Spartans Force Extra Innings But Fall At Duke
DURHAM, N.C. – Jack Labosky drew a bases-loaded walk with one out in the 10th inning to lift the Duke baseball team to a 4-3 victory over Norfolk State on Wednesday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field.
The Spartans (27-19), searching for their first-ever win over an ACC opponent in 18 tries, battled the Blue Devils (29-20) toe-to-toe all the way. Duke took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, only to see the Spartans tie the game at 3-all on Alex Mauricio’s two-out, two-run double in the ninth. The Spartans kept Duke at bay in the bottom of the ninth, only to fall in extra innings.
The game’s ending overshadowed a stellar start from Spartan sophomore right hander Michael Parmentier, who pitched a career-high seven innings in just his third start of the season. Parmentier allowed just two hits – both in the first inning – and yielded one run while walking three and striking out five Duke batters.
Duke struck for a run in the bottom of the first inning as Jimmy Herron led off with a double and scored on Labosky’s single. But NSU tied the game in the top of the second. Tony Leite was hit by a pitch, Chase Anderson drew a walk and Chris Ford reached on a Blue Devil error to load the bases. Kevin Granger’s sacrifice fly scored Leite to knot the score at 1-all.
The score would remain that way until the eighth. Parmentier settled in and did not allow a Duke hit after the first inning. He retired the final 13 batters he faced before exiting after the seventh. He struck out the side in the sixth inning.
NSU went to the bullpen and brought in Mauricio from shortstop to start the eighth. Duke plated a pair of runs on Herron’s RBI double and a Spartan error following Herron’s steal of third base.
But the Blue Devils could not close out NSU in the ninth. Duke reliever Mitch Stallings retired the first two Spartans in the inning. But Justin Lee singled to start the rally, and Denathan Dukes was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch before Mauricio doubled to the gap in left-center to score both runners, tying the game at 3-all.
NSU relief pitcher Anderson set Duke down in order in the bottom of the ninth, but ran into trouble in the 10th. Evan Dougherty led off with a single and advanced to third on a one-out single by Herron. Anderson walked Griffin Conine to load the bases before giving way to Cooper Jones, the fourth Spartan pitcher of the afternoon. Labosky worked the count full before taking ball four and forcing in Dougherty with the winning run.
Mauricio was 2-for-5 at the plate for the Spartans. Lee, Anderson, Brian Beard and Angel Rosario added singles for NSU.
Herron (3-for-5), Labosky (2-for-4) and Dougherty (2-for-3) combined for all seven Duke hits.
Anderson (5-3) was charged with the loss, as the winning run was charged to his line. He allowed two hits in 1.1 innings pitched. Stallings (3-2) got the win for Duke, allowing three hits and two runs in two innings.
Jones made his 78th career pitching appearance for the Spartans when he came in from the bullpen in the 10th inning, tying the school record held by pitching coach Joey Seal.
For more information visit www.nsuspartans.com.
Rattlers Bitten By Mercer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M (27-19, 16-5 MEAC) couldn’t slow down Mercer (31-19, 14-7 SoCon) and its nation’s leading home run total of 82 in a 22-5 loss at Moore-Kittles Field on Wednesday.
Alec Wong extended his streak to seven straight at bats with a double in the third inning, but was walked in his final two at bats on the day. Brian Davis was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and Willis McDaniel also added two hits, going 2-for-3 at the plate. The Bears scored in every inning, but the seventh and finished the game with five home runs.
Danny Rodriguez (4-3) was tagged with the loss after he pitched the first two innings and allowed eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits with one strikeout and one walk.
Mercer scored four quick runs on six hits as all nine batters came to the plate in the top of the first inning for a quick 4-0 lead. Matt Meeder doubled to right center with one out and Kyle Lewis singled through the left side to put runners on the corners. Blaise Lezynski then singled to right field to score Meeder, but the ball was misplayed by Cameron Johnson allowing Lewis to also score from first. Danny Edgeworth then followed with an RBI single to left field to plate Lezynski for the third run of the inning. Jose Hernandez then would draw a bases loaded walk as Madden came home from third for the final run in the inning.
The Rattlers quickly cut into the Bears lead with a three-run home run from Davis in the bottom of the first inning that made the score 4-3. Marlon Gibbs led off with a walk and Wong followed with a single through the left side to put runners on first and second. Davis then belted his sixth home run of the season, a three-run shot to right center field to cut the Mercer lead to 4-3.
