Friday, April 8
Omaha, Neb.
6:30 pm
Creighton University
vs
Georgetown
Nolan Clifford
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann
Baseball Opens BIG EAST Play vs. Georgetown
4/6/2022 10:56:00 AM | Baseball
Bluejays look to slow down a Hoya team with 64 home runs
Georgetown at Creighton
Charles Schwab Field Omaha - Omaha, Neb.
Probable Pitching Matchups (2022 Stats)
Friday, April 8 - 6:30 pm   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
GU - Carter Bosch (RHP)Â Â Â 3.45Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 10Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 28.2Â Â Â 33Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 10Â Â Â 25
CU - Dylan Tebrake (RHP)Â Â Â 2.54Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 8Â Â Â 8Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 39.0Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 40
Live Stats | Video ($) | Video Info | CU Notes (PDF) | GU Notes (PDF)
Saturday, April 9 - 2:00 pm   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
GU - Nolan McCarthy (RHP)Â Â Â 4.14Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 41.1Â Â Â 37Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 19Â Â Â 12Â Â Â 44
CU - Dominic Cancellieri (RHP)Â Â Â 4.86Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 33.1Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 21Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 31
Live Stats | Video ($) | Video Info | CU Notes (PDF) | GU Notes (PDF)
Sunday, April 10 - 11:00 am   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
GU - Matthew Sapienza (RHP)Â Â Â 5.22Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 9Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 29.1Â Â Â 34Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 19
CU - Cade Lommel (LHP)Â Â Â 7.20Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 20.0Â Â Â 25Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 20
Live Stats | Video ($) | Video Info | CU Notes (PDF) | GU Notes (PDF)
Scouting Creighton (15-8, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Since starting the season 0-4, Creighton has won 15-of-19 games to improve to 15-8. The Bluejays are 9-0 at home, outscoring foes 56-26 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Creighton is hitting .267 as a team, led by Alan Roden (.365), Hogan Helligso (.320), Andrew Meggs (.320) and Jared Wegner (.349, 6 HR). Roden was named BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year after hitting .378 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 2021, while Wegner has five homers in his last eight games and had four hits on Tuesday at Kansas State.
On the mound the Bluejays have a 3.73 ERA, which lowers to 2.07 at home. Creighton has collected 179 strikeouts in 200 innings. The leaders of the pitching staff are BIG EAST Preseason Pitcher of the Year Dylan Tebrake (3-1, 2.54 ERA) with 40 strikeouts in 39 innings and back end hurlers Paul Bergstrom (2.49 ERA) and Tommy Steier (0.96 ERA, 4 SV).
Scouting Georgetown (19-10, 2-1 BIG EAST)
After scuffling to a 6-25 season last spring, Georgetown is off to a 19-10 start this year. The Hoyas rank second nationally with 64 home runs and have had a pair of games with nine home runs in the past 10 days alone. The Hoya roster features 11 men who are graduate students in the classroom.
Nine different players have belted three home runs this season, led by Jake Hyde (.388, 13 HR, 35 RBI). Not far behind is Ubaldo Lopez (.309, 12 HR, 30 RBI), who went 5-for-5 with four roundtrippers in Tuesday's 17-1 win vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore. Ethan Stern owns a team-high 13 stolen bases, not to mention 20 walks and 12 hit by pitches.
Georgetown owns a 4.99 ERA and is led by starters Carter Bosch (3-1, 3.45 ERA) and Nolan McCarthy (3-1, 4.14 ERA). Angelo Tonas has four saves in a GU-high 16 outings.
Series History with Georgetown
Creighton leads the all-time series against Georgetown by a 20-5 count, including a 17-5 margin under Ed Servais.
The series started in 1987 with a Bluejay sweep in Miami, Fla., and has become an annual match-up since Creighton joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
The teams have played seven series as BIG EAST rivals, with Creighton winning six of those. However, the lone series won by the Hoyas came in 2018, which was also GU's last trip to Omaha.
Dylan Tebrake (7 IP, 2 H) and Cade Lommel (6 IP, 6 H) both started and won games with scoreless outings vs. GU in 2021, and the five active Jays to have faced the Hoyas have combined to throw 18.2 innings without allowing a run.
Offensively, Alan Roden went 6-for-15 with two homers, two doubles and six RBI in last year's 3-1 series win at Georgetown.
