Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Duke
Baseball Beats Duke, 5-3, To Even Series
April 09, 2011 | Baseball
April 9, 2011
DURHAM, N.C. - Sophomore Matt McGovern drove in four of the five Boston College runs and senior John Leonard allowed three runs through 7.0 innings to lead the baseball team to a 5-3 win against Duke Saturday afternoon at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
McGovern had career highs in hits and RBIs as he went 4-for-5 with a triple while driving in four runs. Leonard picked up his fourth win of the year after tossing 7.0 innings and allowing three runs on 10 hits. He struck out two and walked a pair.
Freshman Tom Bourdon went 2-for-4 and scored a run and junior Anthony Melchionda went 2-for-5 with an RBI double. Senior Garret Smith earned his fifth save of the year.
Duke took the first lead of the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Jeff Kremer led off with a single and was sacrificed to scoring position. With two outs and Kremer on third, Chris Marconcini hit an RBI double to the gap in right for the game's first run. A stolen base and a walk to Anthony D'Alessandro put runners on the corners and then Will Piwnica-Worms hit a comebacker off of Leonard for an infield single and a run.
BC tied the game with two runs of its own in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Matt Watson was hit by a pitch with one out and senior Matt Hamlet walked to put men on first and second. Bourdon singled to load the bases and after the second out was recorded, McGovern chopped an 0-2 pitch back up the middle for a two-run single to tie the game.
The Eagles took the lead with two more runs in the seventh. Hamlet drew a leadoff walk and after a fielder's choice, junior Brad Zapenas doubled down the right field line to put a pair in scoring position. McGovern hit the gap in right for a two-run triple to give the Eagles a 4-2 lead.
The Blue Devils got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the frame. David Perkins led off with a pinch hit single and then Angelo LaBruna hit one as well to put men on first and second. A groundout to first moved them both up a bag and then Joe Pedevillano hit a sac fly to right to score a run.
BC (12-16, 5-8 ACC) added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. McGovern utilized his speed and bunted himself on base with a single and then stole second on the next pitch to get into scoring position. Junior Anthony Melchionda took the first pitch of his at-bat with two outs to the gap in left for an RBI double to push the lead to 5-3.
Marconcini and Piwnica-Worms both went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Duke (19-15, 4-10) while LaBruna and Kremer also had a pair of hits. Dennis O'Grady got the loss after allowing four runs in 6.1 innings of work.
The rubber match of the series will be Sunday at 1 p.m.
