Bluejays get past Jackrabbits, 4-2

Friday, March 12

Minneapolis, Minn.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Creighton (Neb.)

Jacks claim series with 9-4 victory at Murray

3/12/2010 3:00:00 PM | Baseball

By: SDSU Sports Info

MINNEAPOLIS - Jonas Dufek pitched 7 2/3 strong innings to lead Creighton to a 4-2 victory over South Dakota State in the opening game of the Metrodome Tournament Friday afternoon.

The Bluejays improved to 7-3 overall, while SDSU fell to 6-4 as the Jackrabbits dropped consecutive games for the first time this season.

Creighton took advantage of a Jackrabbit error to plate a pair of first-inning runs against starter Mike Robinson. With two outs and a runner at third, T.J. Roemmich was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners. Designated hitter Carson Vitale delivered the first run of the game with a bloop single to center to score Elliot Soto and Jimmy Swift followed with an infield single up the third-base line to score Roemmich.

Dufek cruised through the SDSU lineup the first time around, needing only 28 pitches to retire the side in order in each of the first three innings, including five of nine batters by strikeout.

Soto started a Bluejay rally in the top of the fifth, lining the first pitch of the inning to the left-center gap for a triple. Trever Adams followed with a solid single to center to put Creighton up 3-0.

The Jackrabbits broke into the scoring column with a pair of runs in the home half of the fifth. Zach Rhodes ended Dufek's bid for a no-hitter with a one-out, opposite-field double down the left-field line to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Rhodes advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on another wild pitch with Zach Briggs at the plate with two outs. Later in the at-bat, Briggs connected on a home run just to the right of straight-away center field to make the score 3-2. Daniel Telford followed with a double to right center, but Dufek struck out Scott Hood to end the inning.

Creighton came right back to regain a two-run lead in the sixth. Scott Thornburg led off with a double to left field and Ian Dike stroked a single to center to score Thornburg and chase Robinson from the game. Jackrabbit reliever Blaine Alberta retired the next three hitters, including Soto on a diving catch by third baseman Jesse Sawyer to end the inning.

The Bluejays recorded their seventh leadoff hit in eight innings as Thornburg opened the eighth with his second double and third hit of the game. However, Jackrabbit relievers Shane Kraemer and Trever Vermeulen combined to strike out three of the next four hitters to keep the score 4-2.

Dufek improved to 3-0 on the season. The right-hander surrendered five hits, struck out nine and did not walk a batter. Dufek exited after surrendering an infield single to Billy Stitz with two outs in the eighth, giving way to left-hander Jack VanLeur.

The Jackrabbits brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning. Joel Blake led off the inning with a double to the left-center gap, but Van Leur was able to retire the next three hitters to record his first save of the season.

For SDSU, Robinson tallied five strikeouts and walked two in five-plus innings. Kraemer fanned three batters in 1 1/3 innings of work and Trever Vermeulen notched three more strikeouts, giving the Jackrabbit pitching staff a season-high 11.

Stitz posted two of the Jackrabbits' five hits. Thornburg tallied three of Creighton's 12 hits, while Soto and Adams each notched two hits.

SDSU will square off against Harvard (Mass.) at 1 p.m. Saturday.

CREIGHTON (Neb.) 4, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 2
CU 200 010 000 4-12-0
SDSU 000 020 00x 2-6-1
CU: Jonas Dufek, Jack VanLeur (8) and Scott Thornburg. SDSU: Mike Robinson, Blaine Alberta (6), Shane Kraemer (7), Trever Vermeulen (8) and Zach Briggs.
W-Dufek (3-0). L-Robinson (0-2). SV-VanLeur (1).
HR: SDSU-Zach Briggs (1).