Sunday Time Change
The start of Sunday's series finale has been moved up an hour to 11 a.m. Central to accommodate Georgetown's travel plans.
Bluejays in the BIG EAST and Conference Openers
Since joining the BIG EAST, Creighton has a gaudy 88-36 record in conference play. The Bluejays own three of seven regular season championships (2020 was not played).
Despite the impressive mark in BIG EAST action, Creighton is just 4-3 in the opening game of conference play since joining the BIG EAST in 2014.
Overall Creighton is 21-17 in first game of the conference season, and 10-7 under Servais.
Bluejays Picked to Finish Second in BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Dylan Tebrake and Alan Roden 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
Through The Years
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013, Creighton owns a league-leading 88 conference victories and its .710 win percentage trails only the success rate of Connecticut (.765), which rejoined the league in the summer of 2020.
Here's how the current league schools have fared in BIG EAST play since the July 1, 2013, sorted by league wins, through games of April 7, 2022.
Team   W-L   Pct.
Creighton   88-36   .710
St. John's   84-50   .627
Seton Hall   78-56   .582
Xavier   69-61   .531
Butler   49-78   .386
Georgetown   48-87   .356
Villanova   37-94   .282
Connecticut   13-4   .765
Where Home Runs Go To Die
Georgetown comes to Charles Schwab Field Omaha having hit 24 homers in its last five contests and at least one round-tripper in 13 straight games. Overall, the Hoyas rank second nationally with 64 home runs through 29 games.
Charles Schwab Field Omaha, however, has yielded just 330 total home runs in 464 games at the facility all-time.
CU pitching has been even more stingy, surrendering only 55 dingers in 235 games at the facility, which opened in 2011.
Only two teams have ever hit four homers in a game at the ballpark, Florida vs. Miami (Fla.) on June 17, 2015 and McNeese State vs. Creighton on May 14, 2017.
Georgetown is 3-8 in 11 all-time games played at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. The Hoyas have no homers in nine games there against Creighton, and hit their only four-bagger there on May 22, 2015 in a BIG EAST Tournament game vs. Seton Hall. That homer was leadoff blast in the top of the first inning by Ryan Busch against Seton Hall's Anthony Elia. Busch's bomb remains one of just four homers to lead off the top of the first inning of any game at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Late Game Dominance
Creighton has outscored teams 85-31 from the sixth inning on this season, including a 21-2 margin last weekend vs. The Citadel.
Wegner's Big Month
In four games since the calendar turned to April, Jared Wegner is batting 10-for-15 (.667) with four walks while hitting three home runs.
After going 6-for-10 with four walks vs. The Citadel, the junior outfielder had a career-high four hits in Tuesday's game at Kansas State.
In his last eight games, Wegner is hitting .433, going 13-for-30 with 11 RBI, 10 runs, five homers and seven walks He owns an OPS of 1.608 in that time thanks to a .541 on-base percentage and a 1.067 slugging percentage.
Wegner has reached base in 16 straight games, the longest active streak on the team.
Pick Your Poison
Ten different Bluejays have at least one game-winning RBI this season, making it hard for the opposition to choose who to pitch around the Creighton line-up.
Here's a list of Creighton players with a game-winning RBI this spring:
   GWRBI (walkoff)   Name
   3   Brant Voth
   2   Jack Grace
   2   Kyle Hess
   2 (1)   Chris Esposito
   1   Hogan Helligso
   1   Ben North
   1   Sterling Hayes
   1   Nolan Sailors
   1   Nolan Clifford
   1 (1)   Jared Wegner
Net Gains
Creighton has made significant strides in the unofficial RPI tracked by WarrenNolan.com. Since an 0-4 start dropped CU to 230th in the RPI, the Bluejays have risen into the top 100 and were 90th after Sunday's games (CU fell to 106 after Tuesday's loss at Kansas State).
Week 2: 230
Week 3: 174
Week 4: 215
Week 5: 208
Week 6: 165
Week 7: 134
Week 8: 90
As ERA Drops, Steier Climbs Higher
Bullpen ace Tommy Steier lowered his ERA to 0.96 with five scoreless innings last week, pushing his personal streak to nine straight scoreless frames.
Steier ranks seventh in the country in ERA among players to throw at least one inning per team game.
