Thursday, May 19
Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
2:00 PM
Creighton University
29-16, 0
7
at
1
Villanova
19-28-1, 0
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3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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H
E
Creighton
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
2
1
7
12
1
Villanova
1
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0
0
0
0
0
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1
11
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Photo by: Glen Sisk
Bluejay Baseball Takes Series Opener at Villanova, 7-1
5/19/2022 7:05:00 PM | Baseball
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. -- Senior Chris Esposito gave his squad a lift with three hits and a pair of RBI to help Creighton best Villanova, 7-1, in the series opener on Thursday, May 19.
The win pushed the Bluejays to 29-16 on the season and 14-5 in BIG EAST action, while Villanova fell to 19-28-1 overall and 8-11 in conference action.
Villanova jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Chris Rotondo opened the game with a home run to right-center. From that point Creighton ace Dylan Tebrake shut down the Wildcats by scattering six hits over the next five frames.
The Bluejay offense came to life in the fourth with a pair of walks to junior Jack Grace and sophomore Kyle Hess to set the table. Esposito gave Creighton a 2-1 edge with a two-run double to left-center. Moments later junior Andrew Meggs laced an RBI single to left to give the Bluejays a 3-1 edge.Â
Creighton tacked on a run in the fifth as junior Jared Wegner opened the frame with a double to right-center, then scored after a sacrifice bunt and a sac fly by junior Sterling Hayes.
The Bluejays added three insurance runs in the final two frames, getting RBI singles from sophomore Nolan Clifford and freshman Hogan Helligso in the eighth and scoring on a wild pitch in the ninth.
Tebrake picked up the win (8-2), allowing just the one run, while striking out nine over five innings. Creighton closer Tommy Steier earned his eighth save of the season with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Villanova starter Tyler Arella took the loss (5-3), surrendering four runs on six hits and three walks in seven innings of work.
Esposito and Hess led the Creighton attack with three hits in the contest.
The Bluejays and Wildcats continue the three-game series on Friday, May 20 at 2:00 pm.
The win pushed the Bluejays to 29-16 on the season and 14-5 in BIG EAST action, while Villanova fell to 19-28-1 overall and 8-11 in conference action.
Villanova jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Chris Rotondo opened the game with a home run to right-center. From that point Creighton ace Dylan Tebrake shut down the Wildcats by scattering six hits over the next five frames.
The Bluejay offense came to life in the fourth with a pair of walks to junior Jack Grace and sophomore Kyle Hess to set the table. Esposito gave Creighton a 2-1 edge with a two-run double to left-center. Moments later junior Andrew Meggs laced an RBI single to left to give the Bluejays a 3-1 edge.Â
Creighton tacked on a run in the fifth as junior Jared Wegner opened the frame with a double to right-center, then scored after a sacrifice bunt and a sac fly by junior Sterling Hayes.
The Bluejays added three insurance runs in the final two frames, getting RBI singles from sophomore Nolan Clifford and freshman Hogan Helligso in the eighth and scoring on a wild pitch in the ninth.
Tebrake picked up the win (8-2), allowing just the one run, while striking out nine over five innings. Creighton closer Tommy Steier earned his eighth save of the season with 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Villanova starter Tyler Arella took the loss (5-3), surrendering four runs on six hits and three walks in seven innings of work.
Esposito and Hess led the Creighton attack with three hits in the contest.
The Bluejays and Wildcats continue the three-game series on Friday, May 20 at 2:00 pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tebrake, Dylan (8-2)
L: Tyler Arella (5-3)
S: Steier, Tommy (8)
Batting:
2B: Wegner, Jared 1 ; Esposito, Chris 1
RBI: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Hayes, Sterling 1 ; Esposito, Chris 2 ; Clifford, Nolan 1 ; Helligso, Hogan 1
SF: Hayes, Sterling 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wegner, Jared 1 ; Grace, Jack 1 ; Hayes, Sterling 1 ; Hess, Kyle 2 ; Esposito, Chris 2
CS: Esposito, Chris 1
HBP: Esposito, Chris 1 ; Helligso, Hogan 1
Batting:
HR: Chris Rotondo 1
RBI: Chris Rotondo 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chris Rotondo 1
CS: Will Reiner 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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