Almost two years ago, shortstop Vaughn Schill arrived in Durham from Audubon, N.J., hoping to provide an additional boost to Duke's steady ascent in collegiate baseball. If the Blue Devils current No. 18 national ranking, the highest in school history, serves as any indication, Schill has certainly done his part.
This weekend, 25 other players from Audubon rolled into Durham with quite a different mission in mind-halting Duke's recent climb up the polls. The Monmouth Hawks, whose roster is dotted with seven of Schill's former high school teammates and opponents of Schill, were welcomed rudely at historic Jack Coombs field. Duke gladly played the role of the ungracious host, sweeping the three-game series from the Hawks (0-3) by counts of 7-4, 6-2 and 5-2.
"Its not so much the team, but just the guys I played against," Schill said of Monmouth. "Especially in the summer when we go back home-we hold bragging rights as to who beats who or who did better than who. Personally, its fun to play against these guys."
This time, however, it was probably a little more fun for Schill. The preseason All-American shortstop made a highlight-reel grab to preserve the Duke win in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader and recorded a save in the series finale.
The Monmouth sweep, along with a 5-1 decision over the Liberty Flames in Lynchburg, Va. Friday, improved Duke's record to a perfect 14-0.
Junior Stephen Cowie continued a string of strong starting pitching from the Blue Devils on Friday, scattering eight hits in eight strong innings and allowing only one run. Although Cowie left the ball game in a 1-1 tie, the Blue Devils gave Cowie the win by pushing four runs across the plate in the ninth.
In a rare scheduled doubleheader Saturday, the Blue Devils rode two gutsy pitching performances to victories in a pair of seven-inning contests. After breezing through his first three collegiate starts, freshman right-hander Brent Reid labored through five innings in the opening game. Lacking his usually reliable control, (three walks in 19 innings before Saturday), Reid walked four, allowed 11 baserunners and four runs in his five innings and watched his ERA almost double from 1.42 to 2.63.
"He definitely did not have his command, and it's not because of the four-run [fourth] inning," coach Steve Traylor said. "His percentage of strikes is down, and the four walks is unusual for him. He got in trouble the first three innings, but he regrouped. That's a positive sign for a freshman pitcher."
However, on the strengths of outfielders Michael Fletcher and Wes Goodner's solo blasts in the fourth inning, Duke still held on to a 6-4 lead after Monmouth's big inning. The Hawks threatened to cut further into the lead in the sixth inning when Rich Chini greeted Duke reliever Brad Dupree with a lead-off triple in the frame. Dupree then retired three of the next four hitters on two line-outs and a grounder back to the mound to strand Chini at third base.
Fletcher's RBI infield single gave the Blue Devils an insurance run in the top of the seventh before Dupree pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save.
In the second game Saturday, senior Jimmy Wendling tossed the first complete game of his collegiate career, giving up only four hits and two runs. After striking out with runners on the corners and two out in the first inning, Fletcher redeemed himself in the third by lining a double over the head of the right-fielder to drive in the first two Blue Devil runs of the game.
"I wasn't trying to strike out [that first at-bat]," Fletcher said. "I just got a pitch to handle [the second time], I was a bit more aggressive and went up there looking for something to hit."
Duke came out swinging again Sunday in the very first inning. Ed Conrey's two-run single and Fletcher's walk with the bases loaded gave Duke all the offense it needed. Clayton Connor, Chris Capuano and Vaughn Schill combined to hold the Hawks to two runs on four hits.
"Monmouth is probably not [Atlantic Coast Conference] caliber," Fletcher said. "But when you play so many games, it gives us a chance to go deeper in the pitching staff. Clayton came in today, pitched six really good innings and [Capuano] pitched really well."
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