Duke Sweeps Gardner-Webb in Doubleheader

Sunday, May 8

Jack Coombs Field

1:00 PM

Duke University

Gardner-Webb

Duke Sweeps Gardner-Webb in Doubleheader

5/8/2016 8:00:00 PM | Baseball

BASE vs. GWU: Miller Interview BASE vs. GWU: Cris Perez Home Run BASE vs. GWU: Labosky Web Gem BASE vs. GWU: Pollard Interview BASE vs. GWU: Zyla Bases-Clearing Triple BASE vs. GWU: Zyla Interview BASE vs. GWU: Game 1 Audio Archive Game 2 Box Score (HTML)Game 2 Box Score (PDF)Game 1 Box Score (HTML)Game 1 Box Score (PDF)

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – In its first game action since the end of exams, Duke swept a doubleheader from Gardner-Webb Sunday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils won the first game, 4-1, before securing a 13-4 victory in the second contest.

With the victories, Duke improved to 27-20 (10-14 ACC) on the year while Gardner-Webb dropped to 31-18 (9-9 Big South).

Game 1
Graduate student Brian McAfee (7-3) recorded his third complete game of the season to lead Duke past Gardner-Webb, 4-1, in the opening contest.

McAfee needed just 90 pitches to register 27 outs, facing the minimum in seven frames. He scattered five singles and allowed just a lone fourth-inning run to preserve Duke's lead. McAfee fanned seven and did not issue a walk during his extremely efficient outing.

“[McAFee] threw the ball terrific,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “He barely got to 90 pitches in nine innings.”

The Blue Devils scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Peter Zyla began the rally with a bunt single and classmate Max Miller followed with a well-executed hit-and-run. Duke then received productive at bats from each of its next five hitters. Freshman Jimmy Herron and sophomore Justin Bellinger added a sacrifice fly each while freshman Chris Proctor, sophomore Jack Labosky and sophomore Michael Smiciklas all singled.

The Runnin' Bulldogs scratched one run off McAfee to start the fourth. Taylor Fisher led off with a base knock and advanced to third on a Justin Kunz single. With two outs, Danny Sullivan bounced a ball to short for an RBI infield single.

McAfee would permit just two sixth-inning singles the rest of the way. He retired the final 11 GWU batters he faced to close out the win.

Gardner-Webb starter Brad Haymes (8-3) suffered the loss, yielding four runs on six hits.

Game 2
Duke trailed 2-1 after six before exploding for 12 runs in what turned into a lopsided, 13-4 second game. The Blue Devils totaled 11 of their 17 hits over the seventh and eighth innings, scoring 12 runs in that span.

Junior Cris Perez gave Duke a 1-0 lead on his fourth home run of the season. The Miami native sent GWU starter Jeremy Walker's 1-0 offering over the left field wall with one out in the fourth.

The 1-0 Duke advantage stood until the Runnin' Bulldogs struck for two in the sixth. GWU received three-straight hits – including two doubles – from the middle of its order to cause the damage.

The Blue Devils answered with a four-run seventh. After Herron tied the game with an RBI single, Zyla stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. Zyla proceeded to golf a low fastball into the right center gap, good for his fourth triple of the year and three RBI.

A pesky Runnin' Bulldog squad trimmed the margin back to one, 5-4, in the eighth. Collin Thacker and Patrick Graham contributed an RBI each.

Duke responded with authority, amassing eight runs on seven hits – all singles – to put the game out of reach.

“That's how you respond to an inning like that,” Pollard said. “I really liked our offensive approach there in the seventh and eighth innings after not swinging it well early. Guys didn't press and we had great at bats in those last two innings.”

Graduate student Trent Swart pitched 5.0 scoreless innings in the no decision, striking out four while allowing one walk and three hits. Kellen Urbon (6-1) tossed two innings to earn the win.

“We needed to get quality starts today so we didn't spread ourselves too thin this coming week,” Pollard added. “Both McAfee and Trent gave us really good starts. I thought that was maybe Trent's best start of the year.”

Proctor notched a career-high four hits to pace the offense. He finished the day 5-for-9 with three runs scored. Herron went 4-for-6 over the two games, adding three stolen bases, three RBI and two runs scored. Zyla also had a strong showing, totaling four hits in eight at bats.

GWU reliever Bradley Hallman (5-5) ultimately took the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits over 0.1 innings.

Duke is set for five home games this coming week, beginning with non-conference matchups against Longwood and Norfolk State Tuesday, May 10 and Wednesday, May 11, respectively. Both games are scheduled for 12 p.m., start at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
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