Freshman Tommy Strunc moved to 2-0 on the season, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks in five innings with a season-best eight strikeouts as Creighton beat Arkansas-Little Rock 4-2 Friday afternoon in Clarksville, Tennessee.

After falling behind 1-0, the Bluejays (5-2) responded with two runs in the bottom of the third. Jordan Makovicka was hit by a pitch and moved up two bases on wild pitches and scored on a two-out single by Federico Castagnini. Jake Peter then reached on an infield single and Castagnini took third on an errant throw. Mike Gerber laced a double to right to drive home Castagnini and give Creighton a 2-1 edge.

UALR (9-5) tied the game at 2-2 on two hits in the top of the fourth, but Creighton came right back as Reagan Fowler opened the Bluejay fourth with a single up the middle and moved to second on a sacrifice by Brennan Murphy. Makovicka sent Fowler to third on a double to center and Kevin Lamb drove in Fowler with a sacrifice fly.

The Jays added an insurance run in the fifth as Fowler plated Castagnini with a bases loaded sacrifice fly to left center.

The two-run cushion proved to be more than enough for the Bluejay bullpen as freshman Nick Highberger and senior Mark Winkelmann allowed just one hit over the final four innings. Winkelman retired the final five hitters to record his first save of the season.

Arkansas-Little Rock's Chance Cleveland fell to 2-2, surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings.