Friday, April 1
Omaha, Neb.
6:30 pm
Creighton University
vs
The Citadel
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Baseball Puts Home Win Streak On The Line vs. The Citadel
3/31/2022 9:10:00 AM | Baseball
Bluejays and Bulldogs meet for first time on the diamond
The Citadel at Creighton
April 1 @ 6:30 pm - Omaha, Neb. | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | CU NOTES | CITADEL NOTES | STATS | VIDEO ($)
Friday   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
CITADEL - Cameron Reeves (RHP)Â Â Â 3.77Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 31.0Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 15Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 33
CU - Dylan Tebrake (RHP)Â Â Â 3.00Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 33.0Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 36
April 2 @ 2:00 pm - Omaha, Neb. | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | CU NOTES | CITADEL NOTES | STATS | NPM VIDEO
Saturday   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
CITADEL - Fisher Paulsen (LHP)Â Â Â 4.33Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 27.0Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 25
CU - Dominic Cancellieri (RHP)Â Â Â 5.00Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 27.0Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 15Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 29
April 3 @ 12:00 pm - Omaha, Neb. | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | CU NOTES | CITADEL NOTES | STATS | VIDEO ($)
Sunday   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
CITADEL - Ben Hutchins (RHP)Â Â Â 3.09Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 35.0Â Â Â 28Â Â Â 19Â Â Â 12Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 26
CU - Cade Lommel (LHP)Â Â Â 9.20Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 14.2Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 15Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 17
Scouting Creighton (2022: 12-7, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Since starting the season 0-4, Creighton has won 12-of-15 games to improve to 12-7. The Bluejays are 6-0 at home, outscoring foes 32-18 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Creighton baseball is hitting .259 as a team, led by Alan Roden (.357), Hogan Helligso (.357), Nolan Sailors (.323) and Andrew Meggs (.310). Roden was named BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year after hitting .378 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 2021.
On the mound the Bluejays have a 3.93 ERA, which lowers to 2.25 at home. Creighton has had 158 strikeouts in 165.0 innings. The leaders of the pitching staff are ace BIG EAST Preseason Pitcher of the Year Dylan Tebrake (3-1, 3.00 ERA) with 36 strikeouts in 33 innings and back end hurlers Paul Bergstrom (2.29 ERA) and Tommy Steier (1.04 ERA, 3 SV).
Scouting The Citadel (2022: 17-7, 0-0 Southern)
The Citadel is 17-7 this season but have yet to leave Charleston County. The Bulldogs are 16-7 at home and won in North Charleston in a road win at neraby Charleston Southern.
Ryan McCarthy leads The Citadel with a .354 batting average, four homers and nine stolen bases while slugging .634. Cole Simpson has driven in a club-best 26 RBI.
Devin Beckley (4-1, 2.16 ERA in 33.1 IP), Ben Hutchins (43-0, 3.09 ERA), Cameron Reeves (2-1, 3.77 ERA) and Fisher Paulsen (3-1, 4.33 ERA) have combined to throw nearly 60 percent of The Citadel's innings this season.
As a team, The Citadel hits .274 with 15 home runs and 23 stolen bases while fielding at a .965 clip. The Bulldogs own a 4.79 ERA and have struck out 206 batters in 216 innings.
Series History with The Citadel
Creighton and The Citadel have never met on the baseball diamond.
Fond Memories of Omaha
The Citadel reached the College World Series in 1990, with current head coach Tony Skole being a big part of that squad. Skole played third base and hit a home run at Miami to win the Atlantic Regional and help clinch the trip to the CWS. In Omaha, Skole had a game-winning hit in the 12th inning against Cal State Fullerton, the school's lone CWS victory.
Among Skole's teammates on that 1990 Bulldog team that reached the College World Series were second baseman Dan McDonnell and first baseman Chris Lemonis. McDonnell has coached Louisville to five CWS berths, while Lemonis was the skipper of 2021 CWS champ Mississippi State.
Servais Seeking 600
Ed Servais has won 599 games in 19 seasons at Creighton and enters this weekend one victory shy of 600 wins. The only coach in the history of Creighton Athletics with more wins than Servais is long-time Bluejay softball skipper Brent Vigness, who owns 817 triumphs in 29 seasons.
Ed Servais' Milestone Victories at Creighton
   Win #   Record   Opponent (Score)   Date
   100   100-46-0   #13 Wichita State (2-1)   03/11/06
   200   200-135-0   South Dakota State (8-2)   03/14/09
   300   300-165-0   at Central Arkansas (4-3)   02/17/02
   400   400-237-1   Stony Brook (8-3)   03/22/15
   500   500-291-1   Kansas State (8-3)   04/04/18
Nobody's Perfect
Creighton has ranked among the top-10 in fielding percentage in 11 of Ed Servais' first 18 full seasons, so you can only imagine the surprise when Creighton committed five errors in Tuesday's 3-2 win vs. Nebraska.
Creighton's five errors were its most in any game since also committing five miscues on March 2, 2018 at Central Arkansas. Strangely enough, CU also won that game (12-5).
The five errors by CU were its most in any home game since owning six errors in a 6-5 loss in 12 innings against Wichita State on March 26, 2000.
No Husker Hangover Here
Each of the last six times Creighton has faced Nebraska, the Bluejays have followed that with a win in their next game (against any opponent) as well.
And when Creighton beats Nebraska, it has carried that momentum over in an even bigger way. Creighton is 11-0 in the last 11 games it has played immediately after beating Nebraska.
The last time Creighton beat Nebraska, then lost its next game was in 2010. On that occasion, CU won in Lincoln 13-5 before falling a night later to Kansas 5-4 at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton won its final two home games last season and has started the 2022 campaign with six straight home victories. The eight game win streak is two shy of the program's longest during its 12-year run at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, which was achieved from March 11-27, 2016.
