Duke Tops Virginia Tech 6-3

Friday, April 24

Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)

6:00 PM

Duke University

Virginia Tech

Duke Tops Virginia Tech 6-3

4/24/2015 11:00:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – A solid pitching performance from senior Andrew Istler and a pair of two-out extra base hits helped Duke to a 6-3 victory over Virginia Tech in the ACC series opener Friday evening at Jack Coombs Field.

Istler (4-3) turned in his seventh quality start of the season, allowing one run over seven solid innings. Following a Brendon Haydon solo home run in the second, Istler retired 13-straight batters to quiet the Virginia Tech (19-23, 8-13 ACC) bats. He permitted three hits, struck out seven and walked three.

Redshirt senior Mike Rosenfeld belted a two-run homer with two outs in the third to put Duke (23-18, 6-15 ACC) on top, 2-1. Redshirt sophomore Jalen Phillips gave the Blue Devils a 6-1 advantage in the seventh, roping a two-out, bases-clearing double to left.

“We were down 1-0, we had left the bases loaded and that was just a huge at bat by Mike Rosenfeld,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “With two strikes and two outs, drove a home run and pushed those two runs across. You could feel everybody settle in.”

Overall, the Blue Devils out hit the Hokies, 10-5. Senior Andy Perez, junior Kenny Koplove and freshman Peter Zyla contributed two hits each to aid the Duke cause.

Haydon homered on the first pitch of the second inning to begin the scoring. The solo shot was the Tech first baseman's 10th home run of the season. Istler regrouped and effectively shut down the Hokie offense over the next six innings. Virginia Tech did not have a baserunner again until the sixth and did not record another hit until the seventh.

“Early on I was able to mix things up well … pitch backwards and get them on their heels,” Istler said. “Had a rough inning in the sixth, but found it and kept going. Defense really picked me up. Andy [Perez] made a great play. Max Miller made a great play. It was basically a team effort tonight.”

Freshman Max Miller singled with one out in the third and Rosenfeld sent his second home run of the season over the wall in left to give Duke the lead. The Blue Devils would not trail the rest of the way.

“I just had a hunch he was going to throw an off speed pitch there,” Rosenfeld said. “I had some bad swings in an earlier at bat. I just sat on that pitch, he hung it and luckily I ran into it.”

The game remained a 2-1 affair for the next two innings before Duke plated a third run in the sixth. Sophomore Cris Perez singled, advanced to second on a balk and crossed home on a Koplove two-out RBI base knock.

After Istler pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the sixth, Duke plated three runs to stake a 6-1 advantage. A. Perez was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, while Zyla singled and Rosenfeld drew his team-leading 22nd walk. With two away, Phillips lifted his ninth double of the season to left to clear the bases and register his seventh career multiple RBI game.

“[I'm] really proud of Jalen Phillips,” Pollard said. “He's been through a tough stretch and had a couple of tough at bats earlier in this game. We really needed to push a couple more runs across and that was a big blow right there.”

Virginia Tech got two runs back the following frame on a Haydon two-run single. Haydon finished the night 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Hokies.

Koplove took the mound in the ninth and retired Virginia Tech in order to pick up his eighth save of the season. Koplove is now tied for fifth on the Duke single-season saves list.

Duke and Virginia Tech return to Action Saturday, April 25, at Jack Coombs Field. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.

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