Creighton University
20-9, 5-1
Xavier
8-26, 0-6
Lucansky and Gerber Bring the Brooms to Sweep Xavier, 3-1
4/12/2015 4:16:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - A two-run single in the seventh from senior Landon Lucansky and a six out save by sophomore David Gerber gave Creighton Baseball everything it needed to sweep Xavier with a 3-1 win on Sunday, April 12.
Creighton moved to 20-9 overall and 5-1 in BIG EAST play following the win. Xavier, meanwhile, fell to 8-26 on the season and 0-6 in conference play.
Scoreless into the fourth, Xavier nabbed its first lead of the series with a run on three singles. Creighton starter, junior Matt Warren, retired the first hitter of the frame before allowing back-to-back singles from Andre Jernigan and Ethan Schmidt. With runners at the corners Creighton head coach Ed Servais called junior Taylor Elman from the bullpen.
On the first pitch Elman fielded a safety squeeze by David Morton to cut down Jernigan at the plate. Jernigan, however, slid around home plate and danced with Creighton catcher Kevin Lamb long enough to allow Schmidt to go to third. Chase Puente followed with an RBI single to make it 1-0. The inning ended when Creighton first baseman Reagan Fowler stretched over the railing along the right field line to grab a foul ball.
Xavier starter Trent Astle, who authored a shutout against Creighton in the BIG EAST Tournament championship game last May, picked up right where he left the Bluejays in New York. Astle allowed just one hit through the first five frames and worked around two one-out singles in the sixth.
The Bluejays finally broke through against the left-hander in the seventh. With one down, junior Brett Murray got things started with a double into the left-center ally. Lamb was hit by a pitch to put two men on, then sophomore Kevin Connolly battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a seven-pitch walk.
With the bases loaded Xavier went to the bullpen for lefty Zac Lowther. Senior Landon Lucansky greeted the freshman with a two-run single to center. A wild throw allowed Connolly to scamper home with the third run of the inning as Creighton took a 3-1 edge.
The following frame saw Bluejay reliever Ethan DeCaster surrender back-to-back singles before giving way to closer David Gerber. Before throwing a pitch Gerber put an end to the Musketeer threat as Joe Forney was cut down trying to steal third for the first out of the inning. Brian Bruening remained at first for Xavier, then Gerber set down Jernigan and Schmidt on strikes to end the eighth.
Gerber went right back to work in the ninth with three more strikeouts to record his sixth save of 2015. Junior Nick Highberger picked up the win (4-1) with a scoreless inning of relief, while Astle fell to (1-6). The Xavier hurler allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks in 6.1 innings.
Lucansky's 1-for-3, 2 RBI day led Creighton's offense, while Fowler finished 2-for-3 with two singles.
The Bluejays begin a critical four-game week on Tuesday, April 14 as Creighton hosts #23 Nebraska at 7:00 pm.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Highberger, Nick (4-1)
L: ASTLE, Trent (1-6)
S: Gerber, David (6)
Batting:
2B: LARUE, Will 1
RBI: PUENTE, Chase 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SCHMIDT, Ethan 1
SB: BRUENING, Brian 1 ; JERNIGAN, Andre 1
CS: FORNEY, Joe 1 ; JERNIGAN, Andre 1
Batting:
2B: Murray, Brett 1
RBI: Lucansky, Landon 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Murray, Brett 1 ; Wiedeman, David 1 ; Connolly, Kevin 1
SB: Fowler, Reagan 1
CS: Woodrow, Daniel 1 ; Lopez, Nicky 1
HBP: Woodrow, Daniel 1 ; Lamb, Kevin 1