MU hit its’ 78th home run to lead off the second inning as Trey Truitt recorded his 14th home run of the season, a solo home run, deep over the fence in left field to push the Bears lead to two runs at 5-3.
The Bears kept the scoring going with six more runs (two earned) in the third inning as the game quickly got out of reach for FAMU at 11-3. Charlie Madden reached on a fielding error by Ben Ellzey to start the inning before Edgeworth and Ryan Hagan each followed with back-to-back home runs to increase the lead to 8-3. Edgeworth’s was a two-run home run off the scoreboard in right center field and Hagan went yard over the left field fence. With one out, Jackson Ware doubled into the left center gap and advanced to third as Truitt reached on another fielding error by Ellzey. Ware would come to score on a squeeze bunt by Meeder. Lezynski then doubled home both Truitt and Lewis with a ball down the right line that rolled into the right field corner.
Mercer added three more runs in the fourth inning and two in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 16-3. Hernandez hit his sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning and the fourth home run of the game for the Bears.
In the sixth inning, the Bears posted their second six-run inning of the game and scored for the sixth straight inning for a score of 22-3. Meeder recorded the fifth home run of the game for Mercer, a two-run homer into the street just past the left field fence.
FAMU scored its’ first run since the first inning with an unearned run in the home half of the sixth inning. Peter Jackson, who reached earlier in the inning on a walk, scored from second on a throwing error by the shortstop.
The Rattlers were able to score one final run in the seventh inning for the final score of 22-5. Wong led off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a single through the right side from Davis. Javon Byrd would then record his first-career RBI as he plated Wong from third with a groundout to the shortstop.
Josh Knies (3-1) picked up the win after working three shutout innings as the first reliever out of the pen. Knies gave up just three hits with one strikeout in the outing.
Florida A&M closes out the 2016 regular season this weekend by hosting North Carolina A&T at Moore-Kittles Field. The two teams will play a single game on Friday at 4:00 PM and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00 PM.
For more information visit www.famuathletics.com.
O'Dwyer Twins Homer in Season Finale Win at Richmond?
RICHMOND, VA.- Coppin State crushed two home runs in their 6-5 extra innings victory at the University of Richmond on Wednesday at Pitt Field. Freshmen twin brothers Andrew on John O'Dwyer are the first twin siblings in Coppin State baseball history to homer in the same game.
Andrew O'Dwyer enjoyed a multi-hit afternoon going 2-of-4 from the plate and slamming his first home run of his Coppin career with a three run blast in the bottom of the fifth inning. He finished with two runs scored and three RBIs. On the mound, he picked up his first win of the year tossing a no-hitter in 2.0 innings while fanning one batter.
His twin brother John O'Dwyer would not be shown up, crashing a two run shot over the left field wall for his first homer as a Coppin State Eagle. J. O'Dwyer tallied two hits, two RBIs and scored one run.
Coppin State twice climbed from behind to even the score with Richmond.
The Spiders took an early 2-0 advantage in the opening inning of game action, but the Eagles responded with two runs of their own in the top of the second inning.
Junior Bryant Miranda doubled down the right field line for the Eagles first hit of the game in the first inning. After, senior Darien Percell drew a walk to lead off the top of the second inning, J. O'Dwyer belted a two run homer to left field, scoring Percell and tying the game at 2-2.
Richmond added one run in both the third and fourth innings.
A. O'Dwyer singled through the left side to lead off the third inning for Coppin. Percell singled through the left side for the Eagles only hit of the fourth inning.
Coppin State exploded for three runs on three hits in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Colin Dower was walked to begin the inning and freshman Malik White followed with a single through the left side, advancing Dower. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch during the next at bat.
Then, A. O'Dwyer cranked a three run blast to left field, bringing home Dower and White as the Eagles claimed a 5-4 lead. Miranda closed the inning with a double to right center field.
The Spiders evened the game at 5-5 scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
J. O'Dwyer singled to center field in the sixth inning for the Eagles as both teams failed to break the tie in the final inning.
A. O'Dwyer was walked to begin the top of the tenth inning, then stole scored base for the Eagles. Next, Miranda popped the go-ahead RBI single to left center, scoring A. O'Dwyer for the eventual game winning run.
Freshman Krystian Negron led the Eagles with three strikeouts through 4.0 innings pitched. Miranda was a force for the Eagles going 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI as the Coppin State baseball team closed its regular season with an overall record of 12-36.
For more information visit www.coppinstatesports.com.