Duke Drops First Game Of The Year In 11-4 Loss To East Carolina

Sunday, February 25

Greenville, N.C.

10:00 AM

Duke University

East Carolina

Duke Drops First Game Of The Year In 11-4 Loss To East Carolina

2/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The Duke Blue Devils suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, falling to host East Carolina, 11-4, at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Blue Devils fall to 9-1 on the year while the Pirates improve to 5-5.

Duke took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Second baseman Ryan McCurdy was hit by the first pitch thrown by East Carolina starter Chris Powell to start the game. After McCurdy advanced to second on a wild pitch, center fielder Jonathan Anderson moved McCurdy to third with a sacrifice bunt. Right fielder Jimmy Gallagher then laced an RBI-single to right to score McCurdy, giving the Blue Devils a one-run advantage.

East Carolina scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead. Center fielder Harrison Eldridge drew a walk to lead off the inning before advancing to second on a wild pitch and then to third on a passed ball. After shortstop Dale Mollenhauer walked to give the Pirates runners on the corners, first baseman Stephen Batts grounded out to short, scoring Eldridge and moving Mollenhauer to second. Mollenhauer then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt before scoring on a passed ball. Catcher Corey Kemp then drew a walk before advancing all the way to third on two wild pitches. Designated hitter Brandon Henderson capped the inning with an RBI-double to right center to score Kemp.

The Pirates added a run on a sacrifice fly by Eldridge in the bottom of the second to push their lead to 4-1.

Henderson hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the third to extend East Carolina's lead to 6-1.

East Carolina added a pair of runs on an RBI-triple by Batts and a sacrifice fly by Kemp in the bottom of the fourth to take an 8-1 lead.

The Pirates then scored two runs off two Duke errors in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 10-1.

An RBI-sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Bobby Fowler in the bottom of the seventh put the Pirates up 11-1.

Left fielder Tim Sherlock led off the top of the eighth with a solo home run to center, crushing a 2-1 pitch over the wall for his first homer of the season and third of his career. Pinch hitter Michael Ghizzoni then sent a double to right center before advancing to third on a passed ball. Shortstop Gabriel Saade then lifted a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Ghizzoni to make it an 11-3 ballgame.

Duke added a run in the top of the ninth to make the score 11-4. Gallagher led off the inning with a double to left field. First baseman Nate Freiman then doubled to left, moving Gallagher to third. Third baseman Brett Bartles followed with an RBI-grounder to second to score Gallagher.

Freiman led the Blue Devils at the plate, going 4-for-5 on the day. Gallagher went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, Saade was 1-for-3 with an RBI, Bartles went 1-for-4 with an RBI, Sherlock was 1-for-5 with a solo home run, McCurdy finished 1-for-4 with a run scored and Ghizzoni was 1-for-1 with a run scored.

Freshman Jeremy Gould (0-1) suffered his first loss of the season, allowing three runs in 0.2 innings of work. Sophomore Kyle Butler came in and had a solid eighth inning for the Blue Devils, holding the Pirates hitless in the frame.

The Blue Devils will return to Jack Coombs Field on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. game against North Carolina A&T. Duke then hosts Holy Cross for a double-header on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. The Blue Devils will then wrap up the three-game series with Holy Cross on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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