University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Duke
Duke Scores Late To Win Pitchers Duel, 4-2
03/12/2008 | Baseball
March 12, 2008
DURHAM, N.C. - Richmond claimed an early 1-0 lead, tied the game at 2-2 in the eighth, but fell to Duke, 4-2, Wednesday afternoon in non-conference baseball action at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C. Redshirt junior Stephen Owens pitched a gem, holding the Blue Devils to just two runs and six hits with three strikeouts over six innings. Off to one of its best starts in school history, Duke improved to 14-2 overall while the Spiders slipped to 5-10-1.
Freshman Billy Barber stayed hot, going two-for-four with a first-inning RBI, while freshman Andrew Lowry drove in Richmond's eighth-inning run to tie the game. But Duke, which opened ACC play last weekend by taking one of three from then-No. 2 North Carolina, remained undefeated out of conference by surging ahead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Owens, who last week picked up his first win since March 4, 2006, made his first start since March 26, 2006 at Saint Louis and blanked the Blue Devils over the first five innings. The redshirt junior was efficient, throwing just 85 pitches with three strikeouts and no walks in six innings.
After missing all last season with an injury, he faced no more than four batters in an inning through five and set down Duke in order in the fifth on six offerings.
"Steve pitched a great game today," said head coach Mark McQueen. "He had command of his pitches, changed speeds, hit his spots and gave us a chance to win."
Owens' gem was matched by Duke starter Jonathan Foreman who also went six innings and allowed a run on three hits with two walks and one strikeout. Foreman set the Spiders down in order in the second, fourth and fifth innings.
The game, which took just two hours and 18 minutes to complete, featured 14 combined hits, six walks and no errors. Neither starter factored in the decision.
"That was a good, clean game. We played well defensively and it was nice to nice to get Victor (Croglio) back at short," said McQueen. "Other than the balk, a walk and passed ball late in the game, we might be playing extras right now."
Trailing 2-1, Richmond manufactured a run in the top of the eighth to draw even. Victor Croglio, back after missing 11 games with an injury, led off with a four-pitch walk and moved into scoring position thanks to Chris Cuppia's sacrifice bunt. Lowry's single to left on the first offering from reliever Michael Ness brought Croglio home and tied the game at 2-2.
Duke wasted little time taking the lead back for good in bottom of the eighth. Alex Hassan drew a one-out walk and moved to third on Jeremy Gould's single up the middle. Hassan scored when a passed ball rolled to deep Coombs Field backstop and Gould came home on a sac fly.
Ness shut down the Spiders in the ninth to pick up the victory, pinning the loss on reliever Matt Trent.
For the fifth time in the last six games, Richmond scored first by plating a run in the bottom of the first inning. With two out, Ryan Metzroth ripped a double over the head of the left fielder and Barber drove him to put the visitors up 1-0.
In the sixth, after a pair of consecutive base hits, Duke had two runners in scoring position and plated the tying run when Owens was charged with a balk. A single to right off Gould's bat put the Blue Devils in front 2-1.
The Spiders remain on the road this weekend for a three-game set at Charleston Southern. The series begins Friday in Charleston, S.C. at 2 p.m.
