Creighton at Wichita State Preview
- Friday: 6:30 p.m., Tyler Field at Eck Stadium
- Saturday: 2:00 p.m., Tyler Field at Eck Stadium
- Sunday: 1:00 p.m., Tyler Field at Eck Stadium
Media Menu
John Bishop and David Gustafson continue their travels through the Missouri Valley Conference, as Creighton’s radio broadcast duo will bring all three games to listeners via The Zone 1620 AM. Jays fans can stream the broadcast live at www.1620thezone.com, too.
If you’re willing to line the pockets of the Shockers’ athletic department, you can watch the games on ShockerVision. A monthly subscription to the website costs $12.95.
Last weekend…
The Bluejays outscored Bradley 33-10 in a three-game sweep of the Braves. In the series opener, Creighton collected 14 hits in a 7-3 win. Trever Adams went 4 for 4, Jimmy Swift had three hits (en route to a Player of the Week award), and Anthony Bemboom and Nick Judkins each had two knocks. Saturday saw Adams at it again, going 3 for 5 with a home run. Joey Bowens also collected three hits, and the reserve outfielder added two runs batted in as the Bluejays clobbered the Braves 10-1. Creighton trailed BU 6-0 after four innings Sunday, but posted four runs in the fifth inning, four more in the sixth, and eight in the seventh to run-rule the Braves 16-6.
Meanwhile, in Carbondale, the Shockers did what Creighton couldn’t manage two weeks ago: WSU took two of three from Southern Illinois. The series started with Wichita State pounding 17 hits during a 9-6 win. The Salukis took game two, the first contest in a doubleheader, 4-3. But the Shockers bounced back for a series win with an 11-5 victory in the second game of the twin bill.
Last year…
The Shockers scored 8 runs in each of the three games in Omaha last season, sweeping the Bluejays. You can read Danny O’Byrne’s take on that series here. Just a warning, though: you’ll want to throw things around your place. Trust me.
Historically…
Um, this isn’t even close. Wichita State is 108-42-1 all-time against Creighton. According to this weekend’s game notes, only seven current Bluejays have beaten WSU (during Brandon Koenigstein’s no-hitter in the 2009 MVC Tournament).
On the Mound
- Friday: CU’s Ty Blach (7-0 / 2.31) vs. WSU’s Charlie Lowell (8-4 / 3.25)
- Saturday: CU’s Jonas Dufek (7-1 / 2.33) vs. WSU’s Brian Flynn (4-2 / 4.11)
- Sunday: CU’s Greg Hellhake (3-2 / 4.18) vs. TBD
The Bluejays (3.26 team earned run average) and Shockers (3.52) boast two of the best pitching staffs in the Missouri Valley Conference. Through a dozen conference games, though, Creighton’s giving up half a run less than Wichita State (3.23 vs. 3.81).
Ty Blach and Jonas Dufek are a combined 14-1 on the season, and both CU starters are in the top five in ERA (Blach’s third, and Dufek’s fourth). Dufek leads the league in opponents’ batting average, while fellow weekend starters Blach (eighth) and Hellhake (seventh) are in the top ten. Dufek (third) and Blach (fifth) also compare well to other Valley pitchers in strikeouts.
But Wichita State’s Charlie Lowell has won eight games and is Gene Stephenson’s Friday starter for a reason. Lowell in among the league leaders in ERA (eighth), opponents’ batting average (third), strikeouts (first), and home runs allowed (fourth, with just one homer against).
If the game gets to the bullpens, Wichita State’s Cale Elam is tough to beat. He has four saves and a sub-1.00 ERA in 21 appearances. Creighton’s Mark Winkleman, Kurt Spomer, Reese McGraw, and Jack VanLeur will need to pitch well all weekend out of the ‘pen for the Bluejays to succeed in winning the series.
At the Plate
The Shockers have scored more runs this season than any other Valley team. WSU has outscored CU by 76 runs entering the weekend.
Both teams feature players making their cases for the Joe Carter Player of the Year Award. Creighton’s Trever Adams leads the league with a .411 batting average, a .755 slugging percentage, and 12 home runs. He also has two more total bases than Wichita State’s Chris O’Brien, the league’s other premier hitter. O’Brien is second to Adams in batting average, too, but bests his Bluejays counterpart for the in hits (77, to Adams’ 67) and runs batted in (58, to 50 for Adams).
Both teams feature plenty of capable hitters, but the Shockers place five players within the top ten league-wide in total hits. Tyler Grimes, Kevin Hall, Bob Arens, and Johnny Coy join O’Brien in a challenging Shockers lineup. Adams and his teammates Jimmy Swift, Alex Staehely, and Michael Mutcheson will need a weekend similar to the sweep against Bradley to give Blach, Dufek and the rest of the pitching staff some support.
Facts, Figures, and Fodder
Creighton’s 31-10 record matches the best mark in school history through 41 games, set by the 1991 and 2005 Bluejays teams…Gene Stephenson’s career .743 winning percentage is the second best among active coaches (bested only by the foul-mouthed Augie Garrido…Brandon Koenigstein threw a no-hitter against the Shockers in the 2009 MVC Tournament as a freshman…The Bluejays are seventh nationally in defensive fielding percentage and sacrifice bunts…Trever Adams is seventh nationally in slugging percentage.
Weather Forecast
Spring has sprung, but it may feel closer to summer in Wichita this weekend. With highs in the upper 70s and lower 80s, the park will feel like its hosting the boys of summer.