No. 10 Cal Holds Off Duke 5-2 in Season Opener

Friday, February 19

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

4:00 PM

Duke University

California

No. 10 Cal Holds Off Duke 5-2 in Season Opener

2/19/2016 8:49:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke took an early two-run lead before No. 10 California scored five unanswered runs down the stretch to upend the Blue Devils, 5-2, in the 2016 season opener Friday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Duke (0-1) kept California (1-0) off the scoreboard for the first five innings and limited the Bears to just two hits in that span. Cal reversed the momentum from the sixth to the eighth innings, breaking out for five runs on eight hits while limiting Duke to just one hit – a Peter Zyla single in the eighth – during that span.

“It was a good ballgame,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “I told [Cal's] Coach Esquer after the game that I was really impressed with their club. We just didn't come up with hits when we had guys out there over the second half of the ballgame.”

After yielding two unearned runs in the bottom of the third, Cal right-hander Daulton Jefferies was able to grind out the win. Jefferies pitched six complete, striking out nine while scattering five hits. Keaton Siomkin tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief before giving way to Erick Martinez, who struck out five the six batters he faced to record the save.

Junior right-hander Bailey Clark pitched well in the no decision, limiting the Bears to two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings while striking out five. Clark kept Cal to just two hits over the first five frames before the Bears were able to plate a pair in the sixth.

“Bailey pitched great,” Pollard said. “I thought Jefferies did a good job of grinding. He did a really good job of competing when we had runners in scoring position. Two really good starts. Two really good teams going toe to toe.”

Duke capitalized on an Evan Dougherty leadoff double and Cal miscue to score the first runs of the 2016 season in the bottom of the third. Dougherty roped the first pitch he saw it left, evading a sliding Nick Halamandaris in left field. With two outs, Ryan Day beat out an infield single and forced a throwing error from the Bears' third baseman Mitchell Kranson to score Dougherty. Designated hitter Jack Labosky added an RBI single a batter later to plate Day.

The score remained 2-0 through five innings, but Cal was able to knot the score in the top of the sixth. Devin Pearson and Kranson knocked back-to-back RBI doubles to erase the Duke advantage.

The Bears struck for their first lead of the afternoon the following frame, plating a run in the seventh. Brian Celsi sent a triple down the right field line that bounced around the bullpen railing before Preston Grand Pre drove him in the an RBI base knock.

Cal added two insurance runs in the eighth. Brenden Farney started the rally with a double, followed by consecutive RBI singles from Brett Cumberland and Halamandaris.

“[Cal] ran three good arms at us tonight and got us on our heels a little bit, “Pollard added. One of the things we have to do because we have good speed is when we have two strikes we have to put the baseball in play and make them make plays. We're a young club and we just have to stay aggressive and be ready to go play tomorrow.”

The Blue Devils and the Golden Bears return to action for the second game of the series at 1 pm., Saturday, Feb. 20 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

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