head coach (306-171 after the first two weekends). The skipper needs just 12 wins to get his 500th of his career (488-253-1).
Big Dog
Ed Servais became the winningest coach in program history last season, surpassing both Jim Hendry and Jack Dahm to post a 306-171 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.
Offseason Pays Off
Nick Judkins was named to the All-Star team of the Northwoods League this summer, Judkins hit .309 with a .414 on-base percentage for the Mankato MoonDogs and has contiuned his success at the start of this season.
Judkins finished the weekend 4-for-12 (.333) from the plate, scoring three runs and driving in three. His two-run home run put the Bluejays on the board first in the final game of the series, the fi rst round-tripper of the season for the Jays. Judkins added a double and finished with a .667 slugging percentage to add to his .429 on-base percentage. Judkins was one of three Bluejays with a stolen base on the opening weekend. The senior also played flawless defense, error-free in 31 chances at first base.
New Kids On The Block
Andrew Urban became the first fresh face to make it into the starting rotation since Ty Blach earned a spot as the Sunday starter midway through his freshman season (2010). Urban is the first junior college transfer to start in the rotation since Jeremy Hauer started in 2008-09 (Hauer transferred from Indian Hills, Urban from Hutchinson CC).
Jake Peter earned his first start on Sunday, Feb. 19 at Central Arkansas, finishing 1-2 from the plate, while playing second base. Peter drove in a run and picked up his first collegiate basehit in the same at-bat. Alex Staehely, who has made the switch to second base, also started at second base as a true freshman.
Making his first appearance for the Bluejays on opening weekend was Shane Liska. The graduate student and transfer from Duke tossed 0.2 inning in the Sunday, Feb. 19 game, striking out one and hitting a batter.
Replacing Trever Adams in right field, Brennan Murphy started every game on the weekend, finishing 4-for-12 with an RBI and two runs scored. He also finished 2-for-2 on the basepaths to pace the Jays on the first weekend
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Nick Judkins needed just three games to send out Creighton's first home run of the season, lining a two-run shot over the right field fence in the 5-1 win over Central Arkansas on Feb. 19. Creighton didn't have a home run until the seventh game of the season last year, when Anthony Bemboom drove out a three-run shot in the seventh inning at New Mexico on Feb. 26.
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.
Four Bluejays were named to the preseason all-conference team, with Ty Blach, Anthony Bemboom, Mike Gerber and Kurt Spomer all earning preseason nods.
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.
In Mid-season Form
Ty Blach opened the 2012 campaign with 5.0 flawless innings of baseball, striking out six batters in his first start, a 4-3 win at Central Arkansas. The junior finished last season with a 10-3 record, striking out 100 in the process.
Chase Webb and Reese McGraw both started off their seasons perfectly on the mound, striking out the first two batters they saw. Webb did it by throwing six straight strikes for two strikeouts.
Pinching In
Junior Jordan Makovicka became the first Bluejay to have a pinch hit in 2012, when he hit a pop-up in the top of the ninth inning of the Feb. 18, 7-3 win over Central Arkansas. Makovicka led the squad in pinch hits last season, asked to come in off the bench in 15 different games. Makovicka hit .400 in pinch hit situations last year, bested only by Scott Thornburg, who hit .429 in seven pinch hit at bats last season.
Player AB Avg. OB%
Thornburg 7 .429 .429
Makovicka 10 .400 .571
Thibodeaux 10 .400 .400
Cuno 8 .375 .500
Bemboom 4 .250 .400
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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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
