Recap: Creighton holds off late Butler rally, wins 6-4

Creighton played in the College World Series in 1991. That'd be the equivalent of St. John's playing in a Final Four at Madison Square Garden.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Jays reaching the CWS. I can't speak to the atmosphere during the series as I was born just a year later, but knowing the raucous environment that swallowed Rosenblatt Stadium I can tell you it had to have been a sight to see - a once in a lifetime event that encompassed the entire city.

VIDEO | Creighton Baseball's 1991 team recognized during the game & will be inducted to @gocreighton Hall of Fame https://t.co/qMxCYRFLTE

— Creighton Baseball (@CU_Baseball) April 16, 2016

There are times where I daydream about what it'd be like for Creighton to play in the College World Series today. I picture a sea of blue, a great deal of retired lawyers and their wives inhabiting the club level seating, the highly intoxicated youths occupying the general admission seats, and the regular folks of Omaha - with no real ties to the University - taking up the rest of the seating, cheering for their hometown team.

It'd be an absolute madhouse.

The actual baseball game was exciting and as thrilling as it gets. Omaha native and 'King of Anthills' Jeff Albrecht hurled the white nugget for the Bluejays while Butler went with Nick 'Guy Who Has Never Swept Out A Garage' Morton.

Creighton welcomed the first two batters of the first inning with good defense - something Butler knows very little about. The King of Anthills then walked Tyler Houston but forced Chris Marras to make poor contact as he grounded out to shortstop.

The bottom of the first arrived and 'Guy Who Has Never Swept Out A Garage' immediately fell into a pit of trouble as Danny Woodrow singled and advanced to second on a goof up by Butler catcher Chris Marras. Nicky Lopez bunted Woodrow to third and rolled in safely to first, Fitzgerald popped out, Lopez stole second, and Fowler hit a ball over to first baseman Jordan Lucio who made a good throw to catcher Chris Marras but Marras goofed up (again) and let the ball trickle away from him, allowing Woodrow to score. It was all fine and dandy like sour candy but Butler's defense just slowly died like a goldfish in a half frozen bucket of water.

The 'King of Anthills' then proceeded to get three straight outs in the top of the second inning, forcing the Bulldogs to accept their one-run deficit. Their acceptance was short lived.

In the bottom of the second, with two outs, Kevin 'Buntatron 2000' Connolly laid down a majestic bunt and arrived on second base after third baseman Garrett Christman goofed up and tried to throw the ball into the stands. Michael Emodi then pulverized a ball into the left center gap, easily scoring 'Buntatron 2000', and ended up on third base after Butler's Drew Small fumbled around with the ball and just looked like a complete goof.

B2: Michael Emodi finds the gap for a double and scores Kevin Connolly then takes third on a fielding error! https://t.co/zNYX6mNnKO

— Creighton Baseball (@CU_Baseball) April 16, 2016

Butler finally got on the board in the 4th inning when Drew Small drew a huge walk, advanced to second on a balk by the 'King of Anthills' and sauntered home after Chris Marras mashed a double to the right center gap. Unfortunately for Butler, that was about all they could manage.

The bottom of the fifth inning featured something I could've only imagined in my wildest dreams. Here are some of my tweets to describe what occured:

*****BUNT ALERT***** Danny Woodrow bunts for a base hit.

— alex sindelar (@crimebait) April 16, 2016

*****BUNT ALERT***** Nicky Lopez squared to bunt but gets hit by the pitch. Runners on 1st and 2nd, no outs here in the bottom of the 5th.

— alex sindelar (@crimebait) April 16, 2016

*****BUNT ALERT***** Ryan Fitzgerald bunts and Butler's third baseman fails to make a throw, bases loaded for Reagan Fowler, no outs.

— alex sindelar (@crimebait) April 16, 2016

My hands were trembling, eyes watering, heart pounding in my chest like a jackrabbit on crystal meth. It was absolutely gorgeous. Three consecutive bunts, each player arriving to first base safely. In all my days I've never quite seen anything like it and I may never see it again. I'm a man of distinctive taste and today I tasted glory. Glory in it's greatest form. A buntathon. A buntastrophe. A bunt-explosion. My oh my were these bunts bodacious.

Reagan Fowler then singled home Lopez and Woodrow which increased Creighton's lead to 3. Then, Harrison Crawford lifted a ball to center that happened to be deep enough to score a waiting Fitzgerald on third. Butler's deficit now stood at 4.

Man... that inning was just gorgeous.

The bottom of the sixth featured the next run crossing the plate for the Bluejays, with Bryce Only singling, getting replaced by Bamesberger to pinch run, getting sac-bunted by 'Buntatron 2000', then filing home on a Danny Woodrow single to center. The Jays lead swelled to 5 runs, leading 6-1 going into the seventh inning.

Butler tried to make things interesting in the 8th as they began to make contact and walk about the bases against Connor Miller, who loaded the bases and was then replaced by Ethan DeCaster. DeCaster allowed Jordan Lucio to get a hold of one, driving the ball near the line in right field, which scored two runs for the Bulldogs. Chris Marras scored during the next at bat as Gehrig Parker swatted into a fielder's choice out. The lead was down to two for Butler.

Unfortunately, the Bulldogs had to face Nick 'Man of the Pines' Highberger and were promptly set down in order. Jays win, Bulldogs lose, nothing is really to see here.

Congrats to the '91 team for staying alive and making it to your 25th CWS anniversary. If I'm alive in 25 years please hunt me down and bury me in a pauper's grave.

Stats!!!!

BUTLER

CREIGHTON