Creighton University
16-14, 2-5
St. John's
19-16, 4-3
Baseball Rallies for 12-7 Win Over St. John's
4/21/2023 9:44:00 PM | Baseball
The win lifted the Bluejays to 16-14 on the season and 4-3 in BIG EAST action, while St. John's dropped to 19-16 overall and 2-5 in conference play.
St. John's took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on an RBI triple from Paul Orbon and a run scoring wild pitch. The key to the inning was the at-bat of leadoff hitter Austin Machado as the DH fouled off nine pitches in a 16 battle with Creighton starter Dominic Cancellieri that ultimately resulted in a base on balls.Â
Creighton took advantage of a two-out error and a walk in the bottom half of the frame as freshman Ben North blasted a two-run triple to left-center.
The Bluejays pulled ahead in the bottom of the third as graduate transfer Tyler Lozano yanked a two-run home run down the left field line. It was Lozano's fourth long ball of the season.
Each team scratched the scoreboard with a run in the fourth, then the Red Storm took advantage of two infield errors to plate four unearned runs, seizing a 7-5 lead.
Creighton responded with a run in the bottom half, but the Red Storm brought in closer Nick Cerilli to open the seventh. Jack Grace greeted the right-hander with his ninth home run of the season to left-center, knotting the game at 7-7.
The Bluejays pushed across five runs in the eighth, taking the lead on an RBI single from senior Sterling Hayes. Creighton's next two runs came on wild pitches, then freshman Tate Gillen lifted a two-run double to center to give the Bluejays a 12-7 edge.
Vetock earned the win (2-0), limiting St. John's to one hit and one walk in three innings. St. John's closer Nick Cerilli took the loss (2-2), allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in 1.2 frames.
Eight different Bluejays collected at least one hit in the victory, led by three hits and three RBI from North.
The Bluejays and Red Storm continue the three-game series in Omaha on Saturday, April 22 at 6:00 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vetock, Malakai (2-0)
L: CIRELLI, Nick (2-2)
Batting:
3B: ORBON, Paul 1
RBI: ORBON, Luke 1 ; ORBON, Paul 1 ; JEREMIAH, Jace 2
SH: TUCKER, Jackson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MACHADO, Austin 1 ; HIGGINS, Marty 2 ; ORBON, Paul 3 ; JEREMIAH, Jace 1
SB: ORBON, Paul 1
HBP: GLANCY, David 1
Batting:
2B: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Gillen, Tate 1
3B: North, Ben 1
HR: Lozano, Tyler 1 ; Grace, Jack 1
RBI: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Lozano, Tyler 2 ; Hayes, Sterling 1 ; Grace, Jack 1 ; Gillen, Tate 2 ; North, Ben 3
SH: Clifford, Nolan 1 ; Gillen, Tate 1
SF: Meggs, Andrew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sailors, Nolan 1 ; Meggs, Andrew 2 ; Lozano, Tyler 2 ; Hayes, Sterling 1 ; Grace, Jack 1 ; Helligso, Hogan 3 ; Gillen, Tate 1 ; North, Ben 1
SB: Meggs, Andrew 1 ; Helligso, Hogan 2
CS: Clifford, Nolan 1
HBP: Clifford, Nolan 1
