Tuesday, April 13
Durham, N.C.
6:30 p.m.
Davidson College
4
at
2
Duke
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Russell, Zeblo and Defense Lead Davidson to 4-2 Win over Duke Tuesday
4/13/2010 9:35:37 PM | Baseball
Box Score
CARY, N.C. – Sophomore right-hander Brian Russell allowed just one run on four hits in a career-high six innings, freshman shortstop Michael Zeblo drove in three runs, and the Davidson Wildcats turned a season-high four double plays to defeat the Duke Blue Devils, 4-2, in non-conference action Tuesday at the USA Baseball Complex.
Davidson (14-19) started the scoring in the second inning, as senior catcher Tommy Piacenza (1-for-4), Zeblo and sophomore left fielder Seth Freeman (1-for-4, RBI) put together three consecutive hits for a 3-0 lead. Zeblo, who led the Wildcats at the plate by batting 2-for-4 with three RBI, doubled in both junior designated hitter Will General (1-for-2) and Piacenza (1-for-4), and scored himself on the third straight hit, Freeman's base hit to left center.
Duke (19-14) got a run back in the third on back-to-back, two-out hits, as Jake Lemmerman (1-for-3, 2 RBI) doubled in Ryan McCurdy (3-for-4). Otherwise, the Blue Devils had no answer for Russell (W, 3-1), who scattered four hits for just the lone run through six innings in just his second start of the season.
And the Davidson defense did its job, turning a season-high four double plays. After a two-out base hit to Will Currier (1-for-3) in the first, Russell got a ground ball from Jeremy Gould for the third out on a fielder's choice to sophomore second baseman Calvin Sigelbaum. He walked a batter in both the second and fourth, but the Wildcats turned a double play to end each inning. And after retiring three straight in the fifth, he gave up a leadoff single to McCurdy, who was doubled up by junior first baseman Danny Weiss on Lemmerman's liner in the sixth for Davidson's third double play.
Russell plunked Will Piwnica-Worms to start the seventh inning and bring on junior right-hander Andy Bass, who got the fourth double-play ball from Dennis O'Grady (1-for-4) as Zeblo, Sigelbaum and Weiss turned two, before Zeblo ended the inning by throwing out Brian Litwin at first.
Duke cut Davidson's lead to just a run, 3-2, on Lemmerman's sacrifice fly in the eighth. Marcus Stroman (2-for-4) singled to lead off and took second on a sacrifice bunt before moving around to third on McCurdy's third hit of the game. Junior submariner Mike Frongello took the mound, as Lemmerman flew out to junior right fielder Sam Payne to plate the Blue Devils' second run. Frongello walked Currier to keep the Blue Devil rally alive, but Zeblo touched second for the third out as Gould grounded into a fielder's choice.
The Wildcats added an insurance run in the ninth when Sigelbaum led off with a base hit into left field, was sacrificed successfully by General and moved to third as Piacenza grounded out. Zeblo drove in his third run of the game as he legged out a two-out base hit to shortstop Lemmerman in the hole, diving safely at first as Sigelbaum gave the 'Cats a 4-2 lead.
Frongello (S, 1) gave up a one-out base hit to O'Grady in the bottom of the ninth and a two-out single to Stroman, but earned his first save of the season as Sigelbaum got the final out of the game on a fielder's choice from Brady.
Eric Pfisterer (L, 2-4) took the loss for the Blue Devils, allowing four runs on 10 hits and striking out seven in the complete effort.
The Wildcats, who snapped a 12-game losing streak, split the 2010 series with the Blue Devils, after losing the March 23 game, 2-6, in Davidson.
Davidson will continue its non-conference play when it hosts NC Central for a double-header Saturday at 1 p.m. and returns a game to the Eagles Sunday at 2 p.m.
CARY, N.C. – Sophomore right-hander Brian Russell allowed just one run on four hits in a career-high six innings, freshman shortstop Michael Zeblo drove in three runs, and the Davidson Wildcats turned a season-high four double plays to defeat the Duke Blue Devils, 4-2, in non-conference action Tuesday at the USA Baseball Complex.
Davidson (14-19) started the scoring in the second inning, as senior catcher Tommy Piacenza (1-for-4), Zeblo and sophomore left fielder Seth Freeman (1-for-4, RBI) put together three consecutive hits for a 3-0 lead. Zeblo, who led the Wildcats at the plate by batting 2-for-4 with three RBI, doubled in both junior designated hitter Will General (1-for-2) and Piacenza (1-for-4), and scored himself on the third straight hit, Freeman's base hit to left center.
Duke (19-14) got a run back in the third on back-to-back, two-out hits, as Jake Lemmerman (1-for-3, 2 RBI) doubled in Ryan McCurdy (3-for-4). Otherwise, the Blue Devils had no answer for Russell (W, 3-1), who scattered four hits for just the lone run through six innings in just his second start of the season.
And the Davidson defense did its job, turning a season-high four double plays. After a two-out base hit to Will Currier (1-for-3) in the first, Russell got a ground ball from Jeremy Gould for the third out on a fielder's choice to sophomore second baseman Calvin Sigelbaum. He walked a batter in both the second and fourth, but the Wildcats turned a double play to end each inning. And after retiring three straight in the fifth, he gave up a leadoff single to McCurdy, who was doubled up by junior first baseman Danny Weiss on Lemmerman's liner in the sixth for Davidson's third double play.
Russell plunked Will Piwnica-Worms to start the seventh inning and bring on junior right-hander Andy Bass, who got the fourth double-play ball from Dennis O'Grady (1-for-4) as Zeblo, Sigelbaum and Weiss turned two, before Zeblo ended the inning by throwing out Brian Litwin at first.
Duke cut Davidson's lead to just a run, 3-2, on Lemmerman's sacrifice fly in the eighth. Marcus Stroman (2-for-4) singled to lead off and took second on a sacrifice bunt before moving around to third on McCurdy's third hit of the game. Junior submariner Mike Frongello took the mound, as Lemmerman flew out to junior right fielder Sam Payne to plate the Blue Devils' second run. Frongello walked Currier to keep the Blue Devil rally alive, but Zeblo touched second for the third out as Gould grounded into a fielder's choice.
The Wildcats added an insurance run in the ninth when Sigelbaum led off with a base hit into left field, was sacrificed successfully by General and moved to third as Piacenza grounded out. Zeblo drove in his third run of the game as he legged out a two-out base hit to shortstop Lemmerman in the hole, diving safely at first as Sigelbaum gave the 'Cats a 4-2 lead.
Frongello (S, 1) gave up a one-out base hit to O'Grady in the bottom of the ninth and a two-out single to Stroman, but earned his first save of the season as Sigelbaum got the final out of the game on a fielder's choice from Brady.
Eric Pfisterer (L, 2-4) took the loss for the Blue Devils, allowing four runs on 10 hits and striking out seven in the complete effort.
The Wildcats, who snapped a 12-game losing streak, split the 2010 series with the Blue Devils, after losing the March 23 game, 2-6, in Davidson.
Davidson will continue its non-conference play when it hosts NC Central for a double-header Saturday at 1 p.m. and returns a game to the Eagles Sunday at 2 p.m.
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