TicketsLate Rally Drops UC Again At Duke
Saylor, Nelson record three hits each in loss
Contact: Shawn Sell
2/15/2004
Drew Saylor was 3 for 5 in Sunday's loss to Duke. |
DURHAM, N.C.---Two Duke batters drew bases loaded walks in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowing the game-winning runs to score as the Blue Devils handed Cincinnati its second straight defeat, a 7-6 setback on Sunday in the series finale at Jack Coombs Stadium.
Duke (3-2) trailed by a 4-0 tally after one-half inning of play and never took the lead until its two-run eighth inning. Danny Otero (1-0) was masterful on the mound, allowing UC (1-2) just four hits in five shutout innings of relief to earn the win. Josh Kay (1-1) was saddled with the loss for Cincinnati.
The Bearcats got off to a fast start with four first inning runs on a two-run double by Drew Saylor and RBI singles by Jack Nelson and Brian Szarmach. Duke got the deficit to two with a pair of markers of their own in the bottom of the first off UC starter Tony Maynard.
Duke struck again with a run in the third, before the Bearcats grabbed a 6-3 advantage in the top of the fifth. Nelson who went three for five on the day, did the damage with a two-run double. But Duke was again able to put a run on the board in the bottom of the frame, when J.J. Koterba hit an RBI single to right center. The Blue Devils crept another run closer on Javier Socorro?s run-scoring single in the seventh.
With one out in the eighth, Kay hit one batter and walked another, to bring Jim Olds out of the UC bullpen. Olds? time on the mound was shortlived, though as he hit Eric Baumann to load the bases. Jeff Griffin was then summoned to the mound, but he walked Brian Hernandez to tie the game. After Bryan Smith struck out, Koterba again came up big, drawing a walk to plate what would prove to be the game-winning run.
The Bearcats, who outhit Duke 12-7, got three hits apiece from Saylor and Nelson, with the latter picking up three RBI. Erik Eitel and Szarmach added two hits apiece. Maynard, in his first appearance in nearly two years following shoulder surgery, lasted 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on two hits, with a pair of strikeouts, but walking six.
Cincinnati returns to action next weekend, traveling to Alabama for a three-game set. First pitch on Friday (Feb. 20) is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.