Soon after the Creighton baseball team easily beat Central Arkansas 10-2 to improve to 7-5-1 on the season, senior outfielder Mike Gerber took home the team’s first Big East Player of the Week Aaward.
The win over the Bears was the Jays’ seventh win in the last nine games, as the team bested Arkansas State in a three-game series over the weekend. In the two games of the series that counted in his Player of the Week campaign, Gerber went 4 for 9 and knocked in the game-winning run in both games.
On Tuesday, however, it was the Jays’ offense as a whole that contributed to the win over the Bears. Nine players recorded hits as the team produced a total of four hits compared to the four produced by the Bears. After the Bears struck first by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third, the Jays responded with a run in the fourth and three more in the top of the sixth. A combination of three walks, three hits and two errors in the eighth inning led to six runs for the Jays.
Senior outfielder Brad McKewon and sophomore infielder Reagan Fowler both recorded two hits, a walk, an RBI and a run in the game. Gerber and junior infielder Jake Peter had a hit, two RBIs and a run, with Gerber’s hit being a home run in the sixth inning, his fourth of the season.
Sophomore starting pitcher Taylor Elman earned his first win of the season, allowing two runs off of three hits and five walks with three strikeouts in six innings pitched. Fellow sophomore Nick Highberger took over for the next 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and one walk. Senior Bryan Sova closed out the game for the Jays, going the final 2 1/3 innings with no hits or walks allowed while recording four strikeouts.
On Monday the Jays tasted their first defeat in more than two weeks as they lost to the Arkansas State Red Wolves. The Jays only produced two hits in the game while the Red Wolves recorded six en route to their 6-2 win.
After jumping out to a 6-2 lead after five innings, the Red Wolves rode a strong pitching performance from senior Morgan Croft, who allowed no hits or walks in the final 4 1/3 innings of the game. McKewon drove in both runs for the Jays, scoring redshirt junior catcher Kevin Lamb and redshirt sophomore designated hitter Joey Mancuso in separate innings.
The Jays used six pitchers in the game, with none throwing for more than two innings. Sophomore Tommy Strunc took the loss, starting the game and allowing four runs off of four hits and two walks while striking out one.
The Jays came from behind twice in a tight game to beat the Red Wolves on Sunday, winning 5-4. Junior Landon Lucansky got the scoring started, hitting a solo home run in the top of the second inning. After falling behind 3-1, Gerber tied the game for the Jays by blasting a two-run home run that scored sophomore infielder Tommy Clouthier. Down 4-3 in the top of the eighth, the Jays rallied to take the lead as Gerber doubled to score Peter and sophomore outfielder Brandon Mikulka. The double proved to be the game-winner as the Jays went on to win by the score of 5-4.
Sophomore pitcher Austin Groth started the game for the Jays, allowing three runs (0 earned) off of five hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Sophomores Nick Highberger and Will Bamesberger combined to allow one run over the next three innings, with Highberger allowing no runs in 2 1/3 innings, and Bamesberger allowing one off of a hit and a walk in 2/3 innings. Junior pitcher Mark Lukowski and Peter locked down the final 2 1/3 innings, each allowing one hit and zero runs.
The Jays started the series well against the Red Wolves as they cruised to a 7-3 victory on Saturday. All seven of the Jays’ runs were scored in the third, fourth and fifth innings of the game after the Red Wolves struck with one run in the first inning.
Both teams recorded eight hits in the game, but it was the Jays who capitalized more on the way to victory. McKewon went 2 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs. Gerber also went 2 for 5 and added an RBI and a run. Peter had a hit to go with two RBIs and a run. Freshman infielder Nicky Lopez was 1 for 2 with an RBI, a run and two walks.
Sophomore pitcher Matt Warren improved to 3-0 on the season, allowing three runs off of seven hits and two walks while striking out five in five innings of work. Junior Max Ising struck out every batter he faced in an inning of work, and sophomore John Oltman followed him with another hitless inning. Sova closed down the final two innings of the game, allowing one hit while striking out two as the Jays went on to win.
The Jays will look to continue their strong play as they come to Omaha for their first home series of the season. They will take on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits over the weekend. The Jackrabbits are 9-8 on the season. The series will start on Friday at 6:30 p.m.