Duke Downs Pitt, 5-3, in Series Opener

Friday, March 20

Durham, N.C.

6:00 PM

Pitt

9-11, 3-4

Duke

17-5, 3-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Pitt	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	3	6	0
Duke	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	0	X	5	6	1

Duke Downs Pitt, 5-3, in Series Opener

3/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 20, 2015

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. - A three-run homer for Duke in the bottom of the seventh inning broke a 2-2 tie and upended the University of Pittsburgh baseball team (9-11, 3-4 ACC) in its series opener against the Blue Devils (17-5, 3-4 ACC) on Friday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

"When we have opportunities, we've got to take advantage of them," says head coach Joe Jordano. "We just didn't do it today. We have to grind it out, forget about today, and try to even the series tomorrow afternoon."

In the decisive seventh inning, starting pitcher T.J. Zeuch allowed the first two men to reach on a hit and a walk before departing. Duke's Andy Perez then homered on the first pitch he saw from reliever Matt Pidich - getting the upper hand on arguably the most effective one-two hurler tandem on the Panthers' staff. It was the first homer given up by Pidich in his career, and only his third earned run in 15.2 innings of relief this season. The shot was good for a lead that the Blue Devils would hold for the remainder of the contest.

Zeuch (2-2, 1.93) received the loss after he worked his way through 6.0 innings charged with four runs on five hits, walking a season-high four batters and striking out eight for the third time this year.

He made today's start opposite of Duke's Michael Matuella, whom MLB.com named the No. 2 prospect in the upcoming professional draft. Matuella has spent much of this season under inning restrictions, much as he did last season during his other meeting with the Panthers when he struck out five in a two-inning start and Zeuch received his first collegiate win.

Today, Matuella went 6.1 innings, allowed one earned run on five hits, and struck out five. Freshman lefty reliever Mitch Stallings (3-2, 1.56) received the win after pitching out of Matuella's two-on, one-out jam in the top of the seventh.

The Panthers' adjusted approach from last year was evident as they held the right-hander to just one strikeout through the game's first four innings while Zeuch worked to preserve a slim, 1-0, Pitt lead.

That lead came courtesy of a leadoff single in the first from Jacob Wright and a sacrifice fly from Nick Yarnall - his team-leading third sac fly of the year.

Pitt scored again in the fifth to take a 2-0 lead after Aaron Schnurbusch scampered home on a sacrifice fly from Eric Hess.

The Blue Devils answered with two runs on a walk and a pair of hits against Zeuch in the bottom half of the frame, and that score would hold until the fateful seventh stanza.

Following Duke's seventh inning offense, Pitt would plate one more run when Charles LeBlanc walked and eventually scored on multiple wild pitches in the frame from shortstop-cum-reliever Kenny Koplove.

Senior Nick Parnell logged 1.2 innings of perfect relief to close the book on Panther pitching for the day.

Redshirt freshman Frank Maldonado went 2-for-4 on the day to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He has now reached base in all 18 games this season in which he has registered a plate appearance. Freshman Charles LeBlanc went 2-for-3 with a walk to push his team-leading multi-hit games total to nine, and is batting a team-best .355 among those who qualify.

The series resumes on Saturday at 1 p.m. when the teams meet back at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.