Friday, March 18
Omaha, Neb.
6:30 pm
Creighton University
7-6
5
vs
4
Minnesota
5-13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Minnesota
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
4
6
1
Creighton
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
5
10
2
Photo by: Steve Branscombe
Esposito Delivers Walkoff Win for Bluejay Baseball, 5-4
3/18/2022 10:04:00 PM | Baseball
Omaha, Neb. -- Senior transfer Chris Esposito is adjusting to life in Blue quite nicely as the Kansas native delivered a walkoff RBI single to give Creighton Baseball a 5-4 win over Minnesota in the series opener on Friday, March 18.
With the win Creighton moved to 7-6 on the season, while Minnesota fell to 5-13.
The series opener wasted little time getting started as Minnesota loaded the bases in the top of the first inning. After retiring the first two Gophers, junior Dylan Tebrake needed a bases loaded strikeout to post a scoreless opening frame.
Creighton's offense fared much better in its half as sophomore Alan Roden was hit by a pitch, then junior Jared Wegner doubled down the left field line. A sac fly from freshman Brant Voth and an RBI single from Esposito gave the Bluejays a 2-0 lead.
Junior Sterling Hayes pushed Creighton's edge to 3-0 with an RBI single in the second, plating sophomore Kyle Hess who walked and stole second.
Creighton's edge grew to 3-0 when Wegner walked, went to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Esposito.
Minnesota chipped away with a run in the fourth, then chased Tebrake with two in the seventh.
Creighton closer Tommy Steier came on in the eighth, stranding a pair with a strikeout of Minnesota's Otto Grimm.
Clinging to a 4-3 edge as the game moved to the ninth, Steier gave up a single and a triple to tie the game, but kept the game at 4-4 with a pop out, a strike out and a line out.
The top of the order came to the dish in the ninth with junior Andrew Meggs and Roden each delivering singles. Minnesota chose to walk Wegner to load the bags, then with one down Esposito lined an RBI single to right for the game winner.
Esposito closed the game 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Steier collected the win (2-0), allowing one run on three hits and three walks, while Minnesota reliever Will Semb took the loss (1-3) allowing one run on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning.
Creighton and Minnesota will continue their three-game series on Saturday, March 19 at 2:00 pm.
With the win Creighton moved to 7-6 on the season, while Minnesota fell to 5-13.
The series opener wasted little time getting started as Minnesota loaded the bases in the top of the first inning. After retiring the first two Gophers, junior Dylan Tebrake needed a bases loaded strikeout to post a scoreless opening frame.
Creighton's offense fared much better in its half as sophomore Alan Roden was hit by a pitch, then junior Jared Wegner doubled down the left field line. A sac fly from freshman Brant Voth and an RBI single from Esposito gave the Bluejays a 2-0 lead.
Junior Sterling Hayes pushed Creighton's edge to 3-0 with an RBI single in the second, plating sophomore Kyle Hess who walked and stole second.
Creighton's edge grew to 3-0 when Wegner walked, went to third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Esposito.
Minnesota chipped away with a run in the fourth, then chased Tebrake with two in the seventh.
Creighton closer Tommy Steier came on in the eighth, stranding a pair with a strikeout of Minnesota's Otto Grimm.
Clinging to a 4-3 edge as the game moved to the ninth, Steier gave up a single and a triple to tie the game, but kept the game at 4-4 with a pop out, a strike out and a line out.
The top of the order came to the dish in the ninth with junior Andrew Meggs and Roden each delivering singles. Minnesota chose to walk Wegner to load the bags, then with one down Esposito lined an RBI single to right for the game winner.
Esposito closed the game 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Steier collected the win (2-0), allowing one run on three hits and three walks, while Minnesota reliever Will Semb took the loss (1-3) allowing one run on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning.
Creighton and Minnesota will continue their three-game series on Saturday, March 19 at 2:00 pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Steier, Tommy (2-0)
L: Semb, Will (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Kelly, Jack 1 ; Stahl, Drew 1
3B: Kelly, Jack 1
RBI: Kelly, Jack 1 ; Merila, Boston 2 ; Wilhite, Andrew 1
SH: Bateman, Brett 1
SF: Wilhite, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Grimm, Otto 1 ; Stanke, Chase 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1 ; Stahl, Drew 1
SB: Stanke, Chase 1 ; Sweeny, Ronald 1
Batting:
2B: Wegner, Jared 1
RBI: Voth, Brant 1 ; Esposito, Chris 3 ; Hayes, Sterling 1
SF: Voth, Brant 1 ; Esposito, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Roden, Alan 1 ; Wegner, Jared 2 ; Hess, Kyle 1
SB: Hess, Kyle 1
CS: Meggs, Andrew 1
HBP: Roden, Alan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF/OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball2013 Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Dan Smith
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