MASON, Ohio (Interstat) — Creighton scored early and often Thursday, defeating Connecticut 7-4 in the Big East Baseball Championship at Prasco Park.

The third-seeded Bluejays improved to 30-25 with the victory, while the second-seeded Huskies fell to 32-26. Creighton outhit Connecticut 13-4, with Rocco Gump and Nate McHugh each driving in three runs.

Creighton took control in the top of the first inning. Gump walked, McHugh walked and Jack North reached on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases. A strikeout and a flyout ended the threat, but the Bluejays broke through in the second.

Gump tripled to right-center, driving in two runs. McHugh followed with an RBI double to left, giving Creighton a 3-0 lead.

Wilson Magers started for the Bluejays and worked around traffic for five innings. He allowed three earned runs despite yielding no hits, striking out one. Connecticut threatened in the fourth, scoring twice on a single by Dalena and a sacrifice fly by Rob Rispoli.

Creighton answered in the fifth and sixth. In the fifth, a walk and a fielder’s choice set the stage for Gump, who reached on a bunt error that allowed a run to score. McHugh then singled through the right side, plating two more for a 7-2 lead.

Connecticut cut the deficit to 7-4 in the sixth. Marshall doubled and Rispoli homered to left, driving in two. But Shea Wendt entered in the seventh and shut the door, pitching three perfect innings with two strikeouts.

Gump finished 2-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs. McHugh was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. For Connecticut, Rispoli went 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBIs.

Creighton had lost two of three at Connecticut in early April, but avenged those defeats in the neutral-site tournament. The Bluejays’ bullpen, led by Wendt, retired the final nine Huskies in order.

Connecticut’s Greg Shaw pitched 4.2 innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts. Paxton Meyers, Evan Hamberger and Garret Garbinski combined for 1.2 innings of relief.

Creighton next faces Saint John’s on Thursday, while Connecticut travels to play Xavier.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Connecticut 6, Creighton 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Connecticut a 53.00 percent probability to win.