What’s On Tap is back! With the spring sports season in full swing, White & Blue Review will take a look at Creighton’s mid-week contests. It is What’s On Tap, presented by Brazen Head Irish Pub.
Monday, April 5
Softball vs. North Dakota State
1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., CU Sports Complex
Things have gone from difficult to frustrating in a hurry for Brent Vigness and his Bluejays softball squad. The preseason favorites in the MVC are 14-16 overall and 2-5 in the Valley. A difficult non-conference schedule can partially explain the sub-.500 overall record. But much of the 2-5 conference mark can be chalked up to the team’s struggles to adjust to the increasing number of illegal pitches being called against Tara Oltman.
After starting MVC play 2-0, the Jays have lost 5 straight, beginning with a road trip at Southern Illinois during which umpires began flagging Oltman for throwing illegally from the circle. Easter weekend saw the Missouri State Bears sweep Creighton in Omaha; for the first time in her career, Oltman didn’t start game three of a series.
Oltman and the Bluejays will look to turn things around during a Monday doubleheader against the Bison from North Dakota State. NDSU is 19-17 on the season, and the Bison are led by pitcher Whitney Johnson.
Men’s golf at Branson Creek Invitational
Hollister, Missouri
The Creighton men’s golf team travels to Missouri to join 8 other teams in the Branson Creek Invitational. Missouri State hosts this event annually, and this year invites Western Illinois, Bradley, Houston Baptist, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Stephen F. Austin, Northern Iowa, and Creighton.
The invitational takes place at Branson Creek Golf Club, a par 71 public course that is rated among the top 100 public links in the United States.
Tuesday, April 6
Baseball at Nebraska
6:30 p.m., Lincoln, Nebraska
NET and NETHD
Last season, at Haymarket Park, Creighton clobbered the Huskers 15-0. A few weeks later, Nebraska pulled out a 4-3 win at Rosenblatt Stadium in extra innings. The rubber match was rained out, giving CU and NU a split of the season non-conference series.
The Huskers will host the Bluejays at Hawks Field, where NU is 10-2 on the season. Overall, the Huskers enter the game 15-13 on the year and 3-6 in the Big 12. The Bluejays enter the game 13-8 overall and 3-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Wednesday, April 7
Baseball vs. Kansas
6:30 p.m., Rosenblatt Stadium
CBS College Sports (NET and NETHD in Omaha)
The Jayhawks play Missouri Valley College Tuesday evening in Lawrence. Assuming a win in that contest, KU will bring a 19-10-1 record to Omaha. That’s right, the Jayhawks tied Texas A&M Sunday after 11 innings. Prior to the game, KU and the Aggies agreed to start an inning no later than 2:15 p.m., as Texas A&M had a flight to catch out of KCI.
The Jayhawks’ visit to Omaha will mark the second matchup in 2010 between the Bluejays and KU. The Jays dropped a tough 5-4 loss in Lawrence a few weeks ago.
The game marks the return of Omahan T.J. Walz to his hometown. Walz is an all-Big 12 pitcher for the Jayhawks, and he attended Skutt High School.
Softball vs. Nebraska
6:00 p.m., CU Sports Complex
Creighton and Nebraska split the season series in 2009, with each team winning on the road. While the Bluejays are struggling (see above), the Huskers enter the game 21-17 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12. But, NU is yet to win a true road game, going 0-10 so far in 2010.
