Creighton rallies past Jacks in 11

Wednesday, April 13

Omaha, Neb.

6:30 PM

South Dakota State University

10-22

Creighton (Neb.)

22-7

South Dakota State

Creighton

Photo by: Inertia Sports Media/Dave Eggen

4/13/2016 10:47:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score Play-By-Play

OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 11^th to cap a 6-5, come-from-behind victory over South Dakota State in non-conference baseball action Wednesday night at TD Ameritrade Park.

The Bluejays, who won in their last at-bat for the second night in a row, improved to 22-7 overall. SDSU fell to 10-22 overall.

Creighton forced extra innings by overcoming a 4-0 deficit. SDSU scored three batters into the game as Nick Smith and Paul Jacobson opened the contest by drawing back-to-back walks and Luke Ringhofer delivered a run-scoring single that knocked Bluejay starter Keith Rogalla out of the game. Jacobson later scored on a double-play grounder to give the Jackrabbits an early 2-0 lead.

SDSU added runs in the third and fourth innings. Jacobson tripled with two outs in the third inning and scored the third run of the game on an error. In the fourth inning, Phil Velez walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Zach Holt's two-out single up the middle.

Jackrabbit starter Will McAffer kept Creighton off the board until the home half of the fourth, when the Bluejays scored twice. Brett Murray plated Nicky Lopez with a single for the first run and Reagan Fowler later scored on a wild pitch.

Lopez scored his second and third runs of the game in the fifth and seventh innings, posting the tying run after Matt Gandy doubled down the left-field line against SDSU reliever Henry DeCaster. Meanwhile, DeCaster's older brother, Ethan, pitched two scoreless innings of relief for Creighton.

Including Ethan DeCaster's stint, Creighton relievers combined to retire 16 consecutive SDSU hitters in a row before the Jackrabbits broke through with a run in the top of the 11^th. Pinch-hitter Anthony Schneider drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a double to left field by Newt Johnson. Matt Johnson then stepped to the plate and delivered the go-ahead run with a single to right field against John Oltman, who hadn't allowed a run all season entering Wednesday's game. SDSU failed to further capitalize after loading the bases with no outs as Will Bamesberger retired the next three Jackrabbit hitters.

Lopez started Creighton's game-winning rally with a leadoff walk against Jackrabbit reliever Ethan Kenkel. He moved to third base on a single by Fowler and scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly to left field by Gandy that was appealed to no avail by SDSU, which thought the runner left early. Fowler moved to second on the play and after an intentional walk to Murray, Harrison Crawford lined a single to center field that scored Fowler with the game-winning run.

Fowler was 3-for-4 to lead Creighton's 10-hit effort. Jacobson and Newt Johnson each tallied two of the Jackrabbits' eight hits.

The Jackrabbits return to Summit League action this weekend, opening a three-game series Friday against North Dakota State. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Erv Huether Field.

CREIGHTON 6, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 5 (11 inn.)
SDSU 201 100 000 01 5-8-1
CU 000 210 100 02 6-10-1
SDSU: Will McAffer, Henry DeCaster (5), Joe Erickson (7), Greg Casper (9), Ethan Kenkel (10) and Luke Ringhofer. CU: Keith Rogalla, Ty Ramirez (1), Austin Groth (4), Nick Highberger (5), Ethan DeCaster (7), David Gerber (9), John Oltman (11), Will Bamesberger (11) and Michael Emodi, Keith Oren.
W-Bamesberger (1-0). L-Kenkel (0-3). Save-none.
HR-none.