Here's a look at Creighton's longest home win streaks since the opening of Charles Schwab Field Omaha in 2011:
   Streak   Dates   Snapped by
   10   March 11-27, 2016   Jacksonville (4-3 in 10)
   9   April 26-May 25, 2011   Missouri State (10-3)
   9   April 5-27, 2013   Rutgers (6-5)
   9   March 15-April 12, 2015   #23 Nebraska (7-6)
   9   March 27-April 27, 2018   Georgetown (6-3)
   9   March 27-May 1, 2021   St. John's (4-1)
   8   May 21, 2021 - Present   ? ? ?
Should Creighton sweep The Citadel to run their win streak at home to 11, it'd mark CU's longest home win streak since the 2008 team won its first 13 games at home before falling 11-3 to No. 5 Wichita State on April 13.
It's About Time
Each of Creighton's last seven games have lasted three hours or more, an uncharacteristic figure considering the Bluejays typically play faster than just about anyone.
For the season, Creighton's games have averaged over 3:10 in length, and would be nearly 3:06 even if you removed the 15-inning win vs. St. Thomas that took 4:34 to complete on March 6th.
Fourteen of Creighton's 19 games this season have been three hours or longer, compared to only 10-of-39 games last spring. Last season's games averaged 2:48 in length.
Ten seasons ago in 2012 CU's games averaged 2:33 in length, with only 5-of-58 contests lasting three hours or more. Fifteen seasons ago, Creighton's games were an average of 2:29 in length with just seven of 60 games lasting three hours or more.
Inheriting Success
Creighton's relief pitchers have combined to make 51 relief appearances and inherited 40 runners in that time. CU relievers have allowed just 11 of those men to score. The 27.5 percent of inherited runners to score is the best performance by a CU staff in Ed Servais' 19 years as coach, eclipsing the BIG EAST champion's 2014 team at 30 percent (51-of-170).
Paul Bergstrom has inherited a team-high 11 runners and only one has scored. Fellow relief linchpins Tommy Lamb and Tommy Steier have each allowed just one of six inherited baserunners to score.
By comparison, CU allowed 810-of-2,227 (36.4 percent) of inherited runners to score from 2004-21 in its first 18 seasons under Ed Servais.
Roden Tough To Punch Out
Alan Roden has 94 plate appearances (70 AB, 15 BB, 8 HBP, 1 SF) this season and struck out just twice. He ranks third in the nation in being toughest to strike out, doing so just once every 35 at bats.
Roden has not struck out in any of his last 13+ games, which spans 70 trips to the plate, last whiffing in the fourth inning at Loyola Marymount on Feb. 26th.
Last year's national leader in at bats per strikeout was Fordham's Matt Mikulski (16.33 AB/SO), and in 2019 it was Kansas State's Will Brennan (18.6 AB/SO).
Odds and Ends
- Creighton is 9-0 when leading after six innings, 10-0 when leading after seven innings and 10-0 when leading after eight innings this year. All-time, Creighton is 131-1 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha when leading after eight innings with 85 straight victories.
- Creighton is 7-0 in 2022 when it does not make an error.
- Creighton is 6-0 this year when holding the opposition to two runs or less.
- Creighton is 6-1 this year when scoring first.
Wegner Powered Up in Kansas
Junior Jared Wegner blasted a pair of home runs in the
Bluejays' three-game series in Wichita (March 25-26).
Wegner connected on home runs in each of the first two games, helping Creighton take the series with victories on Friday and Saturday. He is tied with Brant Voth for the team-lead with three home runs this season.
Andrew Meggs and Cade Lommel Each Earned Spot on BIG EAST Honor Roll on March 21st
Lommel threw 5.2 scoreless innings of relief on March 20th after entering the game with one out in the bottom of the first inning and Creighton trailing 2-0 to Minnesota. The sophomore southpaw allowed just four hits and one walk in the longest outing of his season, striking out three, after entering the day with a 17.05 ERA in 6.1 innings. Lommel's work was crucial to a bullpen that threw 8.2 scoreless innings in CU's 4-2 victory.
Meggs hit .581 in Creighton's weekend sweep of
Minnesota, going 8-for-14 with three runs and three RBI. He also walked twice and owned an on-base percentage of .625. His weekend started when he went 3-for-3 with a pair of walks in Friday's 5-4 win vs. Minnesota. He also had eight assists, tying a Creighton record for a game at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Meggs singled to start the bottom of the ninth inning and later scored the game-winning run as the Bluejays walked off the Golden Gophers.
Roden Getting Going
After seeing his average drop to a season-low of .300 (yes that really is his low point), sophomore Alan Roden enjoyed the bus ride home from Arkansas. Roden went 7-for-11 (.636) with four RBI in wins over Central Arkansas and UT-Martin. The Wisconsin native went 5-for-5 with three RBI against the Skyhawks, boosting his season average to .390.
Hitting Is Contagious
Just as Roden seemed to find his groove in Arkansas, so too did senior Chris Esposito. The Kansas native went 6-for-10 with three runs scored, seven RBI and two home runs in the pair of games in Arkansas. Esposito had three hits, including a home run, in wins over Central Arkansas and UT-Martin. The highlight of his weekend was a grand slam in the fifth innings against the Skyhawks.
Faced With Adversity, Bluejays Shine
In the series finale with St. Thomas on Sunday, March 6, Creighton faced a variety of challenges before ultimately coming out on top.
From the beginning the Bluejays were tasked with playing a game in temperatures near or at freezing, including a real feel in the lower 20s.