A Call to Arms
While Tommy Steier and Paul Bergstrom get much of the headlines in the back of the Bluejay bullpen, CU is quietly developing some pitching depth in middle relief as well.
Tommy Lamb is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last four outings (5.2 IP), while Malakai Vetock also owns a 0.00 ERA and has thrown five scoreless frames in his last three outings. Not to be forgotten are Daniel Hammond (3.12 ERA in 7 app.) and Marc Lidd (2.08 ERA in 9 app.).
Mr. Reliable
There's a good chance that Andrew Meggs will play second base and be penciled into the leadoff spot when the Bluejays take the field on Friday.
Meggs is the only Bluejay to start every game at the same position this season (2B), as well as the only Bluejay to hit in the same line-up position (leadoff) this season.
What A Turnaround!
Creighton started the season 0-4 but has gone 15-4 since then. Not surprisingly, the Bluejays have made huge strides offensively, defensively and on the mound since then.
When   W-L   AVG   Run Diff.   SLG%   OBP%   ERA   FLD%
First 4 Games   0-4   .222   -23   .342   .321   6.75   .947
Last 19 Games   15-4   .275   +62   .427   .390   3.24   .972
Amazing Grace!
Jack Grace started Creighton's eight-run rally last Friday with a pinch hit double to lead off the seventh inning. Later in that same inning, he belted a two-run single, then stole second base. For the season, Grace is 3-for-3 off the bench to lead CU in pinch hits. Nolan Clifford (1-2), Brant Voth (1-1)Â and Jack Peluso (1-5) also have pinch hits this season.
Grace ranks tied for fifth on the team with 13 RBI, but is tied with Alan Roden for the team-lead with seven two-out RBI.
#ProJays
A trio of Creighton alums figure to be on Major League Baseball rosters as the season gets underway this week.
Nicky Lopez is the starting second baseman for the Kansas City Royals after batting .300 in 151 games last season.
In Denver, former Bluejay left-handed pitcher Ty Blach made the Opening Day roster for the Colorado Rockies as he continues to battle back from 2020 Tommy John surgery.
Darin Ruf will see extended action as a first baseman, outfielder and DH for the San Francisco Giants.
It's also possible that Anthony Bemboom (Baltimore) and Elliot Soto (Minnesota) could find a home in the Majors later this summer.
In addition, Creighton alum Scott Servais enters his seventh year as manager of the Seattle Mariners. Servais, who played at Creighton from 1986-88, is the nephew of current Creighton Baseball head coach Ed Servais.
Servais Wins 600th at Creighton
Ed Servais won his 600th game at Creighton on April 1 when the Bluejays defeated The Citadel, 11-2. The win improved Servais to 600-352-1 in 19 seasons at Creighton, and he's now 602-353-1 entering the Georgetown series.
The only coach in the history of Creighton Athletics with more wins than Servais is long-time Bluejay softball skipper Brent Vigness, who owns 818 triumphs in 29 seasons as of April 6th.
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
   600   600-352-1   The Citadel (11-2)   04/03/22
Creighton's Winningest Coaches (All Sports)
Coach, Sport   Victories
Brent Vigness, Softball   818*
Ed Servais, Baseball   602*
Mary Higgins, Softball   564
Tom Lilly, Men's & Women's Tennis   493*
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Volleyball   414*
Jim Flanery, Women's Basketball   379*
Ed Hubbs, Men's & Women's Tennis   347
Dana Altman, Men's Basketball   327
*still active coaching at Creighton
Home Sweet Home
Creighton won its final two home games last season and has started the 2022 campaign with nine straight home victories. The 11 game home win streak is the program's longest during its 12-year run at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
This marks 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. Creighton's last home win streak longer than 13 came from May 20, 2004 - April 2, 2005, when the Jays won 15 straight at home, all at the CU Sports Complex.
Creighton's 11-game home win streak is the nation's third-longest active streak, trailing only Tennessee (26) and Southeast Missouri State (14).
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
   11   May 21, 2021 - Present   ? ? ?
   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)
It's About Time
Ten of Creighton's last 11 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 3:08 in length, and would still be 3:04 even if you removed the 15-inning win vs. St. Thomas that took 4:34 to complete on March 6th.
Sixteen of Creighton's 22 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 64 relief appearances and inherited 47 runners in that time. CU relievers have allowed just 11 of those men to score. The 23.4 percent of inherited runners to score is easily 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 13 runners and only one has scored. Tommy Lamb has allowed just one of 10 inherited runners to score, while only one of six have scored against Tommy Steier.
