Bartles & Hassan Homer To Lift Duke To A Late-Inning 10-5 Win Over Fairleigh Dickinson

Wednesday, March 14

Durham, N.C.

3:00 PM

Duke University

Fairleigh Dickinson

Summer Notebook: Three More Blue Devils Named All-Stars

Bartles & Hassan Homer To Lift Duke To A Late-Inning 10-5 Win Over Fairleigh Dickinson

3/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Third baseman Brett Bartles hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning and right fielder Alexander Hassan hit a pair of home runs, including a three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth, to lift Duke to a 10-5 come-from-behind victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field. With the win, the Blue Devils improve to 17-4 on the season while the Knights fall to 4-5.

With Duke trailing 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, Hassan and designated hitter Jonathan Anderson drew back-to-back walks to start the inning. Two batters later, first baseman Nate Freiman flied out to left, moving Hassan to third. After Anderson stole second, Bartles connected on a 2-1 pitch and sent the go-ahead three-run shot over the center field wall. The home run was the second in as many days for Bartles and the ninth of his career.

The Blue Devils then added four runs in the bottom of the eighth to extend their lead to 10-5. Shortstop Gabriel Saade lined a one-out single to left before advancing to third on a double down the left field line by second baseman Ryan McCurdy. Hassan then stepped to the plate and crushed a 1-1 offering deep to left for a three-run jack. It was the second home run of the day for Hassan. Anderson was then hit by a pitch following the three-run homer. Center fielder Jimmy Gallagher capped the inning with an RBI-double to right to score Anderson.

Duke took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Bartles reached on an infield single to start the inning before stealing second. After Bartles advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt, catcher Matt Williams scored Bartles on an RBI-groundout to second for the first run of the game.

The Blue Devils added a pair of runs in the third to go ahead 3-0. After McCurdy reached on an infield single, Hassan turned on a 2-1 pitch and sent a two-run shot over the left field wall for his first career home run.

Fairleigh Dickinson scored four runs in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. Designated hitter Vincente Medina walked to begin the frame before moving to third on a double to left by shortstop Luis Rosario. After a walk to catcher Vincent Pennacchio loaded the bases, the Knights scored two runs on a Duke error. Second baseman Jeff Vincent then lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Pennacchio. First baseman Jovan Santos scored the final run of the inning on a passed ball.

The Knights would then take a 5-3 lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI-single by Rosario before Bartles' three-run homer gave Duke the lead for good.

Hassan led the Blue Devils at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs and a career-high five RBI. Bartles finished the game 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored and McCurdy went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Gallagher and Williams both added an RBI for the Blue Devils.

Sophomore Andrew Wolcott improved to 3-1 on the season after holding the Knights to one run on three hits in 2.2 innings of relief. Freshman Michael Seander worked a scoreless eighth and ninth to pick up his fifth save of the year. Seander's fifth save moves him into a tie for seventh place on Duke's single-season saves chart. Freshman Christopher Manno struck out four batters in his first career start on the mound and held the Knights to three hits in 4.1 innings of work.

The Blue Devils head to Clemson this weekend to face the sixth-ranked Tigers. Friday's game is scheduled for 7:15 p.m., Saturday's game is at 4 p.m. and Sunday's series finale will start at 1 p.m. Duke will then return home to face Georgia Tech March 23-25 at Jack Coombs Field.

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