After taking a 2-1 lead into the ninth, St. Thomas rallied with three two-out hits to knot the game.
The Tommies put the lead run on third via a one-out triple in the 10th and loaded the bags with one-out. Each time Creighton closer Tommy Steier escaped a jam.
The Bluejay offense worked around 23 strikeouts and managed just two hits in the opening eight innings.
Despite all those factors the Bluejays loaded the bags in the bottom of the 15th with an infield single, a double and an intentional walk. Finally junior Jared Wegner plated the game-winning run as he was hit by a pitch.
Newcomers Making Their Mark Early
Freshman Nolan Sailors and sophomore Brant Voth have wasted little time making a statement at the dish in their opening season at Creighton.
Making his Bluejay debut in the second game of the season, Sailors now owns a .323 batting average and is one of four Bluejays with 20 or more hits including a 3-for-3 game against LMU on Feb. 26.
In a battle for the starting catching role, Voth opened the season 0-for-4, went is 7-for-14 over the next six games.
A pinch-hit three-run blast in the finale at Portland got Voth going, and then in the series opener at LMU he went 4-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored. Voth enters The Citadel series hitting .218 after being mired in an 0-for-17 slump in his past six appearances, though he does own four walks in that span.
Oh What a Relief
In the Bluejays' first two victories of the season relievers Paul Bergstrom and Tommy Steier shined in extended efforts.
Called upon in the fifth inning on Feb. 25 at Loyola Marymount, Bergstrom stepped forward with 3.2 innings of scoreless ball to carry the game into the ninth.
Two days later closer Tommy Steier came on in fourth inning with the Bluejays down 5-3. The right hander limited LMU to one hit over the final 5.2 frames, giving the offense time to rally for the 8-5 win.
Both Bergstrom and Steier picked up the win in the respective outings.
Comeback Win Punctuate By Grace
The Bluejays' 8-5 win on Feb. 27 featured five extra base hits, including a game-winning triple by junior Jack Grace in the ninth.
Early in game Creighton played monster ball, getting two-run home runs from Alan Roden (knotting the game at 2-2 in the third) and Nolan Sailors (tieing the game once more at 5-5 in the sixth). Still tied up at 5-5 Creighton put leadoff man Chris Esposito on via a leadoff walk. After using a fake bunt on the first pitch to draw in the corner, head coach Ed Servais gave Jack Grace the green light. The junior responded by blasting an RBI triple to center, Creighton went on to plate three in the frame to capture the series from LMU.
Baseball Confirms the Return of Cox Kids Day for May 13
Creighton Baseball is happy to announce the return of Cox Kids Day at Charles Schwab Field Omaha on May 13. The series opening game against Butler will now be an 11:00 am start, allowing children from throughout the Omaha Metro area to take a few hours away from their normal school day to take in a Baseball game.
An annual event, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Cox Kids Day to be sidelined during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The last Cox Kids day was played during the 2019 season, on May 14 against Omaha.
Four Bluejays Recognized by D1Baseball
Four Bluejays earned recognition from D1Baseball.com prior to the season.
Alan Roden
#118 - Top 250 Draft Prospects
#8 -Â Top 50 First Baseman
Dylan Tebrake
#29Â - Top 150 Starting Pitchers
Andrew Meggs
#33 - Top 50 Second Baseman
Chris Esposito
#83 - Top 150 Starting Outfielders
Creighton To Be Featured Five Times on National or Local TV
Creighton Baseball will be featured five times this season with two games on national broadcast and three more on Nebraska Public Media.
The three games chosen by Nebraska Public Media are Creighton's March 29th game with Nebraska (6:30), the April 2nd battle with The Citadel (2:00 pm) and the Annual Military and First Responders Game on Saturday, May 14 against Butler (6:30 pm).
The Bluejays will be featured on FS1 on Monday, April 18, then battle the Wildcats the following day (Tuesday, April 19) on CBS Sports Network at 8:00 pm (CT).
Tebrake Earns NCBWA Preseason All-America Honors
Bluejays junior starting pitcher Dylan Tebrake was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association 2022 Division I Preseason Third Team All-America squad on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
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In his second year as the Bluejays' ace, Tebrake went a perfect 8-0 in 12 starts (72.2 innings) with 75 strikeouts, an opponent average of .220 and no home runs allowed.
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The 2021 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year as well as the 2022 Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Tebrake was dominant against conference foes last season. He closed 2021 with a 1.52 ERA and a 5-0 mark in six starts. In 41.1 innings pitched in the Big East, Tebrake punched out 46 and permitted an opponent average of just .171.
 Tebrake and Roden Earn Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America Honors
Collegiate Baseball recognized Bluejay junior Dylan Tebrake and sophomore Alan Roden as 2022 Preseason All-Americans on Tuesday, December 21. Tebrake earned Second Team honors, while Roden was a Third Team selection.
Coming off a 2021 season that saw Tebrake earn the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, he is poised to repeat his dominance. The Creighton righty closed last season 8-0 with a 2.72 ERA. He tossed 72.2 innings over 12 starts, notching 75 strikeouts and walking 24. In BIG EAST action Tebrake was 5-0 with a 1.52 ERA in 41.1 innings. Tebrake limited BIG EAST opponents to an impressive .171 average, while allowing just .220 overall.
Roden was the 2021 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, hitting .378 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and 47 RBI in 39 games. The Bluejays DH early in the season, the Wisconsin native moved into the outfield for the bulk of BIG EAST action. Roden was almost unstoppable in conference play, hitting .421 with nine doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI in 21 games. He delivered a .737 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage against the BIG EAST.
