OMAHA, Neb.—The University of Evansville baseball team had numerous scoring opportunities on Saturday afternoon, but the Purple Aces stranded 16 men on base in a 7-3 loss to the Creighton University Bluejays at the CU Sports Complex in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

Evansville put men on base in every inning on Saturday, including putting men in scoring position in every inning but the first inning, but UE went just 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position on the afternoon, and none of the three hits produced a run. UE’s only runs of the afternoon came on a solo home run by junior infielder Cody Fick, a sacrifice fly by senior outfielder Alex Acheson and a run-scoring wild pitch.

 

“Today was a very frustrating day at the park, because we did what we needed to to create scoring opportunities today, but we could just not come through with the key base hit that we needed when we had men in scoring position,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “Credit Creighton’s pitchers, because they did make some tough pitches in tough situations to get out of jams, but we also let a lot of opportunities slip through our fingers as well.

 

“Now, the key is to come to the park tomorrow and end the series on a high note. We have to salvage one victory on the weekend this weekend.”

 

For the second-straight day, Creighton scored two runs in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead on back-to-back doubles by center fielder Joey Bowens and shortstop Elliot Soto and an RBI single by left fielder Trever Adams. UE would try to answer back by loading the bases against Creighton starter Ty Blach (2-2) in the fourth inning with only one out, but Blach used a strikeout and a fielder’s choice ground out to get out of the jam.

 

Creighton would then tack on its third run of the game on a solo home run by designated hitter Scott Thornburg in the fourth inning, before Fick would launch his Missouri Valley Conference-leading 13th home run of the year to right field in the fifth inning to trim the lead to 3-1. Creighton would add a run in the bottom of the fifth inning without the aid of a hit, before the teams would trade single runs in the sixth inning to move the score to 5-2. 

 

UE would score on a wild pitch and load the bases again in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 5-3. But, again, Creighton worked out of the bases-loaded situation with a fly out to right field.

 

Creighton would then push the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning on back-to-back RBI base hits by catcher Carson Vitale and first baseman Ian Dike. UE would load the bases again in the eighth inning, before senior first baseman Tom Heithoff would lift a fly ball to deep center field. Bowens would catch the ball while crashing into the fence, though, to end the threat and keep the score 7-3. 

 

Fick, junior outfielder Nate Smith, senior designated hitter Andy Pascoe and freshman shortstop Eric Stamets all had two-hit efforts for UE, as the Purple Aces out-hit the Bluejays, 12-9. Dike and Thornburg both had two-hit efforts for Creighton.

 

With the victory, Creighton clinches a series victory over UE and improves to 21-17 overall and 8-9 in the MVC. Evansville, meanwhile, falls to 23-19 overall and 5-6 in the MVC with the loss. The teams will conclude the series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in a game that can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.