Photo by: Glen Sisk
Baseball Officially Opens 2020 Practice
1/24/2020 4:31:00 PM | Baseball
Omaha, Neb. -- The defending BIG EAST champion Creighton Baseball team officially opened the 2020 season with its first team practice on Friday, Jan. 24th during the late afternoon.
Forced to open the season indoors due to standing snow and conditions near freezing, the Bluejays used the indoor practice facility (the Rasmussen Center) as well as the batting cages at the Kitty Gaughan Pavillion.
Last season Creighton was the BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Champions, closing the year in the NCAA Regional Final against Michigan. The Bluejays finished the season 41-13 overall record and 14-4 in BIG EAST. The Bluejays eliminated the 2018 CWS Champion, Oregon State, as well as Cincinnati before falling to the eventual 2019 CWS runner up (Michigan). The Bluejays swept their way to their first BIG EAST Tournament championship, defeating Seton Hall, St. John's and Xavier.
Returning to lead the Bluejays in 2020 will be senior Parker Upton (.324 BA with 10 HR and 34 RBI in 50 games) and senior Ryan Mantle who was sidelined throughout the 2019 season due to an injury. Mantle was an ALL-BIG EAST First Team selection in 2018, hitting .291 in 45 games.
On the mound the Bluejays expect seniors John Sakowski and Jonah Smith to anchor the bullpen. Sakowski was 7-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 47.2 innings, while Smith was 4-0 with a 4.89 ERA in 35.0 inning. The duo combined to appear in 53 games (29 for Sakowski and 24 for Smith).
Creighton was selected to repeat as the BIG EAST champion in the conference's preseason poll last month, narrowly edging out Seton Hall, St. John's and Xavier as each of those three teams finished tied for second place.
The Bluejays open the 2020 season on Friday, Feb. 14th as Creighton begins a three-game series at Seattle University at 6:00 pm (CT).
Forced to open the season indoors due to standing snow and conditions near freezing, the Bluejays used the indoor practice facility (the Rasmussen Center) as well as the batting cages at the Kitty Gaughan Pavillion.
Last season Creighton was the BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Champions, closing the year in the NCAA Regional Final against Michigan. The Bluejays finished the season 41-13 overall record and 14-4 in BIG EAST. The Bluejays eliminated the 2018 CWS Champion, Oregon State, as well as Cincinnati before falling to the eventual 2019 CWS runner up (Michigan). The Bluejays swept their way to their first BIG EAST Tournament championship, defeating Seton Hall, St. John's and Xavier.
Returning to lead the Bluejays in 2020 will be senior Parker Upton (.324 BA with 10 HR and 34 RBI in 50 games) and senior Ryan Mantle who was sidelined throughout the 2019 season due to an injury. Mantle was an ALL-BIG EAST First Team selection in 2018, hitting .291 in 45 games.
On the mound the Bluejays expect seniors John Sakowski and Jonah Smith to anchor the bullpen. Sakowski was 7-1 with a 2.83 ERA in 47.2 innings, while Smith was 4-0 with a 4.89 ERA in 35.0 inning. The duo combined to appear in 53 games (29 for Sakowski and 24 for Smith).
Creighton was selected to repeat as the BIG EAST champion in the conference's preseason poll last month, narrowly edging out Seton Hall, St. John's and Xavier as each of those three teams finished tied for second place.
The Bluejays open the 2020 season on Friday, Feb. 14th as Creighton begins a three-game series at Seattle University at 6:00 pm (CT).
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