Ed Servais Baseball (ESB) = Defense
Since taking over as Creighton's head coach in 2004, Ed Servais' teams have committed the fewest errors in the nation (798 entering 2022).
The Bluejays also hold the top overall fielding percentage during that stretch, .977. The Bluejays were the nation's best team in fielding percentage in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Creighton was second in the NCAA last season (2021) as well as in 2010. During Servais' tenure Creighton has been a Top-10 team in 11 seasons.
Year   NCAA Rank   Fielding Percentage
2004   1st   .982
2005   17th   .972
2006   87th   .965
2007   8th   .974
2008   3rd   .976
2009   1st   .984
2010   2nd   .980
2011   4th   .980
2012   8th   .978
2013   12th   .979
2014   1st   .984
2015   25th   .976
2016   4th   .981
2017   110th   .971
2018   28th   .977
2019   5th   .981
2020   123rd   .969
2021   2nd   .983
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Mormann Named Pitching Coach
d Servais completed his 2022 staff as Mitch Mormann joined Creighton from Ohio University in January.
Entering his ninth year as a coach, Mormann was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio from 2020-21. He also had stops as the pitching coach for South Dakota State from 2017-19, North Dakota for 2015-16 and began his D1 coaching career at Ohio as the volunteer assistant during the 2015 season. Mormann's collegiate coaching career began in 2013 at Des Moines Area Community College (2013-14).
"We're very pleased to have Mitch come on board," noted Servias. "He has great experience both as a player at LSU and Wichita State as well as a coach at Ohio, South Dakota State and North Dakota. I think he is going to add a lot to our pitching staff and his experience as the recruiting coordinator at Ohio will also impact our process as well.
Mormann's connection to Creighton is very linear, coaching at Ohio under former Bluejay pitching coach Rob Smith. Smith was an assistant to Servais from 2007-12 before taking the reins at Ohio in 2013.
During his time as a pitching coach, Mormann helped Joe Rock (Ohio) become the 68th overall pick in 2021. Rock was 8-3 with a 2.33 earned run average in 14 starts, striking out 117 batters while permitting just 23 earned runs on 67 hits and 27 walks over 88.2 innings of work. While at SDSU, Mormann coached two First Team All-Summit League closers, three Second Team All-Summit League pitchers, two Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-Americans.
As a player Mormann pitched for DMACC during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, before transferring to LSU in 2010. Prior to the 2011 season Mormann transferred to Wichita State, redshirting 2011 and becoming a starter for the Shockers in 2012.
Mormann was drafted following the 2008 season (by the Cleveland Indians in the 17th round), the 2009 season (by the San Francisco Giants in the 25th round) and following the 2011 season (by the Detroit Tigers in the 25th round). After earning his bachelor's degree in sports management from Wichita State in 2012, Mormann signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco Giants.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to be the pitching coach at Creighton University," said Mormann. "The tradition that Coach Servais has built within the program over the years is inspiring, and I'm excited to now be a part of it. I look forward to helping Creighton Baseball continue to compete at a championship level."
Bluejays Picked to Finish Second in BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Dylan Tebrake and Alan Roden continued to stack up individual honors as the duo were named the BIG EAST Preseason
Pitcher and Player of the Year on Wednesday, December 22. Joining Tebrake and Roden on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team were Andrew Meggs and reliever Paul Bergstrom.
As team the Bluejays were picked to finish second with 41 points, including one first place vote. Connecticut was the preseason favorite at 47 points (seven first place votes), while Xavier and St. John's rounded out the top four with 36 and 30 points respectively. Seton Hall (29 points), Butler (16 points), Georgetown (13 points) and Villanova (10 points) completed the BIG EAST Coaches Poll.
Coming off a 2021 season that saw Tebrake earn the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, he is poised to repeat his dominance. The Creighton right-hander closed last season 8-0 with a 2.72 ERA. He tossed 72.2 innings over 12 starts, notching 75 strikeouts and walking 24. In BIG EAST action Tebrake was 5-0 with a 1.52 ERA in 41.1 innings. Tebrake limited BIG EAST opponents to an impressive .171 average, while allowing just .220 overall.
Roden was the 2021 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, hitting .378 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and 47 RBI in 39 games. The Bluejays DH early in the season, the Wisconsin native moved into the outfield for the bulk of BIG EAST action. Roden was almost unstoppable in conference play, hitting .421 with nine doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI in 21 games. He delivered a .737 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage against the BIG EAST.
An All-BIG EAST Second Team selection last season, Bergstrom was Creighton's high-leverage southpaw out of the bullpen last season. The Illinois native posted a 1.12 ERA with over 32 innings. He closed the season with two wins (2-0) with 28 strikeouts in 17 appearances. In BIG EAST play Bergstrom delivered a 1.53 ERA, claiming both victories and limiting conference opposition to a .206 batting average.
Meggs was a consistent force atop the lineup for Creighton, hitting .309 with 46 hits in 39 games. He also collected All-BIG EAST Second Team honors in 2021, closing the season with 10 extra-base hits (eight doubles, one triple and one home run) with 35 runs scored. Against BIG EAST opponents he hit .304 over 21 games with 19 runs scored.
