Creighton University
12-7
Air Force
9-14
Baseball Outlasts Air Force, 4-3 in 14-Innings
3/26/2015 12:41:00 AM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - It took 14-innings and over four hours, but the Creighton Baseball team outlasted Air Force 4-3 on Wednesday, March 25.
Creighton moved to 12-7 on the season with the win, extending its streak to four straight victories. Air Force fell to 9-14 following the loss.
The Bluejays got out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third, all after the first two men were retired. Sophomore Daniel Woodrow got the fun started with a two-out bunt single. Senior David Wiedeman followed with a perfectly placed single through the right side on a hit-and-run. With runners at the corners, junior Harrison Crawford worked a full-count walk to load the bags. The first run came as junior Brett Murray legged out an infield single to second, bringing home Woodrow. The ensuing pitch brought in two more runs as it eluded Air Force catcher, Travis Wilke, for a passed ball to plate both Wiedeman and Crawford.
The game moved along quickly as the Bluejay pitching staff held Air Force to just one hit through seven frames. In the eighth, however, the Falcons used two walks and a single to load the bases with nobody out. Right fielder Spencer Draws greeted Creighton closer David Gerber with a three-run double to knot the score at 3-3. Gerber limited the damage and held Air Force right there for the next 3.2 innings to give his offense a chance.
The 11th inning provided one of the strangest moments in baseball as the Bluejays and Falcons both celebrated the same play. Tied at 3-3 with Creighton batting and runners at the corners, senior Landon Lucansky appeared to deliver the game-winning hit into left field. While the Bluejays celebrated on the base paths Air Force left-fielder, Tyler Jones, alertly fielded the ball and threw to second for a force out to end the inning. The result saw the Falcons rejoice as the game continued.
Air Force had a chance to surge ahead with runners at first and second and two down, but Bluejay freshman Ethan DeCaster stopped the Falcons with a fly out to end the threat.
Finally in the 14th inning the Bluejays loaded the bases on a pinch-hit single by junior Matt Gandy, an error that allowed Woodrow to reach and Gandy to move to second and a walk to junior Tommy Clouthier. Facing a five-man infield Crawford smacked a walk-off single into center.
DeCaster earned the win (2-0) for the Bluejays with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, while Air Force's Michael Rieker took the loss (0-1). Rieker gave up one run on four hits in two innings of work.
Woodrow led the Creighton offensive attack with three hits, while Crawford finished 2-for-6 with the pivotal RBI.
The Bluejays return to action on Friday, March 27 as Creighton hosts Stetson in the first of a three-game series at 6:30 pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: DeCaster, Ethan (2-0)
L: RIEKER, Michael (0-1)
Batting:
2B: DRAWS, Spencer 1
RBI: DRAWS, Spencer 3
SH: MIZE, Shaun 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GROESBECK, Adam 1 ; HANLIN, Jordan 1 ; MIZE, Shaun 1
SB: JONES, Tyler 2 ; ZABOJNIK, Tyler 2
CS: THOMAS, David 1
Batting:
2B: Fitzgerald, Ryan 1
RBI: Crawford, Harrison 1 ; Murray, Brett 1
SH: Connolly, Kevin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodrow, Daniel 1 ; Wiedeman, David 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 1 ; Gandy, Matt 1
SB: Woodrow, Daniel 1 ; Wiedeman, David 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 1 ; Fitzgerald, Ryan 1 ; Connolly, Kevin 1
CS: Woodrow, Daniel 1 ; Connolly, Kevin 1
PO: Woodrow, Daniel 1
