MASON, Ohio— Following an 4-2 opening-round loss to top-seeded St. John’s, Creighton baseball responded Thursday night with one of its most complete performances of the season, eliminating No. 2 seed Connecticut 7-4 to stay alive in the BIG EAST Tournament.
The Bluejays entered the week searching for momentum after dropping back-to-back conference series to close the regular season, falling from first place to fourth in the standings. With St. John’s, UConn, and Xavier all taking regular season series from Creighton, the chances of earning back-to-back tournament championships and a NCAA automatic bid looked slim.
Weather added an extra layer of uncertainty with Creighton’s tournament opener against St. Johns being rescheduled repeatedly, shifting from Wednesday afternoon to Wednesday morning, before finally beginning just after noon on Thursday at Prasco Park. Even after the rain cleared, heavy wind continued to suppress any attempted offense through the tournament’s opening games.
Against the Red Storm, Creighton struck first. Graduate third baseman Rocco Gump opened the third inning with a stand-up triple off the wall before graduate shortstop Ben North brought him home with an RBI single to give the Jays an early lead.
But opportunities became difficult to find against St. John’s ace, junior Liam O’Leary. The BIG EAST First Team Selection allowed traffic throughout his outing but limited the damage, holding Creighton to two runs across eight innings while striking out six.
Creighton’s second run came in unusual fashion. After a walk, single, and fielder’s choice loaded pressure onto the Red Storm defense, a balk during O’Leary’s final inning allowed another run to score.
The Jays struggled to match that production on the mound. Junior Jack Pineau allowed three earned runs in 4.2 innings while failing to record a strikeout for the first time this season. Graduate Joe Hauser ran into trouble in relief before freshman Jakob Ruhl stabilized the game, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
Despite strong defensive play throughout the afternoon, Creighton fell 4-2 and was forced into an elimination matchup later that night against second-seeded UConn.
Just hours after the loss, the Bluejays returned to Prasco Park looking noticeably different.
With BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year sophomore left-handed pitcher Cayden Suchy scheduled to start for the Huskies, head coach Mark Kingston loaded the lineup with right-handed bats. Junior reserve catcher Cooper Fuchino entered at designated hitter for just his seventh appearance of the season, while senior Nate McHugh shifted from DH/catcher to left field for the first time. Fuchino entered with the mindset of “just do whatever it takes to get the win” and the unconventional lineup adjustment paid off almost immediately.
Creighton grabbed another early lead in the second inning when Gump delivered his second triple of the day, driving in both Fuchino and graduate first baseman Chris Baillargeon. McHugh followed with an RBI double to extend the lead to 3-0.
Fuchino continued to spark the offense in the fourth, leading off the inning with a double as Creighton chased Suchy from the game after only three innings. The Huskies ace allowed three earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out just one.
UConn answered in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a walk, hit batter, and sac fly to cut into the deficit before the Jays stopped the bleeding with a pickoff at second base by junior catcher Connor Capece and a strikeout.
Creighton created separation again in the sixth. After being hit by a pitch to open the inning, Fuchino stole the first base of his collegiate career before later scoring on UConn’s lone error of the night. Baillargeon and Gump both moved into scoring position during the play, and McHugh followed with a two-run single to push the Jays ahead 6-2.
Sophomore starting pitcher Wilson Magers carried Creighton through five innings before exiting in the sixth after allowing just three hits. BIG EAST Player of the Year sophomore first baseman Jackson Marshall managed his only hit of the night against the Bluejay right-hander.
UConn threatened to swing momentum back later in the inning when redshirt sophomore Rob Rispoli launched the tournament’s first home run over the left field wall, cutting the lead to two. But McHugh, playing out of typical position in left field, helped limit the damage with a pair of key catches alongside another strong defensive play from BIG EAST First Team Shortstop North.
Creighton added insurance in the ninth behind aggressive baserunning from freshman pinch-runner Joe Washburn before junior pitcher Shea Wendt closed out the win with a strikeout in the bottom half. The right-hander earned his first save on the season behind three scoreless innings of relief, allowing one walk while striking out two.
Kingston’s lineup gamble proved decisive. Fuchino reached base four times and scored twice, while McHugh handled six putouts in left field and drove in three runs offensively.
The Bluejay offense looked strong throughout the night. Seven of the nine starters recorded hits, five finished with multi-hit performances, and Creighton struck out only five times against one of the conference’s top pitching staffs.
With the win, the Bluejays kept both their title run and NCAA hopes alive heading into Saturday’s matchup. Following a 17-6 loss to St. John’s, Xavier is the next hurdle in Creighton’s path. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Central at Prasco Park.
