Saturday, February 29
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Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Ninth Inning Rally Leads to 4-3 Win for Bluejay Baseball Over UNLV in 11-Innings
2/29/2020 7:21:00 PM | Baseball
Las Vegas, Nev. -- Trailing 3-0 entering the top of the ninth, the Creighton baseball team came out fighting. The Bluejays plated three runs in the ninth to extend the game, escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the tenth, and went on to claim a 4-3 win in the 11th inning on Saturday, Feb. 29th.
The win moved Creighton to 4-4 on the season, while UNLV fell to 2-8 overall.
Frustrated at the plate throughout the game by UNLV starter Chase Maddux, the son of MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, Creighton was limited to just three singles from senior Ryan Mantle in the first seven innings. Things started to turn for the Bluejays in the eighth as pinch-hitter Josh Dudden slapped a two-out single to left-center to send Maddux to the bench. Junior Will Hanafan greeted UNLV reliever with another single, but the Bluejay runners were stranded.
Down 3-0 with one down in the ninth, Mantle reached on a throwing error, then junior David Vilches sliced a double into right field. Junior catcher Garrett Gilbert slapped a two-run single through the right side to bring Creighton within a run at 3-2. The next Bluejay hitter, Nick Gile, sent a single up the middle just past a driving attempt from UNLV second baseman Edarian Willams. The ball got under the glove of Rebel center fielder James Gamble and Bluejay head coach Ed Servais sent Gilbert to the plate. The throw to UNLV catcher Eric Bigani was dropped as Gilbert glided by with a head first slide to tie the game at 3-3.
Creighton turned to senior Jonah Smith to extend the game and he did just that by working around a double to force extra innings. After the Bluejays went quietly in the top of the tenth, a hit batter, walk and a sacrifice left the Rebels with runners at second and third with just one out. Creighton intentionally walked Bigani, then UNLV head coach Stan Stolte tried to win the game with a squeeze bunt. The plan back fired as Austin Pfeifer missed a pitch up, then Gamble was caught coming home for the second out of the inning. Moments later Pfeifer was set down on strikes.
Riding the momentum of the defensive stand in the tenth, Viilches opened the next frame with a walk. Two outs later a wild pitch put Vilches in scoring position, then redshirt freshman Jack Grace made the Rebels pay. Grace lined a sinking shot to left, where UNLV outfielder Grant Robbins made a diving attempt. The ball went all the way to the wall, giving Grace an RBI triple.
With the lead for the first time in the game, Creighton turned to closer John Sakowski. The Bluejay senior allowed a single, but easily collected his first save of the year.
Smith earned the win (1-0) with two innings of scoreless relief, while UNLV hurler Austin Bryan took the loss (0-1).
UNLV took the lead with two runs in the fourth and one in the eighth. The Rebels two runs in the fourth were courtesy of some Bluejay miscommunication as with two outs and two Rebels on, Hanafan and freshman Cam Frederick collided in left-center to allow an inning-ending ball to fall. UNLV's run in the eighth came via an RBI double from Jack-Thomas Wold.
The Bluejays and Rebels will play the rubber game of the three-game set on Sunday, March 1st. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm (CT).
The win moved Creighton to 4-4 on the season, while UNLV fell to 2-8 overall.
Frustrated at the plate throughout the game by UNLV starter Chase Maddux, the son of MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, Creighton was limited to just three singles from senior Ryan Mantle in the first seven innings. Things started to turn for the Bluejays in the eighth as pinch-hitter Josh Dudden slapped a two-out single to left-center to send Maddux to the bench. Junior Will Hanafan greeted UNLV reliever with another single, but the Bluejay runners were stranded.
Down 3-0 with one down in the ninth, Mantle reached on a throwing error, then junior David Vilches sliced a double into right field. Junior catcher Garrett Gilbert slapped a two-run single through the right side to bring Creighton within a run at 3-2. The next Bluejay hitter, Nick Gile, sent a single up the middle just past a driving attempt from UNLV second baseman Edarian Willams. The ball got under the glove of Rebel center fielder James Gamble and Bluejay head coach Ed Servais sent Gilbert to the plate. The throw to UNLV catcher Eric Bigani was dropped as Gilbert glided by with a head first slide to tie the game at 3-3.
Creighton turned to senior Jonah Smith to extend the game and he did just that by working around a double to force extra innings. After the Bluejays went quietly in the top of the tenth, a hit batter, walk and a sacrifice left the Rebels with runners at second and third with just one out. Creighton intentionally walked Bigani, then UNLV head coach Stan Stolte tried to win the game with a squeeze bunt. The plan back fired as Austin Pfeifer missed a pitch up, then Gamble was caught coming home for the second out of the inning. Moments later Pfeifer was set down on strikes.
Riding the momentum of the defensive stand in the tenth, Viilches opened the next frame with a walk. Two outs later a wild pitch put Vilches in scoring position, then redshirt freshman Jack Grace made the Rebels pay. Grace lined a sinking shot to left, where UNLV outfielder Grant Robbins made a diving attempt. The ball went all the way to the wall, giving Grace an RBI triple.
With the lead for the first time in the game, Creighton turned to closer John Sakowski. The Bluejay senior allowed a single, but easily collected his first save of the year.
Smith earned the win (1-0) with two innings of scoreless relief, while UNLV hurler Austin Bryan took the loss (0-1).
UNLV took the lead with two runs in the fourth and one in the eighth. The Rebels two runs in the fourth were courtesy of some Bluejay miscommunication as with two outs and two Rebels on, Hanafan and freshman Cam Frederick collided in left-center to allow an inning-ending ball to fall. UNLV's run in the eighth came via an RBI double from Jack-Thomas Wold.
The Bluejays and Rebels will play the rubber game of the three-game set on Sunday, March 1st. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm (CT).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Jonah (1-0)
L: BRYAN, Austin (0-1)
S: Sakowski, John (1)
Batting:
2B: Vilches, David 1
3B: Grace, Jack 1
RBI: Gilbert, Garrett 2 ; Grace, Jack 1
SH: Meggs, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mantle, Ryan 1 ; Vilches, David 2 ; Gilbert, Garrett 1
Batting:
2B: SARDINA, Alex 1 ; WOLD, Jack-Thomas 1 ; ROBBINS, Grant 1
3B: ROBBINS, Grant 1
RBI: WOLD, Jack-Thomas 1 ; ROBBINS, Grant 2
SH: WILLIAMS, Edarian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SARDINA, Alex 1 ; PFEIFER, Austin 1 ; DUNN, Chris 1
SB: GAMBLE, James 2
CS: GAMBLE, James 1 ; BIGANI, Eric 1
HBP: GAMBLE, James 1 ; BIGANI, Eric 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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/ Baseball
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