04/11/2008 - Duke Sports Information

RALEIGH, N.C. – After a month-long absence from the starting lineup, Nate Freiman returned to go 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI to lead Duke to a 4-1 win over N.C. State Friday evening at Doak Field.

Freiman had missed the previous 18 games with an injury, but returned in a big way to launch his fourth homer of the season in addition to a two-RBI double in his first at bat of the game. His three RBI aided the pitching performance of junior Andrew Wolcott (3-2), who held N.C. State (21-11, 8-7 ACC) to one run and three hits over six innings. Wolcott fired 88 pitches on the way to five strikeouts to even out his ACC record to 2-2.

Sophomore Michael Ness came in from the bullpen to hold the Wolfpack scoreless over the final three frames on the way to his second save of the season. Ness allowed just two batters to reach base on a hit and a walk while striking out four in his team-leading 13th appearance of the year. With a 1.76 ERA this season, Ness has been Duke’s most reliable reliever, holding opponents without a run in 10 appearances while leading all Duke relief pitchers with 30.2 innings pitched.

Duke (23-10, 5-10 ACC) roughed up Clayton Shunick (3-4) for three runs in the first inning before the N.C. State ace settled down to hold Duke without a run through the seventh inning. He racked up eight strikeouts in the outing, but gave up an eighth-inning solo shot to Freiman before relinquishing the ball after eight complete innings.

Jeremy Gould also tagged Shunick for a run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning for Duke’s other RBI. His fly ball drove in catcher Matt Williams, who went 1-for-4. Gabriel Saade and Alex Hassan also crossed the plate for Duke, while Jonathan Nicolla contributed a hit for the third straight game.

N.C. State managed its only run on a bases-loaded walk taken by shortstop Tommy Foschi, who drew a pair of free passes while going 0-for-1 in the game. Right fielder Matt Payne picked up a pair of hits in a 2-for-4 outing, while Jeremy Synan and Devon Cartwright accounted for the Wolfpack’s other two base knocks.

The Blue Devils stormed out to an early three-run lead after putting their first four runners on base, including Freiman, who slashed a two-run double down the right field line to score Saade and Hassan. Duke took advantage of early control issues on the part of Shunick who issued a leadoff walk to Saade before hitting Hassan with the next pitch. Williams then loaded the bases after driving a base hit through the left side on a 1-2 count before Freiman sent in a pair with a ground ball that stayed just inside the first base line for a double. The two-bagger sent Williams to third, setting up Gould’s sacrifice fly ball to deep center field for the third run of the inning.

Wolcott came out firing in the first and was just one pitch away from a perfect first inning before Payne ruined his chance at retiring the side after beating out a ground ball to shortstop for an infield single. The base hit did little damage, however, as Wolcott sawed off cleanup hitter Jeremy Synan with an 0-2 changeup on the inside corner to induce an inning-ending ground ball.

Cartwright became the first member of the Wolfpack to advance past first base after slapping a ground ball down the left field line that bounced just out the reach of a leaping Ryan McCurdy at third base. The high-hopper continued slowly down the left field line to allow Cartwright to coast into second base on his feet. He would move to third on an ensuing groundout to deep shortstop before Drew Martin joined him on the base paths after drawing a walk. The runners failed to advance past the corners, however, as Wolcott’s next pitch resulted in a lineout to Gould in left field for the final out of the inning.

Meanwhile, Shunick settled into a groove after the three-run first inning, holding the Blue Devils to a single over the next three frames. The 6-1, 170 pound right-hander chalked up five strikeouts during that span, including two each in the second and fourth innings.

Wolcott was just as effective for the Blue Devils though, before experiencing a temporary lapse of control to walk in a run in the fourth. Wolcott recorded the first two outs of the inning with a runner on first, but followed by walking Nick Stanley before plunking Martin to load the bases. He nearly got out of the two-out jam, but lost a full count battle to Foschi to turn the wheel for N.C. State’s first run of the ballgame.

Wolcott regained his form in the fifth, however, and began a run of six consecutive batters retired to hold Duke’s 3-1 lead heading into the seventh inning. He used just 12 pitches in each inning to sit down the side in order while racking up a pair of strikeouts in each frame. All four of his strikeouts in the two-inning span came on changeups, including consecutive 1-2 pitches to Ryan Pond and Payne in the two and three spots of N.C. State’s lineup.

Following six innings of one-run baseball, Wolcott relinquished pitching duties to Ness at the start of the seventh. Ness continued the trend, striking out three batters while stranding a runner at second to take the 3-1 lead into the top of the eighth.

After a six-inning scoreless drought, Freiman added to Duke’s lead with two-out solo home run. The long ball to left field was the fourth of the season for the Blue Devil first baseman and ended a streak of six homerless games for Duke, which is the team’s the longest drought of the year.

The Wolfpack tried to get a rally started in the eighth after driving a leadoff single off Ness, but Saade quickly killed the momentum by turning a double play on a ground ball up the middle. With Payne on first base after the opening single, Jeremy Synan ripped a ground ball back up the middle that was cut off behind the bag by Saade, who stepped on second before firing off balance to first base to complete the two-out play. Ness then induced a flyout to center to end the inning and bring Duke within three outs of sealing the win.

The three outs came easily for Ness, who induced a pair of ground balls to Blue Devil shortstop Jake Lemmerman before striking out pinch hitter Joe Florio to lock up the save. The three scoreless innings marked the 10th time this season in which Ness came out of the bullpen without giving up a run and the fourth straight outing in which he threw three full innings. 

Duke will have the opportunity to put the series away on Saturday, April 12 in a 6:30 p.m. meeting with the Wolfpack. Freshman Dennis O'Grady (3-0, 0.48 ERA) will make the first weekend start of his career opposite N.C. State southpaw Eric Surkamp (2-2, 5.29 ERA). Each of the final two games will be broadcast on 88.1 FM in the Triangle area.

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