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 113 plate appearances (85 AB, 15 BB, 11 HBP, 2 SF) this season and struck out just three times. He ranks fourth in the nation in being toughest to strike out, doing so just once every 28.3 "official" at bats.
In addition, Roden has yet to strike out looking this season.
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 10-0 when leading after six innings, 13-0 when leading after seven innings and 13-0 when leading after eight innings this year. All-time, Creighton is a gaudy 134-1 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha when leading after eight innings, including 88 straight victories.
- Since the start of the 2016 season, Creighton is 140-2 at all sites when leading after eight innings.
- Creighton is 7-0 in 2022 when it does not make an error.
- Creighton is 7-0 this year when holding the opposition to two runs or less.
- Creighton is 7-1 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 then blasted three more homers last weekend in a sweep over The Citadel.
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.
Comeback Win Punctuated 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 (tying 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, the April 2nd battle with The Citadel and the Annual Military and First Responders Game on Saturday, May 14 against Butler.
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.
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
2022   150th   .968
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Mormann Named Pitching Coach
Ed 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."
About Creighton
Creighton is a private, Jesuit institution located in Omaha, Neb., with 8,770 students. The University was founded in 1878 by Mary Lucretia Creighton, who established it in memory of her husband, telegraph pioneer Edward Creighton.
Prominent alumni include Bob Gibson (Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals), Paul Silas (former NBA player and head coach), Kyle Korver (former NBA player), Doug McDermott (San Antonio Spurs), Pat Venditte (former ambidextrous MLB pitcher) and J. Joseph Ricketts (Chicago Cubs owner and founder of TD Ameritrade).
Creighton picked up the Bluejays moniker in 1924 after a newspaper coordinated a public contest to select a nickname and mascot.
Creighton officially joined the BIG EAST on July 1, 2013.
Creighton has been the host of the Men's College World Series since 1950, which will air on the ESPN family of Networks from June 16-27 this summer.
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Charles Schwab Field Omaha - Omaha, Neb.
Probable Pitching Matchups (2022 Stats)
Friday, April 8 - 6:30 pm   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
GU - Carter Bosch (RHP)Â Â Â 3.45Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 10Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 28.2Â Â Â 33Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 10Â Â Â 25
CU - Dylan Tebrake (RHP)Â Â Â 2.54Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 8Â Â Â 8Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 39.0Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 40
Live Stats | Video ($) | Video Info | CU Notes (PDF) | GU Notes (PDF)
Saturday, April 9 - 2:00 pm   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
GU - Nolan McCarthy (RHP)Â Â Â 4.14Â Â Â 3-1Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 1Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 41.1Â Â Â 37Â Â Â 23Â Â Â 19Â Â Â 12Â Â Â 44
CU - Dominic Cancellieri (RHP)Â Â Â 4.86Â Â Â 2-1Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 7Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 33.1Â Â Â 31Â Â Â 21Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 14Â Â Â 31
Live Stats | Video ($) | Video Info | CU Notes (PDF) | GU Notes (PDF)
Sunday, April 10 - 11:00 am   ERA   W-L   App   GS   CG   SHO   IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
GU - Matthew Sapienza (RHP)Â Â Â 5.22Â Â Â 1-1Â Â Â 9Â Â Â 4Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 29.1Â Â Â 34Â Â Â 18Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 11Â Â Â 19
CU - Cade Lommel (LHP)Â Â Â 7.20Â Â Â 0-3Â Â Â 6Â Â Â 5Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 0Â Â Â 20.0Â Â Â 25Â Â Â 17Â Â Â 16Â Â Â 13Â Â Â 20
Live Stats | Video ($) | Video Info | CU Notes (PDF) | GU Notes (PDF)
Scouting Creighton (15-8, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Since starting the season 0-4, Creighton has won 15-of-19 games to improve to 15-8. The Bluejays are 9-0 at home, outscoring foes 56-26 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Creighton is hitting .267 as a team, led by Alan Roden (.365), Hogan Helligso (.320), Andrew Meggs (.320) and Jared Wegner (.349, 6 HR). Roden was named BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year after hitting .378 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 2021, while Wegner has five homers in his last eight games and had four hits on Tuesday at Kansas State.
