Duke Takes Opener from Boston College 10-6

Friday, April 8

Durham, N.C. (Durham Bulls Athletic Park)

6:00 PM

Duke University

Boston College

Duke Takes Opener from Boston College 10-6

4/8/2011 9:29:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Chris Marconcini drove in three RBI, and Will Piwnica-Worms hit his first home run of the season to lead Duke past Boston College 10-6 in the series opener on Friday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Marconcini, a freshman outfielder, tagged three hits, stole two bases and increased his team-leading RBI total to 29 as the Blue Devils (19-14, 4-9 ACC) knocked out 16 hits in the win. The 16 hits are the second most in a game this season for Duke and the most since the Blue Devils posted 20 on Feb. 27 against Villanova.

Marconcini was one of four Duke players with three hits, leading a group that included Jeff Kremer, Anthony D'Alessandro and Angelo LaBruna. Kremer, batting in the leadoff spot, reached base in all five plate appearances with three singles and two walks while D'Alessandro went 3-for-4 with two RBI and LaBruna rapped three singles and scored twice. Piwnica-Worms also hit a towering solo homer over the 32-foot wall in left field in the second inning, and freshman Jordan Betts added two RBI and his first career triple.

The offensive explosion provided plenty of support for freshman starter Dillon Haviland (2-2), who scattered eight hits and four runs over a career-high 5.2 innings. Junior reliever Ben Grisz took over in the sixth inning and held the Eagles to two runs – one earned – over 2.1 frames before classmate Joe Pedevillano retired the side in the ninth to secure Duke's third straight victory.

Boston College got four RBI from nine-hitter Tom Bourdon and a 4-for-4 performance from eight-hitter Matt Hamlet, but it was not enough to overcome an early 4-1 deficit.

The Eagles picked up the first run of the game in the top of the second inning on a two-out one-run single by Hamlet that scored Marc Perdios after he reached base on a double. The Blue Devils answered right back in the bottom of the second inning on a home run by Piwnica-Worms that evened the score at 1-1.

Duke added three runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead. Marconcini added two out of the three runs with a two-run single that scored Dennis O'Grady and Kremer. D'Alessandro plated the third run of the inning with an RBI single that scored Marconcini, who advanced to third from a failed pickoff attempt by the catcher and a steal.

Boston College cut into the three-run deficit in the top of the fourth inning on Bourdon's sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Matt Watson.

The Blue Devils responded in the fifth inning to take a four run lead after picking up two runs from a one-run triple by Betts and then a one-run double by D'Alessandro. Once again Boston College would cut into a four run deficit after picking up two runs in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 6-4. The Eagles plated their two runs on a two-run single by Bourdon who has tallied three out the four runs.

Duke extended its lead in the bottom of the sixth to 8-4 after Marconcini hit a one-run single with the bases loaded that scored LaBruna after he reached base on a leadoff single. The next run came from a sacrifice fly out by Betts that allowed O'Grady to score from third. The Blue Devils added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend the lead to 10-4 on a one-run single by O'Grady and a passed ball by the catcher that allowed D'Alessandro to score from third.

The Eagles plated two more runs in the top of the eighth inning on a one-run single by Matt McGovern and a fielder's choice by Bourdon that scored Perdios, who reached base on a leadoff single, which cut the lead to 10-6. That would be it for Boston College, however, as LaBruna killed a potential ninth-inning rally with a leaping grab on a line drive that he converted into a double play to end the game.

Duke will send O'Grady (4-1, 4.54 ERA) to the mound opposite Boston College southpaw Nate Bayuk (3-3, 3.68 ERA) for game two of the series, which will air live on Fox Sports South, Sun Sports and CSN Mid-Atlantic at 1 p.m. from Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

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