Stroman Pitches Duke to 10-3 Win Over Wake Forest

Friday, April 23

Winston-Salem, N.C.

6:00 PM

Duke University

Wake Forest

Duke Takes on No. 15 Miami in Regular Season Finale

Stroman Pitches Duke to 10-3 Win Over Wake Forest

4/23/2010 8:00:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - In his first career start, freshman Marcus Stroman threw a complete game with 10 strikeouts to lead Duke to a 10-3 win over Wake Forest on Friday evening at Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park.

Stroman (5-1) surrendered just five hits in his nine innings and did not give up an earned run until the bottom of the ninth inning. Stroman, who made his first 12 pitching appearances in relief, struck out three of the last four batters he faced and held the Demon Deacons scoreless for seven straight frames until the ninth inning.

Duke (23-16, 7-12 ACC) gave Stroman plenty of run support, highlighted by a trio of home runs from Jeremy Gould, Will Currier and Jake Lemmerman. Gould's long ball came in the fourth inning and erased a 1-0 deficit, while Currier and Lemmerman's homers both came in a six-run ninth inning.

With his three-run homer and a two-run double, Lemmerman matched a career-high with five RBI. Hitting in the leadoff spot, Lemmerman reached base three times and scored twice as the Blue Devils totaled nine hits and stranded just one base runner.

Wake Forest left-hander Tim Cooney (3-4) took the loss after surrendering eight runs in 8.2 innings. Only five of those runs were earned, however, as Wake Forest committed two errors in the game. The Demon Deacons (10-31, 2-17 ACC) did not score a run from the second through eighth inning as Stroman surrendered just two hits during that span.

Stroman cost himself a run in the opening inning with a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt, but quickly bounced back to shut down the Deacs over his next seven innings. The freshman right-hander struck out four batters during his first three frames, including three straight at one point. Unfortunately for Duke, Cooney was even better and was perfect through his first three innings to keep the Deacs on top 3-1.

Gould quickly changed that with one swing of the bat in the fourth, however, and put Duke on top 2-1 with a two-run homer in his second at bat. Gould lifted his third home run of the season over the left field wall to plate Lemmerman, who drew a leadoff walk to become Duke's first baserunner of the game.

The hits kept coming for the Blue Devils in the top of the fifth, as Lemmerman capped a two-out rally with a two-run double that put Duke on top 4-1. Eight and nine-hitters Dennis O'Grady and Ryan McCurdy started the rally with consecutive two-out singles before Lemmerman roped a line drive down the right field line with two outs to send in both runners.

Stroman found his groove, starting in the third inning, and retired 11 straight hitters before giving up a one-out single in the sixth. Despite the base hit, Stroman went on to hold the Demon Deacons scoreless in the sixth to keep Duke on top 4-1.

Stroman shut out Wake Forest again in the seventh and eighth before Currier and Lemmerman each popped two-run homers as part of a six-run ninth inning. Currier's bomb - his ninth of the season - easily cleared the left field wall, while Lemmerman's long ball - also his ninth - left the park in the same spot. Duke also got a two-out RBI single from O'Grady in the inning to increase the lead to 10-1.

Needing just three more outs to secure his first career complete game, Stroman faltered momentarily but sealed the win by striking out three of the last four batters he faced. Stroman surrendered his first two earned runs of the game on a home run from three-hitter Steven Brooks, but then struck out Mike Murray, Mac Williamson and Matt Conway to end the game and reach double-digit strikeouts.

With a 1-0 lead, Duke will have the opportunity to win the series on Saturday, April 24, at 6 p.m. at Gene Hooks Field. Duke will start freshman right-hander Chase Bebout (4-1, 3.72 ERA) opposite Wake Forest lefty Austin Stadler (1-3, 6.88 ERA).

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