Tuesday, March 12
Omaha, Neb.
6:00 PM
Creighton University
vs
Omaha
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Bluejay Baseball Kicks Off Rivalry Season Against Omaha on Tuesday
3/11/2024 7:23:00 PM | Baseball
Omaha, Neb. -- The first of three midweek games against Omaha raises the intensity for the 2024 season one notch higher as the Bluejays face the Mavericks on Tuesday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m. in Charles Schwab Field Omaha.
Scouting the Bluejays
(2024: 11-2, 0-0 BIG EAST)
With five home games in the books, the Creighton bats remain scalding hot. The Bluejays enters the midweek contest with Omaha 13th in the NCAA with a team average of .336. The Bluejays are also 14th in both on-base percentage (.458) and in slugging percentage (.585). In addition Creighton is 14th in scoring (10.5 runs per game) and sixth in doubles per game (2.85).
Individually Matt Scherrman has climbed to 14th in the NCAA in average at .483 and is third in doubles per game at 0.70.
The Bluejays can also pick it, sitting sixth in the nation in fielding percentage at .986.
On the bump the Bluejays have a team ERA of 4.56, led by an impressive 2.00 ERA from staff ace Dominic Cancellieri and a 2.19 ERA from Sunday starter Jack Pineau.
Scouting the Mavericks
(2024: 2-12)
After dropping 12 straight to open the season, the Mavericks have won two entering Tuesday's battle. Omaha took the final two games from SIUE, including a 20-0 victory in seven innings on Saturday. Â
Omaha is hitting .229 as a team, led by Matt Goetzman (.315) and Tyler Bishop (.286). On the mound the Mavericks have a team ERA of 5.80 over 116.1 innings, with 122 strikeouts.
Scouting the Dons
(2024: 11-5)
Slated for a midweek home game with San Jose State, USF is 11-5 after sweeping a home series from Saint Peter's. The Dons also took three of four from Fairleigh Dickinson to open the season.
Over 16 games San Francisco is hitting .269, led by Kody Watanabe (.365) and Logan Leax (.324). On the mound the Dons have an ERA of 3.85 over 138 innings, with 61 walks and 133 strikeouts.
Series History vs. Omaha: Bluejays lead 59-35
Creighton holds the all-time series edge over Omaha by 24 games, including a 32-9 edge over the Mavericks at home. Omaha has won four of the last five matchups, yet the Bluejays took the last meeting 4-2 over Omaha on May 16.
Last 10 Meetings
4/30/19      at Omaha      W   6-2
5/14/19   Omaha      W   13-2
3/7/20      Omaha      L   1-8
3/5/21      at Omaha      W   10-3
3/6/21      at Omaha      W   15-2
3/7/21      at Omaha      L   2-5
3/8/22      at Omaha      L   3-5
5/10/22   Omaha      L   3-5
4/4/23      at Omaha      L   1-4
5/16/23   Omaha      W   4-2
Series History vs. San Francisco: First Meeting on Friday, March 15
The weekend series with the Dons will be the first meeting between Creighton and San Francisco.
Scherrman Claims Player of the Week, Third in Four Weeks for Bluejays
For the third time in four weeks Creighton Baseball claimed the BIG EAST Player of the Week as graduate transfer Matt Scherrman earned the honor on Monday, March 11.
Scherrman guided the Bluejays to a 4-1 record this week posting a team-high .611 batting average (11-of-18) with five doubles, one triple, one homer and two walks while scoring seven runs and driving in seven addition runs at the plate. The Illinois native opened the week with a 3-for-4 showing with two doubles and two runs scored as the Bluejays cruised to a 12-2 win over UMass Lowell on Tuesday. Scherrman then fell a home run shy of a hitting for the cycle, posting a perfect 4-for-4 outing with another double and triple while driving in a season-high four runs in a 13-8 win over UMass Lowell on Wednesday.
After going hitless in the series opener against Portland on Saturday, Scherrman responded with a pair of hits, including a double and three-run home run to lead the Bluejays to a 9-2 win in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday. Scherrman then closed out the week with another two hits, including his fifth double of the weekend in the 6-3 loss to Portland in game two on Sunday.
Cancellieri's Raises Efficiency To Height Not Seen Since 2017
Bluejay ace Dominic Cancellieri delivered an eight pitch inning in the second in Creighton's 9-5 win over Portland on March 9. Then he took his efficiency to a level not seen since 2017, needing just five pitches to notch three outs in the fifth inning of the same game. It marked the first time since April 8, 2017 that a Bluejay hurler needed five pitches or less to get through a frame. The last pitcher to do so was Jeff Albrecht against St. John's, when the southpaw needed three pitches in the fifth.
Freshman Connor Capece Wasting No Time to Make an Impact
Freshman catcher Connor Capece took no time to offer proof he belongs in the starting lineup in just his seventh game at the collegiate level. Capece went 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in the Bluejays' 9-5 win over Portland on March 9. It marked the first time a Bluejay collected three doubles in the same game since Sterling Hayes did so against Wichita State on March 18, 2023.
Omaha at Creighton
March 12 @ 6:00 p.m.
San Francisco at Creighton
March 15 @ 6:00 p.m.
