Tuesday, April 23
7:00 PM
Creighton University
2
vs
1
Nebraska
John Sakowski threw 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win
Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Baseball Takes Season Series With 2-1 Win Over Nebraska
4/23/2019 10:03:00 PM | Baseball
Bluejays win season series over Huskers for second straight year
Omaha, Neb. -- Senior Jack Strunc hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning and six Creighton pitchers held Nebraska to four hits as the Bluejays picked up a 2-1 win over the Huskers on Tuesday night before 10,378 fans at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha.
The win gives Creighton (23-8) the series win over the Huskers (22-14), also 2-1, for the first time in consecutive seasons since 1992 and 1993.
Senior starter Denson Hull needed just 21 pitches to retire all seven men he faced and help the Bluejays off to a good start. Ben Dotzler and Paul Bergstrom both notched four outs to help the Jays get to the back end of their bullpen with a 1-0 lead.
The Bluejays got that 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Senior Jordan Hovey walked and advanced to second when junior Parker Upton was plunked. With both runners moving on a full count with two outs, Jared Wegner's single to left scored Hovey.
The Bluejay lead held up until the sixth inning, as the Huskers pulled even on consecutive singles by Spencer Schwellenbach and Aaron Palensky as well as a sacrifice fly by Gunner Hellstrom. Knotted at at 1-1, winning pitcher John Sakowski worked out of the jam. Sakowski improved to 3-0 with 2.2 scoreless innings of work.
Creighton answered Nebraska's score with one of its own, as Strunc pulled a Mike Waldron offering into the seats above the left-field bullpen for his first homer of the season with one out in the sixth inning.
Despite loading the bags in the seventh and eighth innings, Creighton was unable to plate an insurance run. Protecting the 2-1 advantage the Bluejays called on closer Bobby Kametas to slam the door. Kametas was unusually wild, falling behind 2-0 to the first four batters he faced and walking a pair, before retiring pinch-hitter Mojo Hagge on a flyout to end the game with the go-ahead run stranded at first. The save was the fifth of the season and 12th career for Kametas, who capped a fourth straight game where CU allowed just one run.
Creighton visits Kansas on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+ before returning to Omaha to host Xavier in a battle of the top two teams atop the BIG EAST standings.
The win gives Creighton (23-8) the series win over the Huskers (22-14), also 2-1, for the first time in consecutive seasons since 1992 and 1993.
Senior starter Denson Hull needed just 21 pitches to retire all seven men he faced and help the Bluejays off to a good start. Ben Dotzler and Paul Bergstrom both notched four outs to help the Jays get to the back end of their bullpen with a 1-0 lead.
The Bluejays got that 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out rally in the fourth inning. Senior Jordan Hovey walked and advanced to second when junior Parker Upton was plunked. With both runners moving on a full count with two outs, Jared Wegner's single to left scored Hovey.
The Bluejay lead held up until the sixth inning, as the Huskers pulled even on consecutive singles by Spencer Schwellenbach and Aaron Palensky as well as a sacrifice fly by Gunner Hellstrom. Knotted at at 1-1, winning pitcher John Sakowski worked out of the jam. Sakowski improved to 3-0 with 2.2 scoreless innings of work.
Creighton answered Nebraska's score with one of its own, as Strunc pulled a Mike Waldron offering into the seats above the left-field bullpen for his first homer of the season with one out in the sixth inning.
Despite loading the bags in the seventh and eighth innings, Creighton was unable to plate an insurance run. Protecting the 2-1 advantage the Bluejays called on closer Bobby Kametas to slam the door. Kametas was unusually wild, falling behind 2-0 to the first four batters he faced and walking a pair, before retiring pinch-hitter Mojo Hagge on a flyout to end the game with the go-ahead run stranded at first. The save was the fifth of the season and 12th career for Kametas, who capped a fourth straight game where CU allowed just one run.
Creighton visits Kansas on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+ before returning to Omaha to host Xavier in a battle of the top two teams atop the BIG EAST standings.
Players Mentioned
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