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Creighton's NCAA Tournament Foe Announced Monday

Creighton will learn its fate for the NCAA Tournament during the ESPNU selection show at 11 a.m. Monday.

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Reporter: WOWT

Bluejays Headed To NCAA Tournament

Creighton will learn its fate for the NCAA Tournament during the ESPNU selection show at 11 a.m. Monday.

The Bluejays clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament starting next weekend after winning its second straight Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship with an 8-6 win over Southern Illinois Saturday night. The Jays completed the sweep in Springfield, Missouri going 4-0 en route to the tournament title.

They overcame a pair of deficits, first at 4-0 and then at 5-1. Creighton's largest previous comeback win this season came on March 2nd when they trailed UC Davis 3-0 and came back to win 7-6.

CU head coach Ed Servais has now won all three of the program's MVC Tournament titles, winning in 2007, 2011 and now in 2012. The Bluejays become the lowest seed (No. 8) to win the conference tournament. Illinois State won the tournament in 1994 as a No. 6 seed.

Creighton fell behind when Jordan Sivertsen opened the second inning with a home run to center field. The SIU offense then took advantage of four infield base hits and a two-out double off the bat of Brian Bajer to push across three runs in the top of the third.

Creighton scratched out a run in the bottom of the third. Brennan Murphy led off with a double and later scored on a Chance Ross single.

The Salukis (31-28) went up 5-1 in the fourth on another infield hit, this time a Tanner Renner bunt. He would move to third on a sacrifice and a ground out before coming home on a Shane Liska wild pitch.

The Bluejays responded in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Mike Gerber singled and advanced to second on an error by Renner. Alex Staehely was hit by a pitch and a fielder's choice allowed Gerber to advance third and Jake Peter to reach first safely. Murphy then ripped a ball back up the middle for his second hit of the game, driving in Creighton's second run.

The Jays pulled to within 5-4 in the fifth as Nick Judkins walked, went to second on a Ross single and scored on Anthony Bemboom's double. A ground out by Scott Thornburg pushed across Ross.

Bajer doubled down the left field line, advanced to third on a Donny Duchinsky ground out and scored when Renner singled to give the Salukis a 6-4 lead in the sixth.

Creighton (26-28) took the lead with a four-run seventh. Judkins doubled and Ross picked up an infield hit to put runners at the corners. Bemboom drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to left field. A Thornburg walk put a pair of runners on before Gerber picked up his third hit of the game, scoring Ross and leaving a pair of Bluejays in scoring position. The Salukis brought in Matt Murphy to pitch and he retired the first batter he faced, but a two-run single from Peter made it 8-6.

Mark Winkelman (2-1), Reese McGraw and Kurt Spomer combined to finish the final three innings surrendering just one hit. Tyler Dray (3-3) took the loss.