Creighton University
25-12, 10-2
Xavier
22-23, 6-6
Bluejay Baseball Drops Series Finale at Xavier, 9-3
5/1/2022 3:16:00 PM | Baseball
Despite Sunday's loss Creighton took the series from Xavier and will return to Omaha with a 25-12 record on the season as well as 10-2 in BIG EAST action. Xavier climbed to 22-23 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
The game started ablaze for the Creighton offense as junior Andrew Meggs and sophomore Kyle Hess reached with singles, then sophomore Alan Roden connected on an RBI double to left. Junior Jared Wegner battled back from down 0-2 to earn a walk, but the next two Bluejay hitters went down on strikes. Senior Chris Esposito made it 2-0 as he was hit by a pitch, yet the Bluejays left the bases loaded in the first.
Xavier countered with a single run in the first on a single from Jack Housinger, a double by Luke Franzoni and an RBI grounder from Tyler DeMartino.
The game remained 2-1 into the bottom of the fourth as Bluejay starter Cade Lommel retired the first two men in the frame. The bottom of the Xavier order, however, worked a walk, a seeing-eye single through the left side and a walk to load the bases and turn the lineup over. Jerry Huntzinger changed the game by smacking an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to give Xavier a 5-2 edge.
The Musketeers tacked on one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to build an 8-2 margin, including a solo home run from Franzoni.
Creighton's third run of the game came in the seventh as Hess laced an RBI double into left, but the Bluejays left runners at second and third in the inning.
Lommel took the loss (1-4), allowing five runs on six hits and three walks in 3.2. while Xavier reliever Jared Gadd picked up the win (4-3) with 3.1 innings of one-run ball.
Meggs led Creighton's offense with three hits in the loss and closed the series with eight knocks.
Creighton returns to action next weekend as the Bluejays travel to Connecticut to face 15th-ranked Huskies in a three-game series that is likely to determine the regular season champion. Connecticut enters the weekend 11-1 in BIG EAST play, while Creighton comes to Storrs at 10-2 in conference action.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: GADD, Jared (4-3)
L: Lommel, Cade (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Hess, Kyle 1 ; Roden, Alan 1
RBI: Hess, Kyle 1 ; Roden, Alan 1 ; Esposito, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Hess, Kyle 1 ; Esposito, Chris 1
HBP: Esposito, Chris 1
Batting:
2B: FRANZONI, Luke 1 ; FLAMM, Lane 1
HR: HUNTZINGER, Jerry 1 ; FRANZONI, Luke 1
RBI: HUNTZINGER, Jerry 4 ; FRANZONI, Luke 1 ; DEMARTINO, Tyler 1 ; SCHULTZ, Garrett 1 ; FLAMM, Lane 2
Base Running:
RUNS: HUNTZINGER, Jerry 1 ; HOUSINGER, Jack 1 ; FRANZONI, Luke 1 ; HODGE, Ethan 2 ; SCHULTZ, Garrett 1 ; WALKER, Andrew 1 ; DEPREY, Matthew 1 ; CUSHING, Jared 1
SB: HUNTZINGER, Jerry 1 ; HOUSINGER, Jack 1 ; HODGE, Ethan 2 ; SCHULTZ, Garrett 2
CS: SCHULTZ, Garrett 1
HBP: DEPREY, Matthew 1
PO: HUNTZINGER, Jerry 1
