Cavalier Bats Stay Hot, Down Duke 15-3

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March 20, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A seven-run second inning propelled the University of Virginia to a 15-3 victory over Duke here Saturday. With the win, the Cavaliers improve to 10-14 on the season and 2-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference action. Duke falls to 13-13 and 0-4.

After collecting a then-season-high 17 hits in the first game of the series Friday, UVA again exploded at the plate. The 20 hits by the Cavaliers was the most by a Virginia squad since the Orange and Blue had 24 base knocks March 9, 1995 against Coppin State. It was also the most hits against an ACC opponent since getting 21 April 24, 1994 against Duke.

The Blue Devils took an early 2-0 lead with a run in each of the first two innings. However, the Cavaliers took control of the affair with the seven spot in the bottom of the second on six hits. Josh Bowling had the big hit in the inning, a three-run triple down the leftfield line. Jon Benick also blasted his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-center. UVa pushed another run across in the third to make the score 8-2.

Duke chipped away with a run in the fifth, but a three-run sixth and a four-run seventh for the Wahoos put the game out of reach. Tim LaVigne hit a two-run homer in the seventh, his first of the season.

Tommy Keiper (1-0) made his first start of the season for UVA and picked up the win. The sophomore right hander went the required five innings and allowed three runs on nine hits with five strike outs. Freshman Mark Hurