March 10, 2007

Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. - Creighton rallied from a three-run deficit to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth and force an extra inning in game two against Saint Louis at CU Sports Complex in Omaha, Neb. The Bluejays scored the winning run for the 5-4 victory in the bottom of the 10th on Brett Mieras' RBI double.

The Billikens came out swinging with Tom Pinnell (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) reaching on a leadoff single and Ryan Crespi (Sparta, N.J./Sussex County CC) walking to start the game. Following a double play during which Pinnell moved to third, Blake Bratcher (Goodlettsville, Tenn./Volunteer State CC) singled to the Bluejay shortstop to plate SLU's first run of the game in the first.

SLU (1-12) added another run in the third as Crespi began the frame with a single up the middle and stole second. Greg Rodgers (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles CC) sent an RBI single to centerfield for the two-run lead. Another leadoff hit set up Saint Louis' third run. In the sixth, Bratcher singled to centerfield and scored when Casey Moore (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Wentzville) followed with a double down the left field line.

Ryan Bird (Potomac, Ill./Armstrong Township), the Billikens' starter on the mound, kept Creighton off the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Robbie Knight tripled to right field and scored on the ensuing play when the Billikens committed an error on the infield.

After giving up just five hits, Bird gave way to Mark Zielinski (Maryland Heights, Mo./DeSmet) prior to the bottom of the eighth. His eight strikeouts on Saturday moved his career total to 243, good enough for 3rd on SLU's career strikeout list.

Saint Louis' bats got hot one last time in the top of the ninth. Bill Musselman (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) started the frame with a single to centerfield before Creighton brought in its third pitcher of the day, desingated hitter Andy Masten. Masten retired the first two batters before Pinnell tallied his second hit of the day, an RBI double to make it 4-1.

The Bluejays (6-6) rallied in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with one out on a pair of singles sandwiched around a hit batsman. A Chris Gradoville sacrifice fly plated CU's second run before SLU reliever Ziggy Moore (Lake St. Louis, Mo./Wentzville) surrendered a wto-out, two-run triple to left center to Darin Ruf to tie the game at 4-4 and force a 10th frame.

SLU got a two-out hit in the 10th but wasn't able to push the run around. Creighton got a leadoff single to start the 10th against the Billikens' B.J. Rodrigue (Destrehan, La./Brother Martin) and moved that runner to second on a sacrifice bunt. Brett Mieras' RBI double down the left field line pushed across the winning run for the Bluejays as Rodrigue (1-1) took the loss for SLU.

The Billikens wrap up the three-game series tomorrow with a 1 p.m. contest.