Creighton gets no-hit -- but wins

OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton's hitless victory against North Dakota State is the first in Division I baseball since 2006, according to a college baseball historian.

Two North Dakota State pitchers combined for a no-hitter, but the Bluejays won 2-0 thanks to nine walks and a hit batsman in a seven-inning game.

The NCAA record book does not list no-hitters pitched by losing teams. According to historian Boyd Nation of Birmingham, Ala., Wednesday marked the first time a team no-hit an opponent and lost since Maryland-Baltimore County's Eddie Bach held Hartford hitless and lost 1-0 in a seven-inning game April 30, 2006. Hartford scored its only run in the sixth inning on an error, two steals and a wild pitch by Bach.

Nation, who runs the college baseball Web site www.boydsworld.com, said that since at least 2005, there have been no nine-inning games in which a team pitching a no-hitter has lost. Nation does not have complete records for every game before 2005.

"With three times as many games in just Division I as in the pros each year, it's bound to have happened before," Nation said.

In Creighton's win, North Dakota State's Chad Berg walked four of the first six batters, allowing the Bluejays to score their first run, then hit Joe Servais with a pitch to make the score 2-0.

Berg walked the first batter of the next inning before he was replaced by Chris Paterson.

The Bluejays (21-8) loaded the bases with walks again in the third inning, but Paterson got Nick Nordgren to ground out to end the threat.

Fifteen of Berg's 43 pitches were for strikes. Paterson threw 66 pitches, 35 for strikes.

North Dakota State (6-16) had seven hits in the first game of a doubleheader. Four Creighton pitchers struck out 11 batters, with just two walks.

Creighton coach Ed Servais said he hadn't seen anything like it in his 40 years in the sport.

"Baseball is a strange, strange game," he said.

Creighton went on to win the second game 1-0.