Eagles Hold Off Blue Devils 5-4

Sunday, March 29

Newark, Del.

12:00 PM

Duke University

Boston College

Duke Travels to Clemson for Weekend Series

Eagles Hold Off Blue Devils 5-4

3/29/2015 4:06:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

NEWARK, Del. – Duke was unable to overcome an early 4-0 deficit and ultimately fell to Boston College, 5-4, in the series finale Sunday afternoon at the University of Delaware's Bob Hannah Stadium.

Duke (19-9, 4-8 ACC) outhit Boston College (11-13, 4-7 ACC) and trimmed the margin to a lone run on two occasions. The Eagles bullpen held in the end, keeping the game-tying run from scoring to clinch the victory. Boston College used three different pitchers over the final three frames, while Justin Dunn tossed a perfect ninth to earn the save.

Much like the previous two games, Boston College once again took an early lead, this time with four runs in the bottom of the second. Center fielder Donovan Casey beat out a bunt single and catcher Nick Sciortino doubled for the third time on the weekend. An RBI groundout from Logan Hoggarth plated the game's opening run before Stephen Sauter sent an RBI single up the middle. Joe Cronin and Michael Strem added the final two RBI, contributing a single and a sacrifice fly, respectively.

Duke got a run back in the fourth inning, instigated by an Andy Perez double, the first of two hits for the Blue Devil second baseman. Senior Mike Rosenfeld was able to drive him in, lining a ball off the mound that second baseman Jake Palomaki was unable to corral.

After Boston College chased Duke starter Luke Whitten (0-1) in the second, Sarkis Ohanian came on in relief and kept the game in check over 4.2 innings. Ohanian scattered four hits and permitted one unearned run, exiting the game after the sixth. He struck out five and walked one in the outing.

Freshman Mitch Stallings continued the solid pitching performances out of the Duke bullpen, tossing two hitless frames to finish out the contest. The effort by Ohanian and Stallings allowed the Blue Devils to claw their way back into the game.

The Blue Devils loaded the bases with no outs to start the fifth on a pair of walks and a Max Miller single, then scored their second run on a double play. Kenny Koplove picked up his 15^th RBI of the season with a two-out base hit through the left side, cutting the margin to 4-3.

The back-and-forth action continued in the bottom portion of the fifth. A Chris Shaw single was the only hit in the inning, but a Duke miscue and wild pitch allowed him to score the Eagles' fifth run.

Cris Perez launched a double off the wall in the left center the following frame, scoring Rosenfeld who lined a leadoff base hit to start the inning. C. Perez's eighth double of the year trimmed the margin to 5-4 heading down the stretch.

After touching Eagles starter John Gorman (3-2) for four runs on seven hits over six innings, Duke was unable to keep the offensive production going in the later innings. Jesse Adams, John Nicklas and Dunn combined to allow two hits over the seventh, eighth and ninth to preserve the win.

Duke returns to action Tuesday, Mar. 31, hosting Campbell at 6 p.m., at Jack Coombs Field.

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