Wednesday, April 13
Omaha, Neb.
6:30 pm
Creighton University
22-7
6
vs
5
South Dakota State
10-22
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2
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4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
R
H
E
South Dakota State
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
5
8
1
Creighton
0
0
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
0
2
6
10
1
Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Baseball Gets Second Straight Walkoff, Besting South Dakota State 6-5 in 11 innings
4/13/2016 10:30:00 PM | Baseball
Omaha, Neb. -- The Creighton Baseball squad saved its best for the opportune moment, claiming a walkoff win for the second straight evening, besting South Dakota State in comeback fashion 6-5 in 11 innings on Wednesday, April 13.
The win pushed the Bluejays to 22-7 on the season, while South Dakota State fell to 10-22.
Trailing 5-4 as the home half of the 11th inning began, junior Nicky Lopez drew a five pitch walk and senior Reagan Fowler laced a single to right to put runners at the corners. Senior Matt Gandy lofted a shallow fly ball into left field, but head coach Ed Servais decided the time was right to take a chance by sending Lopez. The move paid off as Lopez beat the tag at home plate to tie the game, while Fowler took second. With the game-winning run at second, former Bluejay and current South Dakota State head coach Dave Schrage walked Brett Murray to set up the double play. Senior Harrison Crawford answered the challenge by rifling a ball back up the middle to give Creighton a 6-5 win.
"Runs were so hard to come by tonight, that we needed to take a chance," said Servais.
While the bats often earn the accolades, Wednesday's victory was set up by senior Will Bamesberger in the top of the 11th. After the Jackrabbits turned a walk, a double and single into a 5-4 lead, Bamesberger came in with runners at the corners and nobody out.
The left-hander walked the first hitter he faced to load the bags, then got a ground ball to third to force a runner at home. Bamesberger followed with a strikeout and a foul fly out to Ryan Fitzgerald to end the threat.
"The job Bamesberger did, holding South Dakota State to one run in the 11th, changed the moment of the game," noted Servais. "We went to the plate believing we were going to win."
The Bluejays' 11th inning heroics were the second Creighton comeback of the evening. South Dakota State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and held a 4-0 edge heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Creighton's fourth inning began just as the 11th did, with a walk to Lopez and a single by Fowler. After a sacrifice put both men in scoring position, Murray drove home Lopez on a single through the right side. Fowler scampered home later in the inning via a wild pitch.
Lopez and Fowler brought the Bluejays closer in the fifth as Lopez bounced a one-out single up the middle. The Creighton shortstop stole second, before Fowler drew a walk and Gandy plated Lopez with a single to right field.
Creighton's fourth run of the game was also scored by Lopez as he was hit by a pitch, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt and second when Gandy lined a double down the left field line.
Bamesberger earned his first victory (1-0) of the season with an inning of scoreless ball, while South Dakota State's Ethan Kenkel allowed two runs on two hits and three walks to fall to 0-3 on the year.
Lopez finished the game 1-for-3 with four runs scored, while Fowler was 3-for-4 with two runs and Gandy was 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Creighton is back in action on Friday, April 15 as the Bluejays host Butler in the series opener at 6:30 pm.
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The win pushed the Bluejays to 22-7 on the season, while South Dakota State fell to 10-22.
Trailing 5-4 as the home half of the 11th inning began, junior Nicky Lopez drew a five pitch walk and senior Reagan Fowler laced a single to right to put runners at the corners. Senior Matt Gandy lofted a shallow fly ball into left field, but head coach Ed Servais decided the time was right to take a chance by sending Lopez. The move paid off as Lopez beat the tag at home plate to tie the game, while Fowler took second. With the game-winning run at second, former Bluejay and current South Dakota State head coach Dave Schrage walked Brett Murray to set up the double play. Senior Harrison Crawford answered the challenge by rifling a ball back up the middle to give Creighton a 6-5 win.
"Runs were so hard to come by tonight, that we needed to take a chance," said Servais.
While the bats often earn the accolades, Wednesday's victory was set up by senior Will Bamesberger in the top of the 11th. After the Jackrabbits turned a walk, a double and single into a 5-4 lead, Bamesberger came in with runners at the corners and nobody out.
The left-hander walked the first hitter he faced to load the bags, then got a ground ball to third to force a runner at home. Bamesberger followed with a strikeout and a foul fly out to Ryan Fitzgerald to end the threat.
"The job Bamesberger did, holding South Dakota State to one run in the 11th, changed the moment of the game," noted Servais. "We went to the plate believing we were going to win."
The Bluejays' 11th inning heroics were the second Creighton comeback of the evening. South Dakota State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and held a 4-0 edge heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Creighton's fourth inning began just as the 11th did, with a walk to Lopez and a single by Fowler. After a sacrifice put both men in scoring position, Murray drove home Lopez on a single through the right side. Fowler scampered home later in the inning via a wild pitch.
Lopez and Fowler brought the Bluejays closer in the fifth as Lopez bounced a one-out single up the middle. The Creighton shortstop stole second, before Fowler drew a walk and Gandy plated Lopez with a single to right field.
Creighton's fourth run of the game was also scored by Lopez as he was hit by a pitch, moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt and second when Gandy lined a double down the left field line.
Bamesberger earned his first victory (1-0) of the season with an inning of scoreless ball, while South Dakota State's Ethan Kenkel allowed two runs on two hits and three walks to fall to 0-3 on the year.
Lopez finished the game 1-for-3 with four runs scored, while Fowler was 3-for-4 with two runs and Gandy was 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Creighton is back in action on Friday, April 15 as the Bluejays host Butler in the series opener at 6:30 pm.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bamesberger, Will (1-0)
L: Ethan Kenkel (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Newt Johnson 1
3B: Paul Jacobson 1
RBI: Luke Ringhofer 1 ; Matt Johnson 1 ; Zach Holt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nick Smith 1 ; Paul Jacobson 2 ; Anthony Schneider 1 ; Phil Velez 1
SB: Nick Smith 1
Batting:
2B: Gandy, Matt 1
RBI: Gandy, Matt 3 ; Murray, Brett 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 1
SH: Fowler, Reagan 1 ; Gandy, Matt 1
SF: Gandy, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lopez, Nicky 4 ; Fowler, Reagan 2
SB: Lopez, Nicky 1
HBP: Lopez, Nicky 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
4
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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INF
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