On the mound the Bluejays have a 3.73 ERA, which lowers to 2.07 at home. Creighton has collected 179 strikeouts in 200 innings. The leaders of the pitching staff are BIG EAST Preseason Pitcher of the Year Dylan Tebrake (3-1, 2.54 ERA) with 40 strikeouts in 39 innings and back end hurlers Paul Bergstrom (2.49 ERA) and Tommy Steier (0.96 ERA, 4 SV).
Scouting Georgetown (19-10, 2-1 BIG EAST)
After scuffling to a 6-25 season last spring, Georgetown is off to a 19-10 start this year. The Hoyas rank second nationally with 64 home runs and have had a pair of games with nine home runs in the past 10 days alone. The Hoya roster features 11 men who are graduate students in the classroom.
Nine different players have belted three home runs this season, led by Jake Hyde (.388, 13 HR, 35 RBI). Not far behind is Ubaldo Lopez (.309, 12 HR, 30 RBI), who went 5-for-5 with four roundtrippers in Tuesday's 17-1 win vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore. Ethan Stern owns a team-high 13 stolen bases, not to mention 20 walks and 12 hit by pitches.
Georgetown owns a 4.99 ERA and is led by starters Carter Bosch (3-1, 3.45 ERA) and Nolan McCarthy (3-1, 4.14 ERA). Angelo Tonas has four saves in a GU-high 16 outings.
Series History with Georgetown
Creighton leads the all-time series against Georgetown by a 20-5 count, including a 17-5 margin under Ed Servais.
The series started in 1987 with a Bluejay sweep in Miami, Fla., and has become an annual match-up since Creighton joined the BIG EAST in 2013.
The teams have played seven series as BIG EAST rivals, with Creighton winning six of those. However, the lone series won by the Hoyas came in 2018, which was also GU's last trip to Omaha.
Dylan Tebrake (7 IP, 2 H) and Cade Lommel (6 IP, 6 H) both started and won games with scoreless outings vs. GU in 2021, and the five active Jays to have faced the Hoyas have combined to throw 18.2 innings without allowing a run.
Offensively, Alan Roden went 6-for-15 with two homers, two doubles and six RBI in last year's 3-1 series win at Georgetown.
Sunday Time Change
The start of Sunday's series finale has been moved up an hour to 11 a.m. Central to accommodate Georgetown's travel plans.
Bluejays in the BIG EAST and Conference Openers
Since joining the BIG EAST, Creighton has a gaudy 88-36 record in conference play. The Bluejays own three of seven regular season championships (2020 was not played).
Despite the impressive mark in BIG EAST action, Creighton is just 4-3 in the opening game of conference play since joining the BIG EAST in 2014.
Overall Creighton is 21-17 in first game of the conference season, and 10-7 under Servais.
Bluejays Picked to Finish Second in BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Dylan Tebrake and Alan Roden 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
Through The Years
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in the summer of 2013, Creighton owns a league-leading 88 conference victories and its .710 win percentage trails only the success rate of Connecticut (.765), which rejoined the league in the summer of 2020.
Here's how the current league schools have fared in BIG EAST play since the July 1, 2013, sorted by league wins, through games of April 7, 2022.
Team   W-L   Pct.
Creighton   88-36   .710
St. John's   84-50   .627
Seton Hall   78-56   .582
Xavier   69-61   .531
Butler   49-78   .386
Georgetown   48-87   .356
Villanova   37-94   .282
Connecticut   13-4   .765
Where Home Runs Go To Die
Georgetown comes to Charles Schwab Field Omaha having hit 24 homers in its last five contests and at least one round-tripper in 13 straight games. Overall, the Hoyas rank second nationally with 64 home runs through 29 games.
Charles Schwab Field Omaha, however, has yielded just 330 total home runs in 464 games at the facility all-time.
CU pitching has been even more stingy, surrendering only 55 dingers in 235 games at the facility, which opened in 2011.
Only two teams have ever hit four homers in a game at the ballpark, Florida vs. Miami (Fla.) on June 17, 2015 and McNeese State vs. Creighton on May 14, 2017.