   Preseason Coaches' Poll
   First place votes in ( )
   1.     Connecticut (7) - 49 Points
   2.       Creighton (1) – 41 points
   3.      Xavier – 36 points
   4.      St. John's – 30 points
   5.      Seton Hall – 29 points
   6.       Butler – 16 points
   7.       Georgetown – 13 points
   8.       Villanova – 10 points
April 1 @ 6:30 pm - Omaha, Neb. | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | CU NOTES | CITADEL NOTES | STATS | VIDEO ($)
Friday   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
CITADEL - Cameron Reeves (RHP)Â Â Â 3.77Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 31.0Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 15Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 33
CU - Dylan Tebrake (RHP)Â Â Â 3.00Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 33.0Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 36
April 2 @ 2:00 pm - Omaha, Neb. | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | CU NOTES | CITADEL NOTES | STATS | NPM VIDEO
Saturday   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
CITADEL - Fisher Paulsen (LHP)Â Â Â 4.33Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 27.0Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 25
CU - Dominic Cancellieri (RHP)Â Â Â 5.00Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 27.0Â Â Â 27Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 15Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 29
April 3 @ 12:00 pm - Omaha, Neb. | Charles Schwab Field Omaha | CU NOTES | CITADEL NOTES | STATS | VIDEO ($)
Sunday   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
CITADEL - Ben Hutchins (RHP)Â Â Â 3.09Â Â Â 4-0Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 35.0Â Â Â 28Â Â Â 19Â Â Â 12Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 26
CU - Cade Lommel (LHP)Â Â Â 9.20Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 14.2Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 15Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 17
Scouting Creighton (2022: 12-7, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Since starting the season 0-4, Creighton has won 12-of-15 games to improve to 12-7. The Bluejays are 6-0 at home, outscoring foes 32-18 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Creighton baseball is hitting .259 as a team, led by Alan Roden (.357), Hogan Helligso (.357), Nolan Sailors (.323) and Andrew Meggs (.310). Roden was named BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year after hitting .378 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 2021.
On the mound the Bluejays have a 3.93 ERA, which lowers to 2.25 at home. Creighton has had 158 strikeouts in 165.0 innings. The leaders of the pitching staff are ace BIG EAST Preseason Pitcher of the Year Dylan Tebrake (3-1, 3.00 ERA) with 36 strikeouts in 33 innings and back end hurlers Paul Bergstrom (2.29 ERA) and Tommy Steier (1.04 ERA, 3 SV).
Scouting The Citadel (2022: 17-7, 0-0 Southern)
The Citadel is 17-7 this season but have yet to leave Charleston County. The Bulldogs are 16-7 at home and won in North Charleston in a road win at neraby Charleston Southern.
Ryan McCarthy leads The Citadel with a .354 batting average, four homers and nine stolen bases while slugging .634. Cole Simpson has driven in a club-best 26 RBI.
Devin Beckley (4-1, 2.16 ERA in 33.1 IP), Ben Hutchins (43-0, 3.09 ERA), Cameron Reeves (2-1, 3.77 ERA) and Fisher Paulsen (3-1, 4.33 ERA) have combined to throw nearly 60 percent of The Citadel's innings this season.
As a team, The Citadel hits .274 with 15 home runs and 23 stolen bases while fielding at a .965 clip. The Bulldogs own a 4.79 ERA and have struck out 206 batters in 216 innings.
Series History with The Citadel
Creighton and The Citadel have never met on the baseball diamond.
Fond Memories of Omaha
The Citadel reached the College World Series in 1990, with current head coach Tony Skole being a big part of that squad. Skole played third base and hit a home run at Miami to win the Atlantic Regional and help clinch the trip to the CWS. In Omaha, Skole had a game-winning hit in the 12th inning against Cal State Fullerton, the school's lone CWS victory.
Among Skole's teammates on that 1990 Bulldog team that reached the College World Series were second baseman Dan McDonnell and first baseman Chris Lemonis. McDonnell has coached Louisville to five CWS berths, while Lemonis was the skipper of 2021 CWS champ Mississippi State.
Servais Seeking 600
Ed Servais has won 599 games in 19 seasons at Creighton and enters this weekend one victory shy of 600 wins. The only coach in the history of Creighton Athletics with more wins than Servais is long-time Bluejay softball skipper Brent Vigness, who owns 817 triumphs in 29 seasons.
Ed Servais' Milestone Victories at Creighton
   Win #   Record   Opponent (Score)   Date
   100   100-46-0   #13 Wichita State (2-1)   03/11/06
   200   200-135-0   South Dakota State (8-2)   03/14/09
   300   300-165-0   at Central Arkansas (4-3)   02/17/02
   400   400-237-1   Stony Brook (8-3)   03/22/15
   500   500-291-1   Kansas State (8-3)   04/04/18
Nobody's Perfect
Creighton has ranked among the top-10 in fielding percentage in 11 of Ed Servais' first 18 full seasons, so you can only imagine the surprise when Creighton committed five errors in Tuesday's 3-2 win vs. Nebraska.
Creighton's five errors were its most in any game since also committing five miscues on March 2, 2018 at Central Arkansas. Strangely enough, CU also won that game (12-5).
The five errors by CU were its most in any home game since owning six errors in a 6-5 loss in 12 innings against Wichita State on March 26, 2000.
No Husker Hangover Here
Each of the last six times Creighton has faced Nebraska, the Bluejays have followed that with a win in their next game (against any opponent) as well.
And when Creighton beats Nebraska, it has carried that momentum over in an even bigger way. Creighton is 11-0 in the last 11 games it has played immediately after beating Nebraska.
The last time Creighton beat Nebraska, then lost its next game was in 2010. On that occasion, CU won in Lincoln 13-5 before falling a night later to Kansas 5-4 at Rosenblatt Stadium.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton won its final two home games last season and has started the 2022 campaign with six straight home victories. The eight game win streak is two shy of the program's longest during its 12-year run at Charles Schwab Field Omaha, which was achieved from March 11-27, 2016.
