Creighton University
2-2
Coastal Carolina
3-2
Bluejay Baseball Drops Slugfest 14-12 in Series Opener with Coastal Carolina
2/24/2023 7:17:00 PM | Baseball
The loss evened Creighton's record at 2-2 this season, while the Chanticleers moved to 3-2.
Trailing 5-1 entering the top of the fifth, the Bluejays seized control with seven runs on four hits in the frame. Graduate transfer Ben Gbur opened Creighton's half of the fifth with a single to third, then freshman Ben North was hit by a pitch and senior Sterling Hayes drew a walk to load the bases. Junior Nolan Clifford blasted a grand slam over the right field wall to knot the game at 5-5. After a walk to senior Andrew Meggs and a one-out single from graduate transfer Tyler Lozano, Grace launched his first home run of the game to give the Bluejays an 8-5 lead.
Coastal Carolina answered with five runs on six hits in the sixth, reclaimed the advantage 10-8.
The Creighton offense continued to bang away through the final three innings, highlighted by solo home runs from sophomore Nolan Sailors and Grace. However Coastal Carolina's offense was equally tenacious as Coastal Carolina held off Creighton for the win.
Junior Daniel Hammond took the loss (1-1), allowing two runs on two hits in the sixth.
Coastal Carolina reliever Jack Billings earned the win (1-0), allowing three runs in 2.1 innings of work, while Teddy Sharkey collected the save by getting the final five outs for the Chanticleers.
Grace and Clifford closed the game with two hits and five RBI each. Creighton closed the game with eight hits and 14 walks, but left 13 runners on base in the contest.
Creighton and Coastal Carolina will continue their three-game set on Saturday, February 25 at 1:00 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Billings, Jack (1-0)
L: Hammond, Daniel (1-1)
S: Sharkey, Teddy (1)
Batting:
HR: Sailors, Nolan 1 ; Grace, Jack 2 ; Clifford, Nolan 1
RBI: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Sailors, Nolan 1 ; Grace, Jack 5 ; Clifford, Nolan 5
SF: Grace, Jack 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Sailors, Nolan 2 ; Lozano, Tyler 1 ; Grace, Jack 2 ; Gbur, Ben 2 ; North, Ben 1 ; Hayes, Sterling 2 ; Clifford, Nolan 1
HBP: Sailors, Nolan 1 ; North, Ben 1 ; Gillen, Tate 1
PO: Meggs, Andrew 1
Batting:
2B: Barthol, Blake 1 ; Born, Chad 1
HR: Barthol, Blake 1 ; Born, Chad 1 ; Lucky, Nick 1
RBI: Barthol, Blake 1 ; Born, Chad 3 ; Bodine, Caden 2 ; Brown, Graham 3 ; Eeles, Payton 1 ; Galason, Anthony 1 ; Lucky, Nick 1
SH: Born, Chad 1 ; Mihos, Dean 1
SF: Brown, Graham 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barthol, Blake 4 ; Born, Chad 4 ; Brown, Graham 1 ; Bender, Derek 1 ; Lucky, Nick 2 ; Mihos, Dean 2
SB: Mihos, Dean 1
HBP: Born, Chad 1 ; Bodine, Caden 1 ; Galason, Anthony 1
PO: Mihos, Dean 1