Georgetown is 3-8 in 11 all-time games played at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. The Hoyas have no homers in nine games there against Creighton, and hit their only four-bagger there on May 22, 2015 in a BIG EAST Tournament game vs. Seton Hall. That homer was leadoff blast in the top of the first inning by Ryan Busch against Seton Hall's Anthony Elia. Busch's bomb remains one of just four homers to lead off the top of the first inning of any game at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Late Game Dominance
Creighton has outscored teams 85-31 from the sixth inning on this season, including a 21-2 margin last weekend vs. The Citadel.
Wegner's Big Month
In four games since the calendar turned to April, Jared Wegner is batting 10-for-15 (.667) with four walks while hitting three home runs.
After going 6-for-10 with four walks vs. The Citadel, the junior outfielder had a career-high four hits in Tuesday's game at Kansas State.
In his last eight games, Wegner is hitting .433, going 13-for-30 with 11 RBI, 10 runs, five homers and seven walks He owns an OPS of 1.608 in that time thanks to a .541 on-base percentage and a 1.067 slugging percentage.
Wegner has reached base in 16 straight games, the longest active streak on the team.
Pick Your Poison
Ten different Bluejays have at least one game-winning RBI this season, making it hard for the opposition to choose who to pitch around the Creighton line-up.
Here's a list of Creighton players with a game-winning RBI this spring:
   GWRBI (walkoff)   Name
   3   Brant Voth
   2   Jack Grace
   2   Kyle Hess
   2 (1)   Chris Esposito
   1   Hogan Helligso
   1   Ben North
   1   Sterling Hayes
   1   Nolan Sailors
   1   Nolan Clifford
   1 (1)   Jared Wegner
Net Gains
Creighton has made significant strides in the unofficial RPI tracked by WarrenNolan.com. Since an 0-4 start dropped CU to 230th in the RPI, the Bluejays have risen into the top 100 and were 90th after Sunday's games (CU fell to 106 after Tuesday's loss at Kansas State).
Week 2: 230
Week 3: 174
Week 4: 215
Week 5: 208
Week 6: 165
Week 7: 134
Week 8: 90
As ERA Drops, Steier Climbs Higher
Bullpen ace Tommy Steier lowered his ERA to 0.96 with five scoreless innings last week, pushing his personal streak to nine straight scoreless frames.
Steier ranks seventh in the country in ERA among players to throw at least one inning per team game.
A Call to Arms
While Tommy Steier and Paul Bergstrom get much of the headlines in the back of the Bluejay bullpen, CU is quietly developing some pitching depth in middle relief as well.
Tommy Lamb is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his last four outings (5.2 IP), while Malakai Vetock also owns a 0.00 ERA and has thrown five scoreless frames in his last three outings. Not to be forgotten are Daniel Hammond (3.12 ERA in 7 app.) and Marc Lidd (2.08 ERA in 9 app.).
Mr. Reliable
There's a good chance that Andrew Meggs will play second base and be penciled into the leadoff spot when the Bluejays take the field on Friday.
Meggs is the only Bluejay to start every game at the same position this season (2B), as well as the only Bluejay to hit in the same line-up position (leadoff) this season.
What A Turnaround!
Creighton started the season 0-4 but has gone 15-4 since then. Not surprisingly, the Bluejays have made huge strides offensively, defensively and on the mound since then.
When   W-L   AVG   Run Diff.   SLG%   OBP%   ERA   FLD%
First 4 Games   0-4   .222   -23   .342   .321   6.75   .947
Last 19 Games   15-4   .275   +62   .427   .390   3.24   .972
Amazing Grace!
Jack Grace started Creighton's eight-run rally last Friday with a pinch hit double to lead off the seventh inning. Later in that same inning, he belted a two-run single, then stole second base. For the season, Grace is 3-for-3 off the bench to lead CU in pinch hits. Nolan Clifford (1-2), Brant Voth (1-1)Â and Jack Peluso (1-5) also have pinch hits this season.
Grace ranks tied for fifth on the team with 13 RBI, but is tied with Alan Roden for the team-lead with seven two-out RBI.
#ProJays
A trio of Creighton alums figure to be on Major League Baseball rosters as the season gets underway this week.
Nicky Lopez is the starting second baseman for the Kansas City Royals after batting .300 in 151 games last season.
In Denver, former Bluejay left-handed pitcher Ty Blach made the Opening Day roster for the Colorado Rockies as he continues to battle back from 2020 Tommy John surgery.
Darin Ruf will see extended action as a first baseman, outfielder and DH for the San Francisco Giants.