Here's a look at Creighton's longest home win streaks since the opening of Charles Schwab Field Omaha in 2011:
   Streak   Dates   Snapped by
   10   March 11-27, 2016   Jacksonville (4-3 in 10)
   9   April 26-May 25, 2011   Missouri State (10-3)
   9   April 5-27, 2013   Rutgers (6-5)
   9   March 15-April 12, 2015   #23 Nebraska (7-6)
   9   March 27-April 27, 2018   Georgetown (6-3)
   9   March 27-May 1, 2021   St. John's (4-1)
   8   May 21, 2021 - Present   ? ? ?
Should Creighton sweep The Citadel to run their win streak at home to 11, it'd mark CU's longest home win streak since the 2008 team won its first 13 games at home before falling 11-3 to No. 5 Wichita State on April 13.
It's About Time
Each of Creighton's last seven games have lasted three hours or more, an uncharacteristic figure considering the Bluejays typically play faster than just about anyone.
For the season, Creighton's games have averaged over 3:10 in length, and would be nearly 3:06 even if you removed the 15-inning win vs. St. Thomas that took 4:34 to complete on March 6th.
Fourteen of Creighton's 19 games this season have been three hours or longer, compared to only 10-of-39 games last spring. Last season's games averaged 2:48 in length.
Ten seasons ago in 2012 CU's games averaged 2:33 in length, with only 5-of-58 contests lasting three hours or more. Fifteen seasons ago, Creighton's games were an average of 2:29 in length with just seven of 60 games lasting three hours or more.
Inheriting Success
Creighton's relief pitchers have combined to make 51 relief appearances and inherited 40 runners in that time. CU relievers have allowed just 11 of those men to score. The 27.5 percent of inherited runners to score is the best performance by a CU staff in Ed Servais' 19 years as coach, eclipsing the BIG EAST champion's 2014 team at 30 percent (51-of-170).
Paul Bergstrom has inherited a team-high 11 runners and only one has scored. Fellow relief linchpins Tommy Lamb and Tommy Steier have each allowed just one of six inherited baserunners to score.
By comparison, CU allowed 810-of-2,227 (36.4 percent) of inherited runners to score from 2004-21 in its first 18 seasons under Ed Servais.
Roden Tough To Punch Out
Alan Roden has 94 plate appearances (70 AB, 15 BB, 8 HBP, 1 SF) this season and struck out just twice. He ranks third in the nation in being toughest to strike out, doing so just once every 35 at bats.
Roden has not struck out in any of his last 13+ games, which spans 70 trips to the plate, last whiffing in the fourth inning at Loyola Marymount on Feb. 26th.
Last year's national leader in at bats per strikeout was Fordham's Matt Mikulski (16.33 AB/SO), and in 2019 it was Kansas State's Will Brennan (18.6 AB/SO).
Odds and Ends
- Creighton is 9-0 when leading after six innings, 10-0 when leading after seven innings and 10-0 when leading after eight innings this year. All-time, Creighton is 131-1 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha when leading after eight innings with 85 straight victories.
- Creighton is 7-0 in 2022 when it does not make an error.
- Creighton is 6-0 this year when holding the opposition to two runs or less.
- Creighton is 6-1 this year when scoring first.
Wegner Powered Up in Kansas
Junior Jared Wegner blasted a pair of home runs in the
Bluejays' three-game series in Wichita (March 25-26).
Wegner connected on home runs in each of the first two games, helping Creighton take the series with victories on Friday and Saturday. He is tied with Brant Voth for the team-lead with three home runs this season.
Andrew Meggs and Cade Lommel Each Earned Spot on BIG EAST Honor Roll on March 21st
Lommel threw 5.2 scoreless innings of relief on March 20th after entering the game with one out in the bottom of the first inning and Creighton trailing 2-0 to Minnesota. The sophomore southpaw allowed just four hits and one walk in the longest outing of his season, striking out three, after entering the day with a 17.05 ERA in 6.1 innings. Lommel's work was crucial to a bullpen that threw 8.2 scoreless innings in CU's 4-2 victory.
Meggs hit .581 in Creighton's weekend sweep of
Minnesota, going 8-for-14 with three runs and three RBI. He also walked twice and owned an on-base percentage of .625. His weekend started when he went 3-for-3 with a pair of walks in Friday's 5-4 win vs. Minnesota. He also had eight assists, tying a Creighton record for a game at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Meggs singled to start the bottom of the ninth inning and later scored the game-winning run as the Bluejays walked off the Golden Gophers.
Roden Getting Going
After seeing his average drop to a season-low of .300 (yes that really is his low point), sophomore Alan Roden enjoyed the bus ride home from Arkansas. Roden went 7-for-11 (.636) with four RBI in wins over Central Arkansas and UT-Martin. The Wisconsin native went 5-for-5 with three RBI against the Skyhawks, boosting his season average to .390.
Hitting Is Contagious
Just as Roden seemed to find his groove in Arkansas, so too did senior Chris Esposito. The Kansas native went 6-for-10 with three runs scored, seven RBI and two home runs in the pair of games in Arkansas. Esposito had three hits, including a home run, in wins over Central Arkansas and UT-Martin. The highlight of his weekend was a grand slam in the fifth innings against the Skyhawks.
Faced With Adversity, Bluejays Shine
In the series finale with St. Thomas on Sunday, March 6, Creighton faced a variety of challenges before ultimately coming out on top.
From the beginning the Bluejays were tasked with playing a game in temperatures near or at freezing, including a real feel in the lower 20s.
After taking a 2-1 lead into the ninth, St. Thomas rallied with three two-out hits to knot the game.
The Tommies put the lead run on third via a one-out triple in the 10th and loaded the bags with one-out. Each time Creighton closer Tommy Steier escaped a jam.
