Blue Devils Complete Sweep of Rockets

Sunday, March 6

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

1:00 PM

Duke University

Toledo

Labosky Named Gregg Olson Award Semifinalist

Blue Devils Complete Sweep of Rockets

3/6/2016 4:45:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke scored three runs early and held off Toledo down the stretch to complete the series sweep with a 3-2 decision in the series finale Sunday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Duke (8-4) received another standout pitching performance from its starter as graduate student Brian McAfee (1-1) earned his first Blue Devil win. McAfee went 7.0 innings, allowing one run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. He needed just 84 pitches, 66 for strikes, to register 21 outs, retiring the Toledo side in order in four of seven innings.

“I thought Brian was particularly efficient, really hunted contact,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “Made an adjustment after the first couple innings and did a good job of getting down in the zone.”

McAfee's effort completed an outstanding weekend on the mound for the Blue Devils. The Duke pitching staff limited Toledo (1-9-1) to a .172 batting average over the three-game series. All three Blue Devil starters – Bailey Clark, Trent Swart and McAfee -- recorded a quality start and that trio combined for a 0.86 ERA, 23 strikeouts and just two walks over the weekend.

All three Duke hits in Sunday's game went for extra bases. Sophomore Evan Dougherty notched his second career triple in the second while sophomore Jack Labosky and junior Cris Perez both doubled. Toledo totaled seven hits, four of which came with two outs. The Rockets' John Martillotta was the only player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Two Duke runs crossed home plate in the bottom of the second. A Ryan Day leadoff walk started the frame, followed by Dougherty's RBI triple to right center. Peter Zyla knocked in his seventh RBI of the season with a sacrifice fly, also to right field.

Toledo got a run back the following frame after Matt Hansen knocked a base hit up the middle to score Jake Krupar, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning and advanced to third on Lucas Sokol's base knock.

Duke answered with a third run the following frame. Freshman Jimmy Herron reached on a fielder's choice and stole his second base of the game to move into scoring position. Labosky then pelted the Blue Monster with his fourth double of the season to extend the Duke margin to 3-1.

The Blue Devils scored all three runs off Toledo starter Sam Shutes (0-1). Shutes pitched 2.1 innings, allowing the three runs on three hits. Three Rocket relief pitchers – Steven Duby, Michael Jacob and Casey Johnson -- tossed 5.2 shutout innings to finish the game, permitting just two baserunners in that span.

“We had a much better offensive approach then the box score will show,” Pollard said. “We hit a lot of balls hard. We had some hits taken away from us. Credit Toledo. I think we took really good swings today. The three hits are not indicative of the way we swung the bat today.”

The Rockets came close to knotting the score at three-all in the ninth, advancing the tying run to third before Nick Hendrix got Sokol to fly out to center to end the game. Ryan Callahan led off the final frame with a double and scored on Martillotta's double to trim the Duke advantage to 3-2.

Duke graduate student Kellen Urbon fired a scoreless eighth inning and Hendrix pitched the ninth to earn his second save in three days.

Three games into 12-game homestand, Duke returns to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park Wednesday, March 9 to take on Penn State at 4 p.m.

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