It's also possible that Anthony Bemboom (Baltimore) and Elliot Soto (Minnesota) could find a home in the Majors later this summer.
In addition, Creighton alum Scott Servais enters his seventh year as manager of the Seattle Mariners. Servais, who played at Creighton from 1986-88, is the nephew of current Creighton Baseball head coach Ed Servais.
Servais Wins 600th at Creighton
Ed Servais won his 600th game at Creighton on April 1 when the Bluejays defeated The Citadel, 11-2. The win improved Servais to 600-352-1 in 19 seasons at Creighton, and he's now 602-353-1 entering the Georgetown series.
The only coach in the history of Creighton Athletics with more wins than Servais is long-time Bluejay softball skipper Brent Vigness, who owns 818 triumphs in 29 seasons as of April 6th.
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
   600   600-352-1   The Citadel (11-2)   04/03/22
Creighton's Winningest Coaches (All Sports)
Coach, Sport   Victories
Brent Vigness, Softball   818*
Ed Servais, Baseball   602*
Mary Higgins, Softball   564
Tom Lilly, Men's & Women's Tennis   493*
Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Volleyball   414*
Jim Flanery, Women's Basketball   379*
Ed Hubbs, Men's & Women's Tennis   347
Dana Altman, Men's Basketball   327
*still active coaching at Creighton
Home Sweet Home
Creighton won its final two home games last season and has started the 2022 campaign with nine straight home victories. The 11 game home win streak is the program's longest during its 12-year run at Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
This marks 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. Creighton's last home win streak longer than 13 came from May 20, 2004 - April 2, 2005, when the Jays won 15 straight at home, all at the CU Sports Complex.
Creighton's 11-game home win streak is the nation's third-longest active streak, trailing only Tennessee (26) and Southeast Missouri State (14).
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
   11   May 21, 2021 - Present   ? ? ?
   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)
It's About Time
Ten of Creighton's last 11 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 3:08 in length, and would still be 3:04 even if you removed the 15-inning win vs. St. Thomas that took 4:34 to complete on March 6th.
Sixteen of Creighton's 22 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 64 relief appearances and inherited 47 runners in that time. CU relievers have allowed just 11 of those men to score. The 23.4 percent of inherited runners to score is easily 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 13 runners and only one has scored. Tommy Lamb has allowed just one of 10 inherited runners to score, while only one of six have scored against Tommy Steier.
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 113 plate appearances (85 AB, 15 BB, 11 HBP, 2 SF) this season and struck out just three times. He ranks fourth in the nation in being toughest to strike out, doing so just once every 28.3 "official" at bats.
In addition, Roden has yet to strike out looking this season.
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 10-0 when leading after six innings, 13-0 when leading after seven innings and 13-0 when leading after eight innings this year. All-time, Creighton is a gaudy 134-1 at Charles Schwab Field Omaha when leading after eight innings, including 88 straight victories.
- Since the start of the 2016 season, Creighton is 140-2 at all sites when leading after eight innings.
- Creighton is 7-0 in 2022 when it does not make an error.
- Creighton is 7-0 this year when holding the opposition to two runs or less.
- Creighton is 7-1 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 then blasted three more homers last weekend in a sweep over The Citadel.
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.
Comeback Win Punctuated 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 (tying 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, the April 2nd battle with The Citadel and the Annual Military and First Responders Game on Saturday, May 14 against Butler.
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.
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
2022   150th   .968
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Mormann Named Pitching Coach
Ed 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."
About Creighton
Creighton is a private, Jesuit institution located in Omaha, Neb., with 8,770 students. The University was founded in 1878 by Mary Lucretia Creighton, who established it in memory of her husband, telegraph pioneer Edward Creighton.
Prominent alumni include Bob Gibson (Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals), Paul Silas (former NBA player and head coach), Kyle Korver (former NBA player), Doug McDermott (San Antonio Spurs), Pat Venditte (former ambidextrous MLB pitcher) and J. Joseph Ricketts (Chicago Cubs owner and founder of TD Ameritrade).
Creighton picked up the Bluejays moniker in 1924 after a newspaper coordinated a public contest to select a nickname and mascot.
Creighton officially joined the BIG EAST on July 1, 2013.
Creighton has been the host of the Men's College World Series since 1950, which will air on the ESPN family of Networks from June 16-27 this summer.
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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
