Phillips Homers Twice in 16-4 Win Over Columbia

Wednesday, March 18

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

6:00 PM

Duke University

Columbia

Phillips Homers Twice in 16-4 Win Over Columbia

3/18/2015 11:12:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Redshirt sophomore Jalen Phillips homered twice, drove in a career-high four RBI and scored three runs as Duke defeated Columbia, 16-4, Wednesday evening at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Blue Devils scored a season-high 16 runs on 14 hits and nine walks to improve to 6-0 in midweek games.

Phillips was one of four Blue Devils to register multiple hits along with junior Kenny Koplove, senior Andy Perez and sophomore Cris Perez. Koplove went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored in addition to pitching a scoreless ninth. A. Perez added two hits, two runs and two stolen bases, while C. Perez had two hits and two RBI.

In total, all nine in the Blue Devil starting lineup reached base in one of Duke's best offensive performances of the season.

Duke (16-5, 2-4 ACC) used six pitchers in the contest. Redshirt senior Dillon Haviland (1-0) picked up his first win of the season after allowing one run on one hit over 2.1 innings. Redshirt freshman James Ziemba struck out a career-best five batters over 2.1 scoreless innings as well.

For the second consecutive game, Columbia (3-9, 0-0 Ivy) struck first, this time with a run in the second. Following a scoreless first, the Lions' Joe Falcone laced a leadoff double and came home after a Duke defensive error.

Koplove evened the score in the bottom half with a two-out, RBI double that plated freshman Michael Smiciklas.

Columbia regained the advantage in the third on a Shane Adams RBI single and Jordan Serena RBI double. The Lions were unable to hold the lead as Duke exploded for 10 runs over the next two innings.

“I'm really proud of the way we responded after we made some mistakes early,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “We looked a bit sluggish and then we came out and really had a good approach in the third and had a big answer.”

Lions' starter Harrison Egly (0-1) pitched well the first two innings, but walked four batters in a four-run Duke fourth. After Evan Dougherty drew the RBI walk, Peter Zyla ripped a three-run triple, the first of his career, down the right field line to give the Blue Devils a 5-3 margin.

Duke put the game out of reach with a six-run fourth. The first six Blue Devils reached base, beginning with Phillips' first career home run, a solo shot that landed in the right field stands. A. Perez tripled and Max Miller walked before Mike Rosenfeld, C. Perez and Smiciklas record three-straight singles. Dougherty and Koplove each drove in a run to complete the frame, resulting in an 11-3 Blue Devil advantage.

Columbia scored its fourth and final run in the fifth. Serena again knocked in a run, this time with a two-out single.

C. Perez picked up the RBI with a base hit in the seventh to score Koplove. Duke added three more runs in the eighth on Phillips' second homer of the night. With runners on first and second, Phillips again sent a ball over the right field wall, marking the first time a Blue Devil has homered twice in the same game since Aaron Cohn against Wake Forest on Apr. 27, 2014.

The Blue Devils return to action this weekend as Duke hosts Pitt in a three-game series Friday-Sunday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

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