Duke Wins Two Sunday, Sweeps Rider

Sunday, March 1

Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)

2:00 PM

Duke University

Rider

Duke Concludes Home Stand with UMES, Princeton

Duke Wins Two Sunday, Sweeps Rider

3/1/2015 11:30:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke baseball team picked up a pair of wins over Rider Sunday afternoon to sweep the Broncs in the three-game series at Jack Coombs Field. Junior Kenny Koplove delivered the 11th-inning walkoff single to help the Blue Devils down Rider, 2-1, in the first game before Duke won the second contest, 11-3.

Duke sits at 9-1 following the weekend, while Rider fell to 2-5. The Blue Devils' 9-1 record over the first 10 games marks Duke's best start since beginning the 2008 campaign 12-0.

Game 1
Junior Kenny Koplove and senior Mike Rosenfeld went a combined 4-for-7 at the plate, accounting for both Duke runs in the Blue Devils' 2-1, 11-inning victory.

Down 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, Rosenfeld roped the first of his two doubles. Koplove brought him home with a double of his own, knotting the score at 1-1.

The two teams remained locked at one until the bottom of the 11th, when Rosenfeld once again doubled to ignite the offense. Koplove smacked a base hit up the middle, his third hit of the game, to give the Blue Devils' their second-consecutive walkoff victory.

Duke received another solid start from sophomore Bailey Clark, who allowed just one run on three hits over seven innings. Clark struck out six and walked two in the no decision.

Redshirt junior Conner Stevens came on and two shutout innings in relief to preserve the stalemate. Freshman Mitch Stallings (1-1) registered his first career win, tossing a pair of scoreless frames in the 10th and 11th. Stallings allowed one hit while striking out two and walking one.

Rider's lone run came in the top of the second when catcher Lee Lipinski hit a solo home run to left field.

The Broncs' Paul Sparano (0-1) suffered the loss. Sparano went three innings, yielding the one run on four hits.

Senior Andy Perez went 2-for-3 at the plate and totaled a career-high four stolen bases as well.

Game 2
All nine in Duke's starting lineup reached base and the Blue Devils amassed 13 hits to defeat Rider 11-3 in the series finale.

Four Blue Devils recorded multiple hits, led by freshman Michael Smiciklas' 3-for-4 performance. Smiciklas also drove in a career-best three RBI, including a two-run double in the second.

Freshman Evan Dougherty, senior Mike Rosenfeld and freshman Justin Bellinger also added two hits apiece. Over the two games Sunday, Rosenfeld turned in a 5-for-8 performance with two doubles, four runs scored and two RBI.

Duke used six pitchers in the finale and senior Sarkis Ohanian (1-0) earned the win after throwing three shutout innings. Ohanian fanned a career-high seven batters to hold the Broncs scoreless over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. He did not walk a batter and gave up just two hits.

Duke scored four runs in the bottom of the second to stake an advantage it would not relinquish the rest of the way. Back-to-back walks began the rally before Rosenfeld drilled a two-run single and Smiciklas followed with a two-run double.

Rider struck back with two runs in the top of the fourth, trimming the margin to 4-2. James Locklear came up with the two-run single to score Lipinski and Jake Bender, who both walked.

Duke countered with a run in the bottom half as Rosenfeld singled, stole second then scored on consecutive errors by the Rider catcher and centerfielder.

A Cris Perez two-run double in the fifth extended the lead to a comfortable 7-2. Duke scored two more runs in the sixth and another two in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

The Blue Devils return to action Tuesday, hosting Liberty in a non-conference game at 4 p.m. at Jack Coombs Field.

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