The Bluejay offense worked around 23 strikeouts and managed just two hits in the opening eight innings.
Despite all those factors the Bluejays loaded the bags in the bottom of the 15th with an infield single, a double and an intentional walk. Finally junior Jared Wegner plated the game-winning run as he was hit by a pitch.
Newcomers Making Their Mark Early
Freshman Nolan Sailors and sophomore Brant Voth have wasted little time making a statement at the dish in their opening season at Creighton.
Making his Bluejay debut in the second game of the season, Sailors now owns a .323 batting average and is one of four Bluejays with 20 or more hits including a 3-for-3 game against LMU on Feb. 26.
In a battle for the starting catching role, Voth opened the season 0-for-4, went is 7-for-14 over the next six games.
A pinch-hit three-run blast in the finale at Portland got Voth going, and then in the series opener at LMU he went 4-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored. Voth enters The Citadel series hitting .218 after being mired in an 0-for-17 slump in his past six appearances, though he does own four walks in that span.
Oh What a Relief
In the Bluejays' first two victories of the season relievers Paul Bergstrom and Tommy Steier shined in extended efforts.
Called upon in the fifth inning on Feb. 25 at Loyola Marymount, Bergstrom stepped forward with 3.2 innings of scoreless ball to carry the game into the ninth.
Two days later closer Tommy Steier came on in fourth inning with the Bluejays down 5-3. The right hander limited LMU to one hit over the final 5.2 frames, giving the offense time to rally for the 8-5 win.
Both Bergstrom and Steier picked up the win in the respective outings.
Comeback Win Punctuate By Grace
The Bluejays' 8-5 win on Feb. 27 featured five extra base hits, including a game-winning triple by junior Jack Grace in the ninth.
Early in game Creighton played monster ball, getting two-run home runs from Alan Roden (knotting the game at 2-2 in the third) and Nolan Sailors (tieing the game once more at 5-5 in the sixth). Still tied up at 5-5 Creighton put leadoff man Chris Esposito on via a leadoff walk. After using a fake bunt on the first pitch to draw in the corner, head coach Ed Servais gave Jack Grace the green light. The junior responded by blasting an RBI triple to center, Creighton went on to plate three in the frame to capture the series from LMU.
Baseball Confirms the Return of Cox Kids Day for May 13
Creighton Baseball is happy to announce the return of Cox Kids Day at Charles Schwab Field Omaha on May 13. The series opening game against Butler will now be an 11:00 am start, allowing children from throughout the Omaha Metro area to take a few hours away from their normal school day to take in a Baseball game.
An annual event, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the Cox Kids Day to be sidelined during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The last Cox Kids day was played during the 2019 season, on May 14 against Omaha.
Four Bluejays Recognized by D1Baseball
Four Bluejays earned recognition from D1Baseball.com prior to the season.
Alan Roden
#118 - Top 250 Draft Prospects
#8 -Â Top 50 First Baseman
Dylan Tebrake
#29Â - Top 150 Starting Pitchers
Andrew Meggs
#33 - Top 50 Second Baseman
Chris Esposito
#83 - Top 150 Starting Outfielders
Creighton To Be Featured Five Times on National or Local TV
Creighton Baseball will be featured five times this season with two games on national broadcast and three more on Nebraska Public Media.
The three games chosen by Nebraska Public Media are Creighton's March 29th game with Nebraska (6:30), the April 2nd battle with The Citadel (2:00 pm) and the Annual Military and First Responders Game on Saturday, May 14 against Butler (6:30 pm).
The Bluejays will be featured on FS1 on Monday, April 18, then battle the Wildcats the following day (Tuesday, April 19) on CBS Sports Network at 8:00 pm (CT).
Tebrake Earns NCBWA Preseason All-America Honors
Bluejays junior starting pitcher Dylan Tebrake was named to the National College Baseball Writers Association 2022 Division I Preseason Third Team All-America squad on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
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In his second year as the Bluejays' ace, Tebrake went a perfect 8-0 in 12 starts (72.2 innings) with 75 strikeouts, an opponent average of .220 and no home runs allowed.
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The 2021 BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year as well as the 2022 Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Tebrake was dominant against conference foes last season. He closed 2021 with a 1.52 ERA and a 5-0 mark in six starts. In 41.1 innings pitched in the Big East, Tebrake punched out 46 and permitted an opponent average of just .171.
 Tebrake and Roden Earn Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America Honors
Collegiate Baseball recognized Bluejay junior Dylan Tebrake and sophomore Alan Roden as 2022 Preseason All-Americans on Tuesday, December 21. Tebrake earned Second Team honors, while Roden was a Third Team selection.
Coming off a 2021 season that saw Tebrake earn the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, he is poised to repeat his dominance. The Creighton righty closed last season 8-0 with a 2.72 ERA. He tossed 72.2 innings over 12 starts, notching 75 strikeouts and walking 24. In BIG EAST action Tebrake was 5-0 with a 1.52 ERA in 41.1 innings. Tebrake limited BIG EAST opponents to an impressive .171 average, while allowing just .220 overall.
Roden was the 2021 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, hitting .378 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and 47 RBI in 39 games. The Bluejays DH early in the season, the Wisconsin native moved into the outfield for the bulk of BIG EAST action. Roden was almost unstoppable in conference play, hitting .421 with nine doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI in 21 games. He delivered a .737 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage against the BIG EAST.
Ed Servais Baseball (ESB) = Defense
Since taking over as Creighton's head coach in 2004, Ed Servais' teams have committed the fewest errors in the nation (798 entering 2022).
