An offensive explosion.
That's what the baseball team experienced last Friday at Davidson as it defeated the Wildcats 13-8. The victory raised the team's overall record to 32-11-1 for the season.
The Blue Devils gained an early lead, and with the aid of a seven-run seventh inning mounted a 12-2 advantage. Despite being behind by 10 runs, the Wildacts clawed back into the game with six runs in the seventh and eighth innings to cut the lead to 12-8. Yet behind the pitching of Josh Shipman, Duke was able to the hold on for the victory.
Head coach Steve Traylor was pleased with his team's effort, especially the offensive performances of Sean McNally and Casey Jowers.
"We swung the bats really well." Traylor said. "Sean McNally had a real good day, and Casey Jowers had an outstanding day."
Jowers, McNally and Matt Harrell all had three hits to pace the Blue Devils 15-hit attack. Jowers had two doubles and a home run, knocking in a total of five RBIs, an especially meaningful performance after not playing for eight days due to an injury. Also homering for the Blue Devils were Mike King and Mike Olexa.
Freshman Scott Schoeneweis, after a tough outing against Georgia Tech, came back to win his ninth game of the season. The left-hander pitched seven strong innings, giving up only three earned runs while collecting seven strikeouts.
Traylor was impressed with the work of his freshman ace, especially the poise he maintained after his outing against Tech. He also commented how Schoeneweis had pitched more innings than ever before.
Before Friday's game, he was leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in innings pitched at 68 and two-thirds. Traylor suspected that the freshman may have been experiencing fatigue in the game against Tech, but he showed no signs of tiredness in the game against the Wildcats.
"Scott Schoeneweis had probably the best stuff he has had in a month," Traylor said. "He really looked fresh, throwing harder than he's thrown in the past six or seven starts...It looks now that he's strong again."
Traylor hopes the team's level of play will carry into the upcoming week, with the pinnacle of the week being a three-game series against Wake Forest over the weekend.
"We'd like to keep playing the way we've played the next couple games...keep the momentum going into the Wake series," Traylor said.
The Demon Deacons are currently one of the hottest teams in the ACC, sweeping Maryland on the road earlier in the week, and then taking two games from Florida State over the weekend.
Duke's next game is at home against Campbell today at 3 p.m. at historic Jack Coombs Field.
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