For a second consecutive Friday, the Stetson Hatters struggled to generate anything offensively, and the result was a 5-1 loss to visiting Creighton in the first game of a weekend series.

The teams will meet again on Saturday in the second game of the series, with the first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.

Creighton played an efficient, yet unremarkable game, scoring single runs in five of the first six innings, all against Hatters' starter Mitchell Jordan (0-2).

“When you only score one run, you can't beat anyone,” Stetson coach Pete Dunn. “Give them credit because they scrapped for single runs in five different innings, but it is the second Friday night in a row that we only scored one run. We have had a total of 11 hits in 18 innings the first two Friday nights, and you aren't going to beat anyone doing that.”

Jordan allowed four earned runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out six. Junior Tyler Keller and freshman Joey Gonzalez worked the final 3.1 innings, allowing just two hits and no runs.

“Mitchell did not have his best stuff tonight,” Dunn said. “I thought he was up in the zone a little. Creighton has the kind of hitters that, even when you get ahead 0-2 or 1-2, they do a good job of putting the ball in play. I thought Mitchell made some good pitches, but he was up in a zone.

“Tyler Keller did what he does best. We needed him to come back and pitch well. Joey Gonzalez came in and did just like he did the other night. The sad thing is that our pitchers will start thinking that they have to go shut everyone out because we aren't scoring any runs for them.”

Those early runs were more than enough for Creighton starter Rollie Lacy (1-1). The sophomore held the Hatters to just a single run on six hits through five innings of work. The bullpen then finished it off for the Bluejays, blanking the Hatters on just one hit over the final four innings.

“We made enough errors and mistakes that cost us,” Dunn said. “We had some opportunities, but we'd have a check swing, they got a double play ball and turned it. When you get runners in scoring position and you give up easy outs, we just didn't put any pressure them. We had a situation when the game was close to get a bunt down and we bunt it right back to the pitcher.”

Most of the damage Creighton did in the game came with two outs in an innings. They scored in the first on a two-out single by Reagan Fowler. In the second it was a two-out single by Daniel Woodrow. In the third it was a two-out bloop double by Brett Murray to score Fowler.

After a scoreless fourth, Creighton scored an unearned run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Fowler. The final run came across in the sixth after Will Bamesberger opened the inning with a triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly.

The Hatters scored their only run in the fifth when Austin Hale and Matt Morales opened the inning with consecutive singles and Colton Lightner followed with a hit up the middle. A failed sacrifice attempt was followed by two ground balls to end the inning.

Stetson got single runners on base in each of the final four innings, but never seriously threatened to score.

“We got four hits from our seven, eight and nine hitters and only three from the first six,” Dunn said. “Austin Hale had a great at bat in the ninth and had two hits, but we aren't getting much from our top six hitters. John Fussell is the lone bright spot there with two more hits. Jacob Koos has been doing a good job and had another hit tonight, but our two, three and four hole hitters are not even hitting the ball hard.

“There were some bright spots, but we didn't have enough bright spots to win the ball game. We are shooting ourselves in the foot enough to not give ourselves a chance and, until that chances, we aren't going to have any different results.

Fussell, who has hit safely in all six games this year, and Hale both had two hits for the Hatters. Woodrow, Nicky Lopez, Murray and Kevin Connolly had two hits apiece for the Bluejays.

Notes: Senior captain Cory Reid, who has already been suffering with a sore shoulder, left the game after getting hit on the wrist by a pitch in the fourth inning. Dunn said he would be evaluated on Saturday to determine if he can play.

Saturday's second game of the series has been designated as the first "Bark in the Park" game. Bring your furry friends with you to the game and enjoy some college baseball.