Thursday, May 26
Aberdeen, MD
6:00 pm
Creighton University
37-15
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Seton Hall
38-19
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Seton Hall
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Creighton
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Bluejays celebrate their sprint off win!
Photo by: Scott Serio
Crazy Ninth Inning Propels Bluejays to 6-5 Walk-Off Win
5/26/2016 10:13:00 PM | Baseball
Jays score three times in the ninth inning on just one hit.
Aberdeen, Md. -- A wild final frame saw the Creighton Baseball team plate three runs to steal a 6-5 win from Seton Hall on Thursday, May 27 in the opening round of the 2016 BIG EAST Tournament.
Down 5-3 heading to the ninth inning, Creighton (37-15) scored three times on just one hit in the ninth inning thanks to three Seton Hall errors and a walk-off wild pitch on an attempted intentional walk.
Senior Ryan Fitzgerald opened Creighton's ninth inning with a full-count walk. After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Brennan Hammer reached on an infield chopper that was ruled an error. Hammer was replaced at first base by speedy pinch-runner Will Bamesberger. BIG EAST batting average champ Daniel Woodrow then blooped a single into left-center as Fitzgerald raced home. The throw home from Pirate left fielder Zach Weigel bounced off to the backstop allowing Bamesberger to move to third and Woodrow to second. The play, however, was not over as Seton Hall closer Zach Schellenger chased the ball down, only to rifle it past home toward first allowing Bamesberger to come around and tie the game.
The overthrow also allowed Woodrow to move to third base, which would prove huge. The Pirates stayed with Schellenger, choosing to intentionally walk Nicky Lopez. The decision seemed sound considering CU's shortstop was 4-for-4 on the evening. However, Schellenger's second throw on the free pass instead went to the backstop, as Woodrow raced home with the winning run. It was Creighton's third walk-off victory in 10 all-time wins over the rival Pirates, and certainly one of the most bizarre as well.
The Bluejays move into the winners bracket and will face No. 1 Xavier with a first pitch at 6:00 pm Central on Friday. Seton Hall, meanwhile, battles No. 4 St. John's in an elimination game at 2:30 pm Central.
The Pirates got on the board with two runs on three hits in the top of the first inning. Chris Chiaradio opened the game with an opposite field double to left, scoring one out later on a single through the left side by Zach Weigel. A passed ball sent Weigel to second, then he came in via a single to center from Mike Alescio.
Creighton got on the board in the fourth thanks to a trio of seniors. Matt Gandy led off with a double to left-center, moved to third on a single from Brett Murray and scored on a sacrifice fly into left off the bat of Harrison Crawford.
Seton Hall (38-19) took advantage of a Creighton error in the top of the fifth to push its lead back to two runs, 3-1. Mike Caputo reached of a single to start the inning, went to second on a sacrifice. After moving to third on a ground ball, Caputo scored on a bouncer up the middle that was mishandled.
Showing their grit the Bluejays knotted the game at 3-3 with two runs in the fifth despite only getting one ball out of the infield. Freshman Michael Emodi got things going with a one-out single through the right side. Woodrow put runners on first and second by beating out an infield dribbler. Creighton's first run of the frame scored when Lopez beat out a dribbler to first. The throw to the bag got away, allowing Emodi to score and sent Woodrow to third. Senior Reagan Fowler tied the game moments later with an RBI grounder to second.
The Pirates countered in the top of the sixth with two runs on two hits and two hit batsmen. Bluejay starter Rollie Lacy surrendered consecutive singles to Weigel and Matt Fortin, then hit Joe Poduslenko and Alescio to force in the go-ahead run. Reliever John Oltman limited the damage as he induced a double play ball from Mikael-Ali Mogues and a pop out, but the Pirates took a 5-3 lead.
Lacy and Seton Hall starter, Shane McCarthy, each settled for no decisions. Lacy allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in five innings, while McCarthy held the Bluejays to just three runs on 10 hits over eight innings on 118 pitches.
Creighton reliever Nick Highberger got the final five outs for CU to give his team a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning and earn his second win (2-0) of the year.
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Down 5-3 heading to the ninth inning, Creighton (37-15) scored three times on just one hit in the ninth inning thanks to three Seton Hall errors and a walk-off wild pitch on an attempted intentional walk.