March 16 @ 2:00 p.m.
March 17 @ 12:00 p.m.
Live Stats: creighton.statbroadcast.com
Video: www.flobaseball.tv/teams/6972242-creighton-baseball
March 12 @ 6:00 p.m.
San Francisco at Creighton
March 15 @ 6:00 p.m.
March 16 @ 2:00 p.m.
March 17 @ 12:00 p.m.
Live Stats: creighton.statbroadcast.com
Video: www.flobaseball.tv/teams/6972242-creighton-baseball
Scouting the Bluejays
(2024: 11-2, 0-0 BIG EAST)
With five home games in the books, the Creighton bats remain scalding hot. The Bluejays enters the midweek contest with Omaha 13th in the NCAA with a team average of .336. The Bluejays are also 14th in both on-base percentage (.458) and in slugging percentage (.585). In addition Creighton is 14th in scoring (10.5 runs per game) and sixth in doubles per game (2.85).
Individually Matt Scherrman has climbed to 14th in the NCAA in average at .483 and is third in doubles per game at 0.70.
The Bluejays can also pick it, sitting sixth in the nation in fielding percentage at .986.
On the bump the Bluejays have a team ERA of 4.56, led by an impressive 2.00 ERA from staff ace Dominic Cancellieri and a 2.19 ERA from Sunday starter Jack Pineau.
Scouting the Mavericks
(2024: 2-12)
After dropping 12 straight to open the season, the Mavericks have won two entering Tuesday's battle. Omaha took the final two games from SIUE, including a 20-0 victory in seven innings on Saturday. Â
Omaha is hitting .229 as a team, led by Matt Goetzman (.315) and Tyler Bishop (.286). On the mound the Mavericks have a team ERA of 5.80 over 116.1 innings, with 122 strikeouts.
Scouting the Dons
(2024: 11-5)
Slated for a midweek home game with San Jose State, USF is 11-5 after sweeping a home series from Saint Peter's. The Dons also took three of four from Fairleigh Dickinson to open the season.
Over 16 games San Francisco is hitting .269, led by Kody Watanabe (.365) and Logan Leax (.324). On the mound the Dons have an ERA of 3.85 over 138 innings, with 61 walks and 133 strikeouts.
Series History vs. Omaha: Bluejays lead 59-35
Creighton holds the all-time series edge over Omaha by 24 games, including a 32-9 edge over the Mavericks at home. Omaha has won four of the last five matchups, yet the Bluejays took the last meeting 4-2 over Omaha on May 16.
Last 10 Meetings
4/30/19      at Omaha      W   6-2
5/14/19   Omaha      W   13-2
3/7/20      Omaha      L   1-8
3/5/21      at Omaha      W   10-3
3/6/21      at Omaha      W   15-2
3/7/21      at Omaha      L   2-5
3/8/22      at Omaha      L   3-5
5/10/22   Omaha      L   3-5
4/4/23      at Omaha      L   1-4
5/16/23   Omaha      W   4-2
Series History vs. San Francisco: First Meeting on Friday, March 15
The weekend series with the Dons will be the first meeting between Creighton and San Francisco.
Scherrman Claims Player of the Week, Third in Four Weeks for Bluejays
For the third time in four weeks Creighton Baseball claimed the BIG EAST Player of the Week as graduate transfer Matt Scherrman earned the honor on Monday, March 11.
Scherrman guided the Bluejays to a 4-1 record this week posting a team-high .611 batting average (11-of-18) with five doubles, one triple, one homer and two walks while scoring seven runs and driving in seven addition runs at the plate. The Illinois native opened the week with a 3-for-4 showing with two doubles and two runs scored as the Bluejays cruised to a 12-2 win over UMass Lowell on Tuesday. Scherrman then fell a home run shy of a hitting for the cycle, posting a perfect 4-for-4 outing with another double and triple while driving in a season-high four runs in a 13-8 win over UMass Lowell on Wednesday.
After going hitless in the series opener against Portland on Saturday, Scherrman responded with a pair of hits, including a double and three-run home run to lead the Bluejays to a 9-2 win in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday. Scherrman then closed out the week with another two hits, including his fifth double of the weekend in the 6-3 loss to Portland in game two on Sunday.
Cancellieri's Raises Efficiency To Height Not Seen Since 2017
Bluejay ace Dominic Cancellieri delivered an eight pitch inning in the second in Creighton's 9-5 win over Portland on March 9. Then he took his efficiency to a level not seen since 2017, needing just five pitches to notch three outs in the fifth inning of the same game. It marked the first time since April 8, 2017 that a Bluejay hurler needed five pitches or less to get through a frame. The last pitcher to do so was Jeff Albrecht against St. John's, when the southpaw needed three pitches in the fifth.
Freshman Connor Capece Wasting No Time to Make an Impact
Freshman catcher Connor Capece took no time to offer proof he belongs in the starting lineup in just his seventh game at the collegiate level. Capece went 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in the Bluejays' 9-5 win over Portland on March 9. It marked the first time a Bluejay collected three doubles in the same game since Sterling Hayes did so against Wichita State on March 18, 2023.
Players Mentioned
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