Princeton University
Duke
Baseball Opens Spring Trip With Split At Duke
March 16, 2002 | Baseball
March 16, 2002
Final Stats
DURHAM, NC - Baseball opened its spring trip by splitting its doubleheader with Duke at Jack Coombs Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers scored two runs in the top of the ninth for a 11-9 victory in the opening game following a six-run seventh inning by the Blue Devils, and dropped the second game 17-3. Princeton is 2-4, Duke is now 11-7.
The Blue Devils struck first in the opener. Kevin Kelly tripled to left field and scored on Bryan Smith's ground out to give Duke a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
Princeton took the lead with six unanswered runs. Eric Fitzgerald (So., Bellaire, TX) homered over the scoreboard in right field to put the Tigers on the board in the top of the third. Jonathan Miller's (Jr., Washington, DC) single to right center scored Pat Boran (Sr., Pottsville, PA), who had reached on an error for a 2-1 lead. The Tigers extended that lead to 6-1 with a three-run fourth and a one-run fifth inning. Tim Lahey (So., Worcester, MA), Ryan Reich (So., Ocean City, NJ) and Adam Balkan(Fr., Roslyn, NY) each singled in the fourth. Ryan Eldridge (Fr., Stafford, VA), who went 4-for-6 in the game, singled to open the fifth inning, and later scored on a fielder's choice.
Duke closed the gap to 6-3 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Tigers answered with three of their own in the seventh for a 9-3 lead.
The lead did not hold however as the Blue Devils exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The hosts were sparked by Kelly's grand slam. He went 3-for-4 in the game with five RBIs.
Steve Young (So., Brabada Hilla, CA) opened the top of the ninth with a double to center field. Fitzgerald's bunt was mishandled and he was able to advance to second n the play, scoring Young for the eventual game-winning run. Fitzgerald advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Boran's sacrifice fly to left.
Thomas Pauly (So., Atlantic Beach, FL) striking out two. Ryan Quillian (Jr., Atlanta, GA) pitched the first five innings of the game, scattering four hits, one run, two walks and five strikeouts. Tom Crenshaw (Jr., North Lauderdale, FL) came on and pitched the sixth inning and faced six batters in the seventh. Mark Siano (Jr., Ft. Collins, CO) picked up the win after he closed out the seventh and eighth innings, giving up three hits, one run and one walk while striking out one batter.
Five different hurlers saw action for Duke. Paul DeMarco was on the mound in the ninth and suffered the loss.
Game two did not go as well for the Tigers. Princeton took a 1-0 lead in its first at bat. Fitzgerald opened with a single, moved to second on Borans's single and scored on Miller's single to center.
Duke took a lead it would not relinquish with three runs in the third. The Blue Devils turned in a 15-hit attack. Larry Broadway paced the attack with three hits, including a two-run triple in the third. He finished the game with five RBIs.
Jeff Alleva turned in a seven-hit complete game for the hosts. He struck out eight while walking one to improve to 4-2 on the season.
Paul Ackerman (Fr., Lincolnshire, IL) accounted for two of Princeton's runs in the game. He singled in Miller in the top of the seventh, and hit a double down the right field line in the ninth to score Brian Biegen (So., Middletown, CT).
Tom Rowland (Sr., Lake Bluff, IL) pitched four innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits and striking out two in the loss. Bill Broome (Jr., Redondo Beach, CA), Aaron Herr (Fr., Williamstown, MA), Nick Pappas (Sr., Metairio, LA) and Worth Lumry (Fr., Bellevue, WA) each saw action on the mound.
Princeton will return to action on Sunday with another doubleheader with Duke. The first game starts at 1 p.m.