Duke Takes Series From N.C. State With 7-1 Win Sunday

Sunday, March 13

Durham, N.C. (Durham Bulls Athletic Park)

1:00 PM

Duke University

N.C. State

Stroman Shines in 10-2 Victory over Wake Forest

Duke Takes Series From N.C. State With 7-1 Win Sunday

3/13/2011 4:14:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Marcus Stroman threw seven innings of one-run baseball, and freshman Anthony D'Alessandro hit a three-run home run to lead the Blue Devils to a series-clinching 7-1 win over N.C. State on Sunday afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Stroman (1-0) scattered five hits and gave up one earned run while striking out seven with no walks through seven complete innings. The sophomore right-hander pitched 6.2 shutout innings before giving up his first run of the season in the top of the seventh that ended a streak of 13.2 scoreless innings. After getting through the seventh, Stroman handed the ball over to juniors Ben Grisz and Eric Pfisterer, who combined to shut out the Wolfpack over the final two innings with one strikeout apiece.

D'Alessandro finished 2-for-4 with three RBI that came off of his three-run home run that was the first of his career, the second this season for Duke (13-4, 2-1 ACC) and Duke's second in the last two games.

Along with D'Alessandro, senior Dennis O'Grady and freshman Jordan Betts recorded multiple hits. O'Grady finished 2-for-3 with two singles, three RBI and a run scored, while Betts was 3-for-5 with three singles and also record a run. Betts' single in the third inning extended his ACC-leading hit streak to 14 games.

Freshmen Chris Marconcini, David Perkins and Angelo LaBruna all recorded a hit and combined to score three of Duke's eight runs. LaBruna finished 1-for-2 with a single and swiped his fourth bag of the season while Marconcini scored twice and Perkins recorded a hit for the third straight game. Jeff Kremer picked up the only other RBI on the day for the Blue Devils on a sacrifice fly that scored Marconcini.

Duke scored its seven runs on 10 hits, with a stolen base that pushes its total for the season to an ACC-leading 33.

The Blue Devils got on the board in the bottom of the third inning with a five-run outburst with all five runs coming with two outs. O'Grady drove in the first two runs of the inning with a bases-loaded single, and D'Alessandro cleared the bases in the next at-bat with a three run home run to right field that put Duke on top 5-0.

Stroman took the lead and ran with it, giving up just four hits over his next four innings. The 5-9, 185-pound right-hander notched five of his strikeouts during that span and did not allow a run until N.C. State center fielder Brett Williams hit a two-out single in the seventh that scored John Gianis from third base. Stroman quickly got even, however, and picked Gianis off at first base to end the rally.

Duke added the final two runs of the game in the bottom half of the seventh inning. Kremer hit a sacrifice fly to right-center field that scored Marconcini from third after he was hit by a pitch to reach first and advanced to third on a single by Betts. O'Grady picked up his final RBI of the game with a single that scored Betts from second.

Up next, the Blue Devils will play two midweek games versus in-state opponents. Duke will host N.C. Central on Tuesday, March 15, and then host Charlotte on Wednesday, March 16, at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils will then hit the road for their second ACC series, a three-game set at No. 8 Clemson.