No. 18 Virginia Takes Series With Sunday?s 11-3 Win Over Duke

Sunday, April 9

Durham, N.C.

1:00 PM

Duke University

Virginia

Tonight?s Duke-Davidson Baseball Game Postponed Due To Rain

No. 18 Virginia Takes Series With Sunday?s 11-3 Win Over Duke

4/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? Shortstop Greg Miclat broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI-single in the top of the sixth as No. 18 Virginia went on to defeat the Duke Blue Devils, 11-3, on Sunday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils fall to 11-26 overall and 4-11 in the ACC while the Cavaliers improve to 27-9 overall and 8-7 in league play. After dropping Friday night's game, Virginia won on Saturday and Sunday to take the series, 2-1.

With the score knotted at 3-3 entering the top of the sixth, catcher Ryan Hudson hit a one-out double down the left field line to start the inning. Two batters later, Miclat singled to center to score Hudson to give the Cavaliers a 4-3 lead. Center fielder Tim Henry then capped the inning with an RBI-single up the middle to score Miclat.

Duke scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Right fielder Jimmy Gallagher led off the inning with a double down the right field line. Two batters later, designated hitter Nate Freiman laced an RBI-single through the left side to score Gallagher. Freiman, who advanced to second on the throw home, then stole third before scoring on a groundout by second baseman Javier Socorro.

Virginia would score a run in each of the second, third and fourth innings to take a 3-2 lead. In the top of the second, Miclat lined an RBI-single up the middle to score designated hitter Tom Hagan.

The Cavaliers would take advantage of two Duke errors in the top of the third, scoring on a throwing error by shortstop Brett Bartles.

In the top of the fourth, Hudson was hit by a pitch to start the frame. After third baseman Patrick Wingfield singled through the right side, Miclat reached on a throwing error by third baseman Kyle Kreick. Henry followed with a sacrifice fly to left to score Hudson.

The Blue Devils answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 3-3. Socorro drew a one-out walk and stole second base to begin the inning. After Socorro advanced to third on a groundout by center fielder Jonathan Anderson, first baseman Jonathan Nicolla scored Socorro with an infield single to tie the game.

The Cavaliers would then score six times in the top of the eighth, highlighted by a three-run homer by second baseman David Adams, to take an 11-3 lead. Four of the six runs scored in the eighth were unearned.

Virginia starter Mike Ballard improved to 5-2 on the season, holding the Blue Devils to three runs on six hits in 8.0 innings of work.

Duke starter Tony Bajoczky (1-7) suffered his seventh loss of the season after allowing five runs on six hits in 7.0 innings pitched.

Miclat led the Cavaliers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Hagan and Wingfield both collected a pair of hits while Adams drove in four runs for Virginia.

The Blue Devils will host Davidson on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Jack Coombs Field before hosting Wake Forest for a three-game series Friday through Sunday. The weekend series with the Demon Deacons will wrap up a seven-game homestand for Duke. The Blue Devils will then travel to Blacksburg, Va., to face Virginia Tech for a three-game set April 21-23.

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