Clark, Koplove Combine to Shutout Iona

Sunday, February 22

Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)

6:00 PM

Duke University

Iona

Clark, Koplove Combine to Shutout Iona

2/22/2015 9:00:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke received tremendous pitching performances from sophomore Bailey Clark and junior Kenny Koplove as the Blue Devils shut out Iona, 1-0, Sunday evening at Jack Coombs Field. With the victory, Duke went 3-0 at the second annual Duke Baseball Classic presented by Homewood Suites by Hilton RDU/RTP and improved to 5-1 on the year.

Clark (1-0) was dominant from start to finish in his second career start. The right-hander needed just 85 pitches to toss eight scoreless innings and strike out a career-high 11 batters. His 11 strikeouts were the most by a Duke pitcher since Michael Matuella fanned 12 May 4, 2014 against Longwood.

“[I] really felt good from the first pitch of the game,” said Clark. “Got the first pitch strike, after that you're just playing baseball. I felt strong and didn't feel like I fatigued in the outing and that kept me tight in the zone.”

Clark faced the minimum in six of his eight innings, allowing just three singles and one walk. He registered at least one strikeout in every frame, including two strikeouts in the first, sixth and seventh innings. The Gaels never really threatened against him and only one Iona (1-6) baserunner moved into scoring position for the game.

“It was a tremendous outing and I'm really proud of Bailey,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “He's put in a lot of hard work to get to this point. It's not a surprise; he's pitched exceptionally well this fall and this spring. He put it together in every phase tonight. Really threw the ball well and had terrific mound presence and command of all three pitches out there.”

Koplove came on in relief in the ninth and struck out the side to preserve the win and pick up his first career save. In two outings on the mound this season, Koplove has totaled six strikeouts without giving up a hit.

“That's two weekends in a row [Koplove's] come in and been lights out,” Pollard said. “He threw pitches for strikes and really kept guys off balance. He produced some really bad swings.”

A pair of two-out doubles in the bottom of the first proved to be the difference for the Blue Devils. Freshman Evan Dougherty registered the second double of his young career with two away. Sophomore clean-up hitter Cris Perez then drilled a double, his third of the season, off the wall in deep center field to plate the game's only run. Perez now has a team-leading eight RBI on the season, including four this weekend.

Duke's other two hits in the game came on a Koplove sixth-inning single and a Peter Zyla eighth-inning base knock.

Iona starter Eddie Macaluso (0-2) allowed just the one run on three hits to suffer the loss. Macaluso struck out nine and did not walk a batter over seven innings of work.

“Macaluso is a very good arm,” Pollard added. “He pitched an exceptional game last week against Missouri. He was a lot better than advertised. What made him so difficult was he pitched to the bottom of the zone and the top of the zone.”

Next up, Duke takes on UNC Greensboro in its first midweek game of the season Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Jack Coombs Field.

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