Creighton University
26-14, 0
Seton Hall
21-19, 0
Highberger & Fitzgerald Lead Baseball's 10-7 Comeback Win
5/2/2015 4:25:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - Down 6-1 entering the top of the fourth, the Creighton Baseball team rallied for five runs to tie the game in that frame and went on to defeat Seton Hall 10-7 on Saturday, May 2.
With the win Creighton moved to 26-14 on the season and 9-4 in BIG EAST play, while Seton Hall dropped to 21-19 overall and 6-5 in conference action.
Coming off the tough loss on Friday, the Bluejays felt a breath of fresh air in the top of the first as juniors Reagan Fowler and Brett Murray drew two out walks and junior Ryan Fitzgerald blasted a ground rule double into right for a 1-0 lead.
That fresh air, however, turned sour quickly as Seton Hall responded with four runs in the first and one more in the second as well as the third frame to build a 6-1 lead.
Rather than hang their heads, the Bluejays got a little angry. That anger helped Creighton focus on putting pressure on each pitch thrown by the Seton Hall staff.
Junior Harrison Crawford was plunked to open the fourth, then one out later senior Landon Lucansky laced a single to left. With runners at the corners freshman Luke Horanski sent a towering fly ball into foul territory in left. Seton Hall's Zach Weigel made the catch, but Crawford alertly tagged to make it a 6-2 game.
With two men down the Bluejays could have easily been satisfied to get back on the scoreboard. Settling, however, was not enough for this Creighton team. Sophomore Daniel Woodrow drove a single into center, then sophomore Nicky Lopez drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Fowler. The Omaha native showed his patience by drawing the second straight four-pitch free base to plate Lucansky.
Seton Hall tried to quell the Creighton rally with relief pitcher Ryan Testani.
Murray simply made Testani prove he could throw a strike, working a five-pitch walk to bring Creighton two at 6-4. Fitzgerald continued to display restraint as Testani fell behind 3-1 to the Bluejay second basemen. After running the count full, Fitzgerald smacked the payoff pitch up the middle to knot the game at 6-6.
"When the inning started we knew we had to keep grinding, try to get one or two at a time," said Fitzgerald. "Once the count got to 3-2 I was just looking for anything in the zone. Then when I hit it, I just was hoping we'd push across two to tie things up."
After Seton Hall got the leadoff man on in the bottom of the frame, junior Taylor Elman shut down the Pirates.
"Taylor really was a real key to this win," said head coach Ed Servais. "After pulling even we needed someone to throw a couple of zeros up there and he did just that."
Back at the dish Creighton took advantage of the Pirates in the fifth to claim its first lead of the game. Junior Matt Gandy reached on an error, then went to second when Lucansky was hit by a pitch. Gandy scampered home two outs later on a wild pitch to give the Bluejays a 7-6 lead.
Another flawless inning by Elman sent Creighton back to bat and the momentum continued. With two down in the sixth, Fitzgerald reached on an infield single and scored when Crawford blasted an RBI triple to right-center.
Seton Hall seemed poised for a rally of its own in the sixth as the first three men reached. A leadoff walk brought junior Nick Highberger on for Creighton, but a second walk and an RBI single made it 8-7. Unphased, Highberger retired the next three batters on a sacrifice bunt, a strikeout and a ground out to protect the Bluejay lead.
The Bluejays added insurance runs in the seventh and ninth frames on RBI singles from Fowler (seventh) and Murray (ninth) to give the bullpen some breathing room, but Highberger didn't need it. The Colorado native set Seton Hall down in order in the seventh and eighth, before giving way to senior Jack Rogalla in the ninth.
In the final frame, Rogalla worked around a leadoff single to record his first Creighton save. Elman picked up the win (1-1), allowing one run in two innings of relief.
Seton Hall's Zach Schellenger suffered the loss (2-3), allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in 1.2 innings of work.
"That was one of the best come from behind wins we've had in a while," commented Servais. "We came out a little flat today, but once an opportunity presented itself to our team we jumped on it."
"The resiliency this team has shown all year came through again today," added Servais. "This is the type of win that means more than just one game."
The Bluejays and Pirates will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday, May 3 at 11 am.
NOTES:
With his three innings of scoreless work propelled Highberger to 101.0 career innings as a Bluejay. With just a 2.32 ERA, Highberger moved into first place in Creighton's record book surpassing the existing mark of 2.68 held by Rich Heiserman (1992-94).
Nine of Creighton's 10 runs came with two men out. For the series, Creighton has scored 12 of its 14 runs after two men have been retired.
Fowler reached base in all six plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with three walks.
Fitzgerald finished the game 3-for-6 with three RBI, while Fowler and Murray each had two RBI.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Elman, Taylor (1-1)
L: SCHELLENGER, Zach (2-3)
S: Rogalla, Jack (1)
Batting:
2B: Fitzgerald, Ryan 1 ; Horanski, Luke 1
3B: Crawford, Harrison 1
RBI: Fowler, Reagan 2 ; Murray, Brett 2 ; Fitzgerald, Ryan 3 ; Crawford, Harrison 1 ; Horanski, Luke 1
SH: Horanski, Luke 2
SF: Horanski, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodrow, Daniel 2 ; Lopez, Nicky 1 ; Fowler, Reagan 2 ; Fitzgerald, Ryan 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 1 ; Gandy, Matt 1 ; Lucansky, Landon 2
SB: Woodrow, Daniel 1
HBP: Murray, Brett 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 1 ; Lucansky, Landon 1
Batting:
2B: BOYD, Tyler 1
RBI: WEIGEL, Zack 1 ; JENKINS, Derek 1 ; BOYD, Tyler 2 ; PODUSLENKO, Joe 3
SH: JENKINS, Derek 3
Base Running:
RUNS: WEIGEL, Zack 1 ; GRIMM, Kyle 1 ; ANNUNZIATA, Sal 1 ; BOYD, Tyler 2 ; CHIARADIO, Chris 1 ; RAMIZ, Ryan 1
SB: BOYD, Tyler 1 ; PODUSLENKO, Joe 1 ; RAMIZ, Ryan 1
