LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? Creighton evened its season record to 4-4 on Saturday afternoon by sweeping a doubleheader with the UALR baseball team (7-5) at Gary Hogan Field. The Bluejays rode a dominating relief appearance from Pat Venditte (1-0) to a 10-6 win in game one, before pulling out a 4-2, 10-inning victory in the second installment.
Venditte entered the game in the fifth inning with Creighton leading 7-6 and closed out the game by racking up 10 strikeouts over 4.2 scoreless innings, with just one hit and one walk allowed. After UALR tied the second game at 2-all in the bottom of the sixth, the two teams went scoreless over the next three innings before Creighton used four-consecutive singles to plate two runs in the top of the 10th.
The two teams will close out the series on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Creighton 10, UALR 6 (Game One)
UALR jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as seniors Brian Asbill (single) and Ryan Gotcher (hit by pitch) set the table for senior Matt King, who delivered a two-run double off the centerfield wall. The Denton, Texas-native capped off the first inning rally by scoring from third on a wild pitch to put the Trojans on top 3-0.
The Bluejays rallied to score two runs in the second and third innings to take a 4-3 lead. Creighton got on the board in the second compliments of a sacrifice fly by Chad Ogden, which Ryan Urzendowski followed with a run-scoring single up the middle. Steve Winkleman put Creighton ahead 4-3 in the third with a two-run single to left.
Creighton extended its lead to 5-3 in the fourth when Urzendowski scored from third on a groundout by Chris Gradoville. Junior Tommy Mousel fielded Gradoville's grounder and held Urzendowski at third, but made a throwing error on the play to first which allowed the runner to score.
Down 5-3, the Trojans reclaimed the lead in the bottom half thanks to a three-run homer by junior Robert Taylor (his first of the year). UALR's 6-5 lead didn't last long, as Creighton manufactured two runs in the top of the fifth to go on top for good 7-6. A leadoff double by Andrew Small set the stage for a RBI base knock to left by Ogden. After taking third on a passed ball, Ogden came around to score the game-winning run on a single to left by Urzendowski.
Creighton tacked on insurance runs in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings, but they would prove unnecessary as Venditte kept the Trojan offense under wraps. The ambidextrous junior closed out the game by striking out six of the final eight hitters he faced.
The Bluejays racked up 16 strikeouts in the win and outhit UALR 13-to-9. Four players enjoyed multi-hit afternoons for Creighton, while UALR was paced by two hits a piece from Taylor and senior Brian Smiley.
Freshman Ashur Toliver (2-1) was credited with the loss after allowing two runs over 1.1 innings in relief of starter Joe Campbell. Creighton starter Marc Lewis allowed eight hits and six runs over 4.1 innings before giving way to Venditte.
Creighton 4, UALR 2 (Game Two/10 innings)
Both teams failed to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities in a closely contested game which Creighton finally pulled out in the top of the 10th. The Bluejays stranded 15 runners in the game, including leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and ninth innings, while the Trojans stranded a runner at third in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
Junior David Klumpp took a no decision despite working a season-high 8.1 solid innings with eight strikeouts and two unearned runs allowed. Andy Masten (1-1) held UALR hitless over the final 2.1 innings and fanned four batters to pick up his first win of the season.
UALR took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth when a Creighton throwing error allowed Asbill to score from third. After holding the Bluejays scoreless for the first five innings, Creighton got on the board in the top of the sixth, capitalizing on a Trojan throwing error to take a 2-1 lead. Creighton scored its first run of the inning on the error before Ross Sinclair put the visitors ahead 2-1 with a two-out RBI single up the middle.
The Trojans evened the game at 2-all in the bottom half when King plated junior Nick DeSanctis with a RBI double to left.
Tied at 2-all, the Bluejays opened the 10th with consecutive singles off junior Mike Rogers (2-1), then loaded the bases when Urzendowski reached base safely on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Junior Levi Laughlin came on in relief of Rogers with the bags full and no outs, but could not prevent the Bluejays from taking the lead. Robbie Knight drove in the game-winning run with a single through the right side. The Bluejays added an insurance run when Masten scored from third on a wild pitch by Laughlin.
Masten sealed the win with a scoreless 10th inning, striking out two batters in the frame. Rogers was credited with the loss after allowing two runs and three hits over 0.2 innings of work.
Gotcher led the Trojans with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, accounting for half of UALR's six hits. Knight paced the Creighton offense by going 4-for-6 with a run scored and one RBI.
