Saturday, March 4
Abilene, Texas
2:00 pm
Creighton University
1-7
7
at
8
Abilene Christian
6-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
R
H
E
Creighton
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
2
2
0
7
11
2
Abilene Christian
0
0
1
1
0
1
4
0
0
1
8
16
1
Photo by: Michael Wade
Bluejays Rally to Force Extras, but Fall to Abilene Christian 8-7 in 10 Innings
3/4/2017 6:10:00 PM | Baseball
Abilene, Texas -- Down 7-3 entering the eighth, the Creighton Baseball team rallied for two runs in each frame to force an extra inning. The Bluejays, however, fell 8-7 at Abilene Christian in 10 innings on Saturday, March 4.
The loss dropped the Bluejays to 1-7 on the season, while the Wildcats moved to 6-4. Abilene Christian has won its last six straight.
Creighton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, scoring twice on a single, two walks, a balk and an RBI groundout. Freshman Shane Coker led off the inning with a single through the right side, then senior Ben Reznicek and freshman Drew Smith worked walks to load the bases with nobody out. A balk by ACU starter Case Rolen sent Creighton's first run home, then one out later sophomore Thomas Luevano brought home Reznicek with an RBI ground out.
Abilene Christian answered back quickly with single runs in both the third and fourth inning. The Wildcats first run came via two singles and two walks, but Bluejay starter Keith Rogalla left the bags full of Wildcats with a foul out and a strikeout. ACU, however, plated the tying run in the fourth, capitalizing on a throwing error to make it 2-2.
Each squad plated a run in the sixth as Luevano opened the frame with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and scored on an RBI single up the middle by senior Riley Landuyt. The Wildcats answered with a leadoff double from Koby Clayborn, advancing to third and home on consecutive fly balls.
Following a scoreless top of the seventh for the Bluejays, ACU put up four runs on five singles, a double and a Creighton throwing error.
Refusing to give up, the Bluejay hitters went to work. Sophomore Clark Brinkman opened the eighth with a single to center, then stole second. Senior Bryce Only laced a two-out RBI single to right to make it 7-4, then Landuyt sent Only to second with a single to left. Finally freshman Will Robertson continued the hit parade with an RBI knock to left to make it 7-5.
The ninth inning began just as the Bluejays wanted as the first three men reached. Reznicek got the rally going with a single to center, then freshman Jason Allbery drew a walk in a pinch-hitting role. Attempting to sacrifice, Brinkman's bunt turned into a single that loaded the bases. Luevano lifted a sac fly to right to make it 7-6, then with two-down Only knotted the game on an RBI single through the middle.
After the Wildcats went down in order in the ninth, Creighton put two on with one down via an error and a walk. This time, however, the Bluejays were unable to come up with another big hit.
Senior Brennan Hammer came on to open the ninth on the mound for the Bluejays, retiring the only man he faced. Junior Houston Glad was greeted by a single from Mark Pearson. With two down, ACU's Dalon Farkas pulled an RBI double down the left-field line to give the Wildcats the win. Glad suffered the loss (0-1) allowing one run on two hits in one-third of an inning of work. Meanwhile, Wildcat reliever Ryan Kotulek nabbed the win (1-0), getting the final two outs of Creighton's tenth.
Only paced the Creighton offense, finishing the day 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Creighton and ACU wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, March 5. The game was moved to a 12:00 pm start due to travel concerns for the Bluejays.
The loss dropped the Bluejays to 1-7 on the season, while the Wildcats moved to 6-4. Abilene Christian has won its last six straight.
Creighton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, scoring twice on a single, two walks, a balk and an RBI groundout. Freshman Shane Coker led off the inning with a single through the right side, then senior Ben Reznicek and freshman Drew Smith worked walks to load the bases with nobody out. A balk by ACU starter Case Rolen sent Creighton's first run home, then one out later sophomore Thomas Luevano brought home Reznicek with an RBI ground out.
Abilene Christian answered back quickly with single runs in both the third and fourth inning. The Wildcats first run came via two singles and two walks, but Bluejay starter Keith Rogalla left the bags full of Wildcats with a foul out and a strikeout. ACU, however, plated the tying run in the fourth, capitalizing on a throwing error to make it 2-2.
Each squad plated a run in the sixth as Luevano opened the frame with a single, went to second on a sacrifice and scored on an RBI single up the middle by senior Riley Landuyt. The Wildcats answered with a leadoff double from Koby Clayborn, advancing to third and home on consecutive fly balls.
Following a scoreless top of the seventh for the Bluejays, ACU put up four runs on five singles, a double and a Creighton throwing error.
Refusing to give up, the Bluejay hitters went to work. Sophomore Clark Brinkman opened the eighth with a single to center, then stole second. Senior Bryce Only laced a two-out RBI single to right to make it 7-4, then Landuyt sent Only to second with a single to left. Finally freshman Will Robertson continued the hit parade with an RBI knock to left to make it 7-5.
The ninth inning began just as the Bluejays wanted as the first three men reached. Reznicek got the rally going with a single to center, then freshman Jason Allbery drew a walk in a pinch-hitting role. Attempting to sacrifice, Brinkman's bunt turned into a single that loaded the bases. Luevano lifted a sac fly to right to make it 7-6, then with two-down Only knotted the game on an RBI single through the middle.
After the Wildcats went down in order in the ninth, Creighton put two on with one down via an error and a walk. This time, however, the Bluejays were unable to come up with another big hit.
Senior Brennan Hammer came on to open the ninth on the mound for the Bluejays, retiring the only man he faced. Junior Houston Glad was greeted by a single from Mark Pearson. With two down, ACU's Dalon Farkas pulled an RBI double down the left-field line to give the Wildcats the win. Glad suffered the loss (0-1) allowing one run on two hits in one-third of an inning of work. Meanwhile, Wildcat reliever Ryan Kotulek nabbed the win (1-0), getting the final two outs of Creighton's tenth.
Only paced the Creighton offense, finishing the day 3-for-5 with two RBI.
Creighton and ACU wrap up the three-game series on Sunday, March 5. The game was moved to a 12:00 pm start due to travel concerns for the Bluejays.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ryan Kotulek (1-0)
L: Glad, Houston (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Luevano, Thomas 2 ; Only, Bryce 2 ; Landuyt, Riley 1 ; Robertson, Will 1
SF: Luevano, Thomas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Allbery, Jason 1 ; Brinkman, Clark 1 ; Luevano, Thomas 1 ; Only, Bryce 1 ; Coker, Shane 1 ; Reznicek, Ben 2
SB: Brinkman, Clark 1 ; Luevano, Thomas 1 ; Only, Bryce 1
HBP: Landuyt, Riley 1
Batting:
2B: Dalon Farkas 1 ; Derek Scott 1 ; Koby Claborn 1
RBI: Dalon Farkas 1 ; Luis Trevino 2 ; Anthony Dominguez 1 ; Cole Solomon 1
SH: Koby Claborn 1 ; Hillin Warren 1
SF: Luis Trevino 1 ; Cole Solomon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dalon Farkas 1 ; Derek Scott 1 ; Russell Crippen 1 ; Koby Claborn 2 ; Cole Solomon 1 ; Mark Pearson 2
SB: Hillin Warren 1
CS: Bradley Lewis 1 ; Russell Crippen 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
6
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF/INF
/ BaseballOF
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UTL
/ Baseball
RHP
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OF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF/RHP
/ BaseballINF
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INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF/OF
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