Early Offense Sends Duke to 9-2 Win over Davidson

Tuesday, March 1

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

4:00 PM

Duke University

Davidson

Early Offense Sends Duke to 9-2 Win over Davidson

3/1/2016 7:38:00 PM | Baseball

Audio Archive: Duke vs. Davidson (March 1, 2016)BASE vs. DAVIDSON: Miller Postgame Interview BASE vs. DAVIDSON: Pollard Postgame Interview BASE vs. DAVIDSON: Urbon Pitches Gem BASE vs. DAVIDSON: 5-Run First Inning BASE vs. DAVIDSON: Final Out BASE vs. DAVIDSON: Urbon Postgame Interview Box Score (PDF)Box Score (HTML)

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke totaled a season-high nine runs on 12 hits en route to a commanding 9-2 victory over Davidson Tuesday evening at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Duke (5-3) put five runs on the board in the first the added four more in the third to put the game away early. Davidson (4-4) plated a pair of runs in the eighth but never threatened the Duke lead.

Freshman Griffin Conine was one of four Blue Devils with multiple hits, leading the way with a game-high three. Conine also contributed a walk, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base. Sophomore Max Miller, freshman Jimmy Herron and freshman Chris Proctor added two hits each to aid the Duke cause.

“You look down the lineup and a bunch of guys had really good at bats,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “Today it seemed that every ball found a hole out there.”

Graduate student Kellen Urbon (2-0) was equally impressive, going 7.0 scoreless innings for his second-straight win. Urbon permitted one hit – a Sam Foy two-out single in the fourth – and did not walk a batter, extending his scoreless innings streak to 13.0 innings. Urbon has allowed two hits in that span, walking just two batters.

“[Urbon] threw the baseball great,” Pollard said. “We didn't plan to go seven innings with him, but he was so efficient.”

The Duke bats broke out early, plating five runs on seven hits in the bottom of the first. The Blue Devils began the game with three-straight singles from the top of the lineup before Jack Labosky sent a two-run triple to right field. The offense continued to click as Duke added three more hits in the opening inning to claim an early 5-0 advantage.

The Blue Devil hits continued to come as Duke added four more runs on three hits in the third. Conine and Chris Proctor chipped in an RBI base knock each while Miller drilled an RBI double to left center and Herron added an RBI groundout.

The nine-run advantage was more than enough for Urbon, who retired the first 11 batters he faced. Junior Kevin Lewallyn and Freshman Al Pesto each pitched a scoreless inning in relief to close out the game.

“Kevin Lewallyn came in and really pitched well in the eighth in a tough situation,” Pollard added. “Thought Al [Pesto] had a good ninth inning and got his feet wet.”

Davidson starter Evan Roberts (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits over 2.0 innings.

Duke faces a quick turnaround, traveling to Campbell for a 6 p.m., first pitch Wednesday, March 2 in Buies Creek, N.C.

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