Big Second Inning Sends Duke Past Yale 13-3

Tuesday, March 10

Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)

4:00 PM

Duke University

Yale

Big Second Inning Sends Duke Past Yale 13-3

3/10/2015 8:01:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke exploded for eight runs in the second to put the game out of reach and defeated Yale, 13-3, in nonconference action Tuesday at Jack Coombs Field.

Duke (12-3, 1-2 ACC) scored it season-high 13 runs on 16 hits. All nine Blue Devils in the starting lineup scored at least one run while eight different Duke players registered an RBI.

Junior Kenny Koplove and freshman Justin Bellinger led the way with three hits each and also combined for three RBI and two runs scored. Bellinger continued his solid play from over the weekend and is now 6-for-8 with seven RBI over the past two contests.

Sophomore Cris Perez added a three-run double in the second and a leadoff triple in the seventh. Perez now leads the team in both doubles (6) and RBI (16).

“We took advantage of a couple mistakes they made,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “We stayed in the inning long enough to have a couple big hits in the end and none bigger than the bases-clearing double by Cris Perez.”

The Blue Devils scored an unconventional run in the first to claim the early lead. Freshman Peter Zyla singled and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Zyla was then able to score on a balk called against Yale starter Green Campbell (0-1).

Campbell would not make it out of the second inning as the Blue Devils racked up eight runs on five hits, two walks, a hit batter and an error. Campbell was credited with the loss after yielding nine runs, three earned, on six hits.

The eight-run second began with a walk and a hit batter before Michael Smiciklas singled to load the bases. Freshman Max Miller drove in a run on a fielder's choice before Koplove added an RBI base hit. A Yale defensive miscue allowed the inning to continue and Perez delivered the decisive hit, roping a double to left field with the bases loaded to extend Duke's lead to a comfortable7-0. RBI base knocks from Rosenfeld and Bellinger completed the frame, which ended with a 9-0 Blue Devil advantage.

Duke reached double digits with a run in the fourth. Rosenfeld, Bellinger and Smiciklas recorded three-straight two-out singles to put the Blue Devils up, 10-0.

The Bulldogs scored their first run in the sixth on Harrison White's RBI double. White ended the day 2-for-3 with two RBI after driving in Yale's third run with a base hit in the eighth. Richard Slenker added an RBI groundout in the eighth to account for the Bulldogs' scoring.

The Blue Devils put two runs on the board in the sixth and a solo run in the eighth. Bellinger and senior Andy Perez collected an RBI each in the sixth. Freshman Johnathan Lloyd crossed home in the eighth on a Ryan Day sacrifice fly after lining his first career double to lead off the inning.

Freshman Jack Labosky made his first career start on the mound and tossed three scoreless innings to begin the game. Classmate Chris McGrath (1-0) came on in relief and allowed one run on three hits over three innings of work to pick up his first career win. Redshirt freshman James Ziemba and freshman Luke Whitten combined to allow one hit over the final three frames.

Duke faces a quick turnaround as the Blue Devils take on Bryant Wednesday, Mar. 11. The Blue Devils and the Bulldogs are schedule for a 4 p.m., first pitch at Jack Coombs Field.

#GoDuke