The Bluejays also hold the top overall fielding percentage during that stretch, .977. The Bluejays were the nation's best team in fielding percentage in 2004, 2009 and 2014. Creighton was second in the NCAA last season (2021) as well as in 2010. During Servais' tenure Creighton has been a Top-10 team in 11 seasons.
Year   NCAA Rank   Fielding Percentage
2004   1st   .982
2005   17th   .972
2006   87th   .965
2007   8th   .974
2008   3rd   .976
2009   1st   .984
2010   2nd   .980
2011   4th   .980
2012   8th   .978
2013   12th   .979
2014   1st   .984
2015   25th   .976
2016   4th   .981
2017   110th   .971
2018   28th   .977
2019   5th   .981
2020   123rd   .969
2021   2nd   .983
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Mormann Named Pitching Coach
d Servais completed his 2022 staff as Mitch Mormann joined Creighton from Ohio University in January.
Entering his ninth year as a coach, Mormann was the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Ohio from 2020-21. He also had stops as the pitching coach for South Dakota State from 2017-19, North Dakota for 2015-16 and began his D1 coaching career at Ohio as the volunteer assistant during the 2015 season. Mormann's collegiate coaching career began in 2013 at Des Moines Area Community College (2013-14).
"We're very pleased to have Mitch come on board," noted Servias. "He has great experience both as a player at LSU and Wichita State as well as a coach at Ohio, South Dakota State and North Dakota. I think he is going to add a lot to our pitching staff and his experience as the recruiting coordinator at Ohio will also impact our process as well.
Mormann's connection to Creighton is very linear, coaching at Ohio under former Bluejay pitching coach Rob Smith. Smith was an assistant to Servais from 2007-12 before taking the reins at Ohio in 2013.
During his time as a pitching coach, Mormann helped Joe Rock (Ohio) become the 68th overall pick in 2021. Rock was 8-3 with a 2.33 earned run average in 14 starts, striking out 117 batters while permitting just 23 earned runs on 67 hits and 27 walks over 88.2 innings of work. While at SDSU, Mormann coached two First Team All-Summit League closers, three Second Team All-Summit League pitchers, two Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-Americans.
As a player Mormann pitched for DMACC during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, before transferring to LSU in 2010. Prior to the 2011 season Mormann transferred to Wichita State, redshirting 2011 and becoming a starter for the Shockers in 2012.
Mormann was drafted following the 2008 season (by the Cleveland Indians in the 17th round), the 2009 season (by the San Francisco Giants in the 25th round) and following the 2011 season (by the Detroit Tigers in the 25th round). After earning his bachelor's degree in sports management from Wichita State in 2012, Mormann signed a free agent contract with the San Francisco Giants.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to be the pitching coach at Creighton University," said Mormann. "The tradition that Coach Servais has built within the program over the years is inspiring, and I'm excited to now be a part of it. I look forward to helping Creighton Baseball continue to compete at a championship level."
Bluejays Picked to Finish Second in BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Dylan Tebrake and Alan Roden continued to stack up individual honors as the duo were named the BIG EAST Preseason
Pitcher and Player of the Year on Wednesday, December 22. Joining Tebrake and Roden on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team were Andrew Meggs and reliever Paul Bergstrom.
As team the Bluejays were picked to finish second with 41 points, including one first place vote. Connecticut was the preseason favorite at 47 points (seven first place votes), while Xavier and St. John's rounded out the top four with 36 and 30 points respectively. Seton Hall (29 points), Butler (16 points), Georgetown (13 points) and Villanova (10 points) completed the BIG EAST Coaches Poll.
Coming off a 2021 season that saw Tebrake earn the BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, he is poised to repeat his dominance. The Creighton right-hander closed last season 8-0 with a 2.72 ERA. He tossed 72.2 innings over 12 starts, notching 75 strikeouts and walking 24. In BIG EAST action Tebrake was 5-0 with a 1.52 ERA in 41.1 innings. Tebrake limited BIG EAST opponents to an impressive .171 average, while allowing just .220 overall.
Roden was the 2021 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, hitting .378 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and 47 RBI in 39 games. The Bluejays DH early in the season, the Wisconsin native moved into the outfield for the bulk of BIG EAST action. Roden was almost unstoppable in conference play, hitting .421 with nine doubles, five home runs and 26 RBI in 21 games. He delivered a .737 slugging percentage and a .516 on-base percentage against the BIG EAST.
An All-BIG EAST Second Team selection last season, Bergstrom was Creighton's high-leverage southpaw out of the bullpen last season. The Illinois native posted a 1.12 ERA with over 32 innings. He closed the season with two wins (2-0) with 28 strikeouts in 17 appearances. In BIG EAST play Bergstrom delivered a 1.53 ERA, claiming both victories and limiting conference opposition to a .206 batting average.
Meggs was a consistent force atop the lineup for Creighton, hitting .309 with 46 hits in 39 games. He also collected All-BIG EAST Second Team honors in 2021, closing the season with 10 extra-base hits (eight doubles, one triple and one home run) with 35 runs scored. Against BIG EAST opponents he hit .304 over 21 games with 19 runs scored.
   Preseason Coaches' Poll
   First place votes in ( )
   1.     Connecticut (7) - 49 Points
   2.       Creighton (1) – 41 points
   3.      Xavier – 36 points
   4.      St. John's – 30 points
   5.      Seton Hall – 29 points
   6.       Butler – 16 points
   7.       Georgetown – 13 points
   8.       Villanova – 10 points
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/ Baseball2013 Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Dan Smith
Friday, October 30
Jim Hendry & Alan Benes (4/11/11)
Friday, October 30
CREIGHTON BASEBALL
Thursday, October 15
Ambidextrous Pitcher
Thursday, October 15
