Wild Ninth Inning Sends Creighton To Friday’s Winners’ Bracket
Box Score
ABERDEEN, Md. – It was the second ninth-inning higher-seed victory in a row at the BIG EAST Championship on Thursday night as Creighton defeated Seton Hall, 6-5, in the nightcap at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. The final frame saw Creighton plate three runs on just one hit, due in part to three Seton Hall errors and a walk-off wild pitch on an attempted intentional walk.
Seton Hall led 5-3 going into Creighton’s final at bat.
Creighton senior Ryan Fitzgerald opened the Bluejays’ ninth inning with a full-count walk. After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Brennan Hammer reached on an infield chopper and was replaced at first base by pinch-runner Will Bamesberger. Junior Daniel Woodrow then blooped a single into left-center. Fitzgerald would race home on the hit, as the throw home would bounce off him and into the backstop. Seton Hall closer Zach Schellenger chased the ball down, only to throw it back between the lines as Bamesberger came around to tie the game and leave the quick Woodrow at third base.
Seton Hall then chose to intentionally walk Nicky Lopez, who had been 4-for-4 on the night. However, Schellenger's second throw on the free pass instead went to the backstop, as Woodrow raced home with the winning run.
The win sends the No. 2 seeded Bluejays to the winners bracket at 7 p.m. to face No. 1 seed Xavier, who defeated St. John’s 9-8 with a walk-off single in the ninth earlier in the day. No. 3 seed Seton Hall will face St. John’s in the elimination game at 3:30 p.m.
Seton Hall got on the board right away, scoring two in the first. The Pirates added another run in the fifth. Creighton would eventually tie it up in fifth (3-3) as Woodrow and catcher Michael Emodi scored. Emodi’s run was also scored on a Seton Hall error.
In the sixth, the Pirates took the lead, scoring two runs. One walking in after DH Mike Alescio was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded; the other scoring on a double-play.
The next two frames were 1-2-3 for both Creighton and Seton Hall. In the bottom of the seventh, Lopez hit one through but was left stranded by Seton Hall starter Shane McCarthy who made it through eight innings, scattering just eight hits and three runs to score. McCarthy was relieved in the final inning as Creighton capitalized on Seton Hall errors for the win.
Seton Hall’s (38-19) Zach Weigel went 2-for-4 with two runs scored an a RBI to lead the Pirates. Alescio had two RBI for the day, going 1-for-3.
For Creighton (37-15), Woodrow finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Starter Rollie Lacy went five innings, allowing four runs to score on seven hits. Reliever Nick Highberger got the win for Creighton as he pitched 1.2 innings and allowed just one hit and one walk.