Senior Ryan Fitzgerald opened Creighton's ninth inning with a full-count walk. After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Brennan Hammer reached on an infield chopper that was ruled an error. Hammer was replaced at first base by speedy pinch-runner Will Bamesberger. BIG EAST batting average champ Daniel Woodrow then blooped a single into left-center as Fitzgerald raced home. The throw home from Pirate left fielder Zach Weigel bounced off to the backstop allowing Bamesberger to move to third and Woodrow to second. The play, however, was not over as Seton Hall closer Zach Schellenger chased the ball down, only to rifle it past home toward first allowing Bamesberger to come around and tie the game.
The overthrow also allowed Woodrow to move to third base, which would prove huge. The Pirates stayed with Schellenger, choosing to intentionally walk Nicky Lopez. The decision seemed sound considering CU's shortstop was 4-for-4 on the evening. However, Schellenger's second throw on the free pass instead went to the backstop, as Woodrow raced home with the winning run. It was Creighton's third walk-off victory in 10 all-time wins over the rival Pirates, and certainly one of the most bizarre as well.
The Bluejays move into the winners bracket and will face No. 1 Xavier with a first pitch at 6:00 pm Central on Friday. Seton Hall, meanwhile, battles No. 4 St. John's in an elimination game at 2:30 pm Central.
The Pirates got on the board with two runs on three hits in the top of the first inning. Chris Chiaradio opened the game with an opposite field double to left, scoring one out later on a single through the left side by Zach Weigel. A passed ball sent Weigel to second, then he came in via a single to center from Mike Alescio.
Creighton got on the board in the fourth thanks to a trio of seniors. Matt Gandy led off with a double to left-center, moved to third on a single from Brett Murray and scored on a sacrifice fly into left off the bat of Harrison Crawford.
Seton Hall (38-19) took advantage of a Creighton error in the top of the fifth to push its lead back to two runs, 3-1. Mike Caputo reached of a single to start the inning, went to second on a sacrifice. After moving to third on a ground ball, Caputo scored on a bouncer up the middle that was mishandled.
Showing their grit the Bluejays knotted the game at 3-3 with two runs in the fifth despite only getting one ball out of the infield. Freshman Michael Emodi got things going with a one-out single through the right side. Woodrow put runners on first and second by beating out an infield dribbler. Creighton's first run of the frame scored when Lopez beat out a dribbler to first. The throw to the bag got away, allowing Emodi to score and sent Woodrow to third. Senior Reagan Fowler tied the game moments later with an RBI grounder to second.
The Pirates countered in the top of the sixth with two runs on two hits and two hit batsmen. Bluejay starter Rollie Lacy surrendered consecutive singles to Weigel and Matt Fortin, then hit Joe Poduslenko and Alescio to force in the go-ahead run. Reliever John Oltman limited the damage as he induced a double play ball from Mikael-Ali Mogues and a pop out, but the Pirates took a 5-3 lead.
Lacy and Seton Hall starter, Shane McCarthy, each settled for no decisions. Lacy allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in five innings, while McCarthy held the Bluejays to just three runs on 10 hits over eight innings on 118 pitches.
Creighton reliever Nick Highberger got the final five outs for CU to give his team a chance in the bottom of the ninth inning and earn his second win (2-0) of the year.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Highberger, Nick (2-0)
L: SCHELLENGER, Zach (4-4)
Batting:
2B: CHIARADIO, Chris 1
RBI: WEIGEL, Zack 1 ; ALESCIO, Mike 2
SH: RAMIZ, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: CHIARADIO, Chris 1 ; WEIGEL, Zack 2 ; FORTIN, Matt 1 ; CAPUTO, Mike 1
CS: JENKINS, Derek 1
HBP: PODUSLENKO, Joe 2 ; ALESCIO, Mike 1
Batting:
2B: Gandy, Matt 1
RBI: Woodrow, Daniel 1 ; Fowler, Reagan 1 ; Crawford, Harrison 1
SF: Crawford, Harrison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodrow, Daniel 2 ; Gandy, Matt 1 ; Fitzgerald, Ryan 1 ; Emodi, Michael 1 ; Bamesberger, Will 1
CS: Woodrow, Daniel 1
HBP: Murray, Brett 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
4
RBI
0
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
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INF
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C
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INF
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INF
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OF
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RHP
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RHP
/ BaseballINF
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LHP
/ BaseballOF
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