Sunday, April 17
Omaha, Neb.
12:00 pm
Creighton University
25-7, 5-1
4
vs
3
Butler
9-26, 1-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Butler
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
3
7
2
Creighton
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
1
4
10
4
Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Baseball Wraps Up 5-0 Week, With Third Walkoff of the in Five Games
4/17/2016 3:46:00 PM | Baseball
Creighton Bests Butler, 4-3 in 10-innings
Omaha, Neb. -- Completing an improbable week, the Creighton Baseball team collected its third walkoff win to complete a 5-0 week by besting Butler 4-3 in 10-innings on Sunday, April 17.
The victory pushed Creighton to 25-7 on the season and 5-1 in BIG EAST action, while Butler fell to 9-26 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
Junior Kevin Connolly stepped into the limelight on Sunday, delivering the game-winning single in the tenth to give the Bluejays their third walkoff win of the week. Junior Riley Landuyt got things going for Creighton in the tenth as he was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Senior Matt Gandy sacrificed him to second, then junior Bryce Only lined a sharp single to right on a 0-2 count to put runners on the corners with one out. Connolly smashed the first pitch he saw past Butler third baseman, Garrett Christman, who was drawn in to guard against a possible squeeze.
While Connolly delivered the game-winning single in the tenth, the Bluejays needed some heroics in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Trailing 3-1 with one down in the ninth, Only reached on an error and remained at first with two down in the inning as pinch-hitter Brennan Hammer came to the dish. Hammer worked the count full, including a wild pitch that sent Only to second, before lacing an RBI single to center to get Creighton within a run. Senior Will Bamesberger came on to pinch-run and promptly moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Leadoff hitter Daniel Woodrow drew a five-pitch walk to give junior Nicky Lopez a chance. The Illinois native fell behind 0-2, but patiently watched two pitches miss outside to get even at 2-2. With the game in the balance, Lopez stung a ball into center to knot the contest at 3-3.
Some uncharacteristically sloppy play from the Bluejays gave Butler a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as the Bulldogs took advantage of two errors with two down to jump out to a 1-0 edge.
Creighton pulled even at 1-1 with a run in the fourth as Landuyt and Gandy smashed back-to-back doubles. Landuyt blasted a 1-1 pitch off the top of the wall in left, barely missing a home run as the ball bounced back into play. Gandy followed with a rocket into right that hit the warning track and bounced into the visiting dugout.
The top of the fifth saw the Bulldogs turn another Creighton error, the Bluejays fourth of the game, into two more unearned runs. From that point the Creighton bullpen slammed the door on Butler. Senior David Gerber collected the win (2-1) with two innings of scoreless relief. Butler's Zach Barnes took the loss (2-4), allowing one run on two hits in one-third of an inning.
Connolly and Only led the Bluejay offense with two hits each.
The Bluejays have the week off from BIG EAST action and leave Nebraska for the first time since March 9 as Creighton battles Arkansas on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:00 pm in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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The victory pushed Creighton to 25-7 on the season and 5-1 in BIG EAST action, while Butler fell to 9-26 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
Junior Kevin Connolly stepped into the limelight on Sunday, delivering the game-winning single in the tenth to give the Bluejays their third walkoff win of the week. Junior Riley Landuyt got things going for Creighton in the tenth as he was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Senior Matt Gandy sacrificed him to second, then junior Bryce Only lined a sharp single to right on a 0-2 count to put runners on the corners with one out. Connolly smashed the first pitch he saw past Butler third baseman, Garrett Christman, who was drawn in to guard against a possible squeeze.
While Connolly delivered the game-winning single in the tenth, the Bluejays needed some heroics in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Trailing 3-1 with one down in the ninth, Only reached on an error and remained at first with two down in the inning as pinch-hitter Brennan Hammer came to the dish. Hammer worked the count full, including a wild pitch that sent Only to second, before lacing an RBI single to center to get Creighton within a run. Senior Will Bamesberger came on to pinch-run and promptly moved into scoring position with a stolen base. Leadoff hitter Daniel Woodrow drew a five-pitch walk to give junior Nicky Lopez a chance. The Illinois native fell behind 0-2, but patiently watched two pitches miss outside to get even at 2-2. With the game in the balance, Lopez stung a ball into center to knot the contest at 3-3.
Some uncharacteristically sloppy play from the Bluejays gave Butler a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as the Bulldogs took advantage of two errors with two down to jump out to a 1-0 edge.
Creighton pulled even at 1-1 with a run in the fourth as Landuyt and Gandy smashed back-to-back doubles. Landuyt blasted a 1-1 pitch off the top of the wall in left, barely missing a home run as the ball bounced back into play. Gandy followed with a rocket into right that hit the warning track and bounced into the visiting dugout.
The top of the fifth saw the Bulldogs turn another Creighton error, the Bluejays fourth of the game, into two more unearned runs. From that point the Creighton bullpen slammed the door on Butler. Senior David Gerber collected the win (2-1) with two innings of scoreless relief. Butler's Zach Barnes took the loss (2-4), allowing one run on two hits in one-third of an inning.
Connolly and Only led the Bluejay offense with two hits each.
The Bluejays have the week off from BIG EAST action and leave Nebraska for the first time since March 9 as Creighton battles Arkansas on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:00 pm in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gerber, David (2-1)
L: BARNES, Zach (2-4)
Batting:
RBI: MARRAS, Chris 1
SH: HARTNAGEL, Michael 1 ; SMALL, Drew 1 ; DALL, Connor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HOUSTON, Tyler 2 ; CHRISTMAN, Garrett 1
SB: SMALL, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Landuyt, Riley 1 ; Gandy, Matt 1
RBI: Lopez, Nicky 1 ; Gandy, Matt 1 ; Connolly, Kevin 1 ; Hammer, Brennan 1
SH: Lopez, Nicky 1 ; Gandy, Matt 1 ; Oren, Keith 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Landuyt, Riley 2 ; Only, Bryce 1 ; Bamesberger, Will 1
SB: Lopez, Nicky 1 ; Bamesberger, Will 1
HBP: Lopez, Nicky 1 ; Landuyt, Riley 1
Game Leaders
lf/3b
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
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/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
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