Duke Evens Series with 6-3 Win Over Georgia Tech

Saturday, March 14

Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)

1:00 PM

Duke University

Georgia Tech

Duke Travels to Virginia for Final Road Series

Duke Evens Series with 6-3 Win Over Georgia Tech

3/14/2015 7:54:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Senior Andrew Istler turned in his third quality start of the season and redshirt sophomore Jalen Phillips drove in three RBI to lead Duke past Georgia Tech, 6-3, Saturday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field.

Duke (14-4, 2-3 ACC) totaled 11 hits and 10 walks, leading wire-to-wire after scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Phillips amassed a career-high three RBI with a pair of doubles in the contest. The Duke left fielder extended his current hit streak to four games, a span in which he has batted .411 (7-for-17) with five RBI.

“[Phillips] came up in big spots and really delivered today,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “None bigger than the double down the line off of [Devin] Shelton. I thought it was a really good at bat and Shelton is really tough on left-handers. Jalen's really starting to heat up.”

Phillips was not the only Blue Devil to notch multiple hits in the game. Senior Andy Perez posted a 2-for-4 outing and redshirt senior Mike Rosenfeld went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored. Perez also stole two bases, marking the fifth-straight game in which he has swiped a base and the fourth time this season Perez has totaled multiple stolen bases.

Istler (2-1) held the potent Georgia Tech offense at bay for much of the afternoon, permitting just six hits over 7.2 innings. The Yellow Jackets struck for solo runs in the second, fourth and eighth innings off the Duke right-hander, but Istler was able to limit the damage each time. He generated 15 groundball outs and struck out four while walking just one batter.

“When [Istler's] at his best, he's getting a lot of ground ball contact and getting a lot of quick outs,” said Pollard. “He has an MO when he's really good, he gets stronger as the game goes on because he gets a little more sink on his fastball. He did today and he got better and better as the game went on.”

For the second time in as many games, Duke struck for an early two-run advantage. The first three Blue Devil hitters all singled to start the game. A pair of wild pitches and a Justin Bellinger sacrifice fly to center gave Duke a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.

Georgia Tech challenged the lead in the second before coming away with just one run. Adam Murray began with a leadoff triple and crossed home on Matt Gonzalez's RBI groundout. Following a Keenan Innis single, Istler induced a 6-4-3 double play ball to nullify the threat.

Phillips registered the first of his three RBI with a two-out double in the third to plate Cris Perez, who singled earlier in the inning.

The Yellow Jackets countered in the fourth, mounting a two-out rally to threaten the Duke lead. Murray doubled and crossed home on a Gonzalez RBI base knock. Rosenfeld was then able to throw out Gonzalez attempting to steal second to end the frame.

Freshman Evan Dougherty and junior Kenny Koplove belted back-to-back singles in the sixth to set the tables for a fourth Duke run. Dougherty scored on a double-play ball to make it a 4-2 Duke lead.

On a 0-2 count in the seventh, Phillips laced his second double of the game, this time to right field with the bases loaded to plate a pair of Blue Devil runs. Rosenfeld and C. Perez scored on the play after reaching via a base hit and Yellow Jacket error.

Georgia Tech center fielder Daniel Spingola belted a two-out solo home run in the eighth to trim the margin to 6-3. Koplove took the mound and registered the four-out save, allowing two hits while striking out two batters. Koplove now has four saves on the season and has yet to allow a run.

Duke and Georgia Tech meet in the series finales Sunday, Mar. 15. First pitch is set for 1 p.m., from Jack Coombs Field.

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