Murray Delivers Walk-Off Single In Ninth In Duke?s 4-3 Win Over No. 18 Virginia

Friday, April 7

Durham, N.C.

7:00 PM

Duke University

Virginia

Murray Delivers Walk-Off Single In Ninth In Duke?s 4-3 Win Over No. 18 Virginia

4/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. ? Left fielder Adam Murray delivered a one-out walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth and Duke starter Danny Otero pitched his second complete game of the season to lead the Blue Devils to a 4-3 win over No. 18 Virginia on Friday night at Jack Coombs Field. The Blue Devils, who have won three of their last four ACC games, improve to 11-24 overall and 4-9 in the ACC. The Cavaliers fall to 25-9 overall and 6-7 in league play.

With the score knotted at 3-3 entering the bottom of the ninth, first baseman Jonathan Nicolla led off the inning with a single up the middle. Catcher Matt Williams then moved Nicolla to second with a sacrifice bunt. After pinch hitter Tim Sherlock drew a walk, Murray laced the game-winning RBI-single over Tim Henry's head in center to give the Blue Devils the 4-3 victory.

Otero went the distance to improve to 5-2 on the season. The right-handed junior held the Cavaliers to three runs on nine hits while striking out four.

Virginia got back-to-back two-out doubles in the top of the ninth, including designated hitter Sean Doolittle's RBI-double down the left field line to tie the game at 3-3.

The Cavaliers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI-single by left fielder Brandon Guyer.

The Blue Devils answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 2-1 lead. Shortstop Brett Bartles singled up the middle to start the inning before advancing to second on a single by designated hitter Nate Freiman. Two batters later, center fielder Jonathan Anderson roped an RBI-single down the right field line to score Bartles. Nicolla followed with an RBI-single up the middle, scoring Freiman to give the Blue Devils a one-run lead.

Bartles extended Duke's lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth, crushing a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right center for his team-leading sixth long ball of the year.

Third baseman Jeremy Farrell lined an RBI-single up the middle in the top of the sixth to cut Duke's lead to 3-2.

Duke got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to preserve the one-run lead. After Doolittle was intentionally walked to load the bases, third baseman Kyle Kreick made a spectacular leaping catch on a hard-hit line drive by second baseman David Adams. Otero then got Guyer to hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

Virginia reliever Michael Schwimer (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing the game-winning run to reach second base in the bottom of the ninth. Left-hander Chris Lambert came on in relief of Schwimer and gave up the walk to Sherlock and the game-winner to Murray.

Bartles, Anderson and Nicolla all went 2-for-4 on the night to lead the Blue Devils at the plate.

Right fielder Brandon Marsh and shortstop Greg Miclat both collected a pair of hits to lead Virginia on the night.

The Blue Devils and Cavaliers will play game two tomorrow at 1 p.m. before closing out the series with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.

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