Hurricanes Take Series Finale 7-1
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8 | 9 | R | H | E | W: S. Ewing (3-0) | ||||||||
| Hurricanes | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 0 | L: R. Huber (2-3) | |
| Blue Devils | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Batting |
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2B: P. O’Brien 2 (8), J. Mederos (5) | J. Betts (8), M. Rosenfeld 2 (3), A. Perez (6) |
DURHAM, N.C. – The tenth-ranked University of Miami Hurricanes finished off the Duke Blue Devils in impressive fashion on Sunday, clinching their second consecutive series victory with a 7-1 win at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
After scoring only three combined runs in the first two games of the series, the Hurricanes plated a series-high seven runs on 12 hits in Sunday’s rubber game. Catcher Peter O’Brien led the way offensively for Miami, finishing the day 4-for-5 with four RBI.
Miami struck in the game’s first inning, as Dale Carey got the action started with a walk. O’Brien then crushed a pitch to the gap in right-center, which easily plated Carey and gave Miami an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately for Duke starter Robert Huber, the Canes’ electric combination of Carey and O’Brien wasn’t done quite yet.
After Carey reached in the third inning on his first triple of the season, O’Brien unloaded on a pitch from Huber that cruised over the wall in left field for his team-leading seventh homerun of the year. With the homerun, O’Brien tied Daniel Palka of Georgia Tech for the Atlantic Coast Conference lead.
Just as impressive as the Hurricane offense was the man making his weekend debut on the mound for the Hurricanes: Steven Ewing. After Eric Whaley whirled a gem against the Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon, the junior lefthander provided the Hurricanes with their second-straight dominant start. Though Ewing was pulled in the sixth, he was able to keep Duke hitters off-balance and off the scoreboard, finishing with five strikeouts and only five hits allowed in his 5.2 innings of work.
With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, reliever Adam Sargent entered the game in a key spot for Miami. Sargent promptly extended his personal scoreless streak to four innings (dating back to Feb. 24), as he induced a harmless groundout to get out of the jam. Sargent would stay in the game for the seventh, pitching a scoreless frame after Miami had extended their lead earlier in the inning.
After Brad Fieger led off the seventh with a single, Esteban Tresgallo advanced the Naples, Fla. native to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single from second baseman Stephen Perez would drop into shallow right field, before an RBI groundout from Michael Broad extended the Hurricanes lead to five runs. Perez would score later in the inning on a wild pitch from Duke reliever David Putman, as Miami increased its lead to 6-0.
It was O’Brien who once again came through in the eighth, knocking in outfielder Chantz Mack (triple) with an RBI single to right field. With his fourth RBI of the day, O’Brien matched his personal-best in a Hurricanes uniform.
Eric Nedeljkovic entered the game in the eighth inning, allowing a double and walk to the first two Duke hitters. The Folsom, Calif. native retired the next two batters before allowing an RBI single to Andrew Istler, giving Duke their first run of the game. A.J. Salcines pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close the game out for Miami.
GAME NOTES
Captain of the Ship
Senior catcher Peter O’Brien keyed the Hurricanes successful day on offense, finishing 4-for-5 with four RBI and a homerun. The four-hit day was the third of the season for the team captain, who upped his average to a team-leading .389.
Warming Up
The Hurricanes bullpen once again did an effective job in relief of starter Steven Ewing on Sunday. Adam Sargent, Eric Nedeljovic and AJ Salcines combined for 3.1 innings of four-hit ball, allowing only one run.
Back On Top
With their series-clinching win, the Hurricanes moved back into first place in the Coastal Division of the ACC with a 5-1 record. North Carolina entered the day in sole possession of first place, but fell 1-0 to Maryland.
