Creighton University
Southern Illinois
Baseball Falls in Series Finale at Southern Illinois
4/22/2012 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Mike Gerber's two-run home run in the second inning started off a back and forth game three on Sunday, but Creighton wouldn't be able to pick up that key hit, falling 6-5 to Southern Illinois. The loss drops the Jays to 15-20 overall, 2-10 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Jake Peter led the Bluejays with a pair of hits on the afternoon, also scoring two runs, while Gerber scored a pair of runs and drove in one.
Gerber hit his team-leading third home run in the top of the second inning. Nick Judkins led off the inning with a double down the right field line on the second pitch he saw and was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Staehely. With an 0-1 count, Gerber then pulled the pitch from SIU starter Sam Coonrod over the Mary Lou's Grill advertising sign down the 340-foot right field fence.
The Salukis looked like they would strike back right away, but Bluejay starter Shane Liska managed to get out of the frame with Salukis loaded on the bases. After back-to-back singles to the outfield put runners on first and third, Liska got Brian Bajer to strike out swinging. A pop-up on the infield by John Menken gave the Jays two outs before Rennie Troggio, hitting in the nine-hole, drew a seven pitch walk to load the bases.
But Liska forced lead-off batter Jake Welch to ground out to Jake Peter at second base to end the threat without surrendering a run to the Salukis.
SIU cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third, pushing across a single run after Donny Duschinsky doubled to right center. The shortstop advanced to third on a wild pitch before Austin Montgomery roped a ball into center field to score Duschinsky on a sacrifice fly.
The Salukis erased Creighton's lead in the bottom of the fourth. After Creighton left the bases loaded in the visitor half of the inning, Jake Welch hit a solo home run over the right field fence to tie the game 2-2.
The Bluejays again left the bases loaded in the fifth inning, allowing SIU to take their first lead of the game and knock Liska off the mound in the bottom of the frame. A leadoff single by Chris Serritella turned into the go-ahead run when Montgomery doubled off the left center fence.
Brandon Koenigstein came into the game and retired the first two batters, inducing a pair of pop ups on the infield, but then a walk loaded the bases before a bouncing single over Ross' head at third pushed across two more runs to give SIU a 5-2 lead.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Kurt Spomer became the third pitcher of the inning. A ground ball to third allowed the Jays to get a force out and end the inning after all nine Salukis made their way to the plate in the frame.
The Bluejays again fought back, pushing across a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Gerber led off the frame with a walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. A single by Peter put runners on the corners before another walk, this time to Ross, loaded the bases. A single to left field from pinch-hitter Brad McKewon pushed across a pair of runners to pull the Jays back within one run, 5-4.
A single run by the Salukis in the bottom of the seventh was answered in the top of the eighth by Peter, when he hit his first career home run, driving a ball near the 370-foot mark in right center field.
The Bluejays brought in Reese McGraw in the ninth, and the senior shut down the Salukis in the frame, leaving it up to the Jays to put together a ninth-inning rally. McKewon grounded out to open the inning before Bemboom lifted a ball deep to right field that was caught at the warning track for the second out. Judkins put together a seven pitch at bat, reaching safely due to an error by Duschinsky. A fly ball on the first pitch from Staehely ended the game.
Creighton will be back in action on Tuesday night, when they host Nebraska in an in-state rivalry game. First pitch in game two of the three-game series is set for 6:30 pm from TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. Nebraska won the opening game of the series two weeks ago 5-3 down at Haymarket Park in Lincoln.
NOTES: Mike Gerber's home run in the second inning marked his first since the March 17 game against North Dakota … It also marks Gerber's second home run against SIU, as he drove out the first home run at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha against SIU last season … Creighton has turned 33 double plays on the season, including three in a pair of games last weekend. The Jays did not turn a single double play all weekend against SIU, while the Salukis doubled up the Jays twice, including a line drive 5-3 double play in the game today … Alex Staehely has committed just seven errors this season, but four of them have come in the last six games … For the first time this season, Nick Judkins did not hit in the three-hole, rather flipped with Anthony Bemboom to hit in the four spot … The Bluejays stranded nine runners in the Sunday game, including leaving the bases loaded in both the 4th and 5th innings … Brad McKewon's pinch-hit single in the sixth marks just the third successful pinch-hit of the season … Jake Peter hit his first career home run in the top of the eighth. It marks the second game this season the Jays have hit multiple home runs in a game, as they drove out five against North Dakota (3/17) … The sweep marks the first time since 1998 Creighton has been swept by SIU. The two teams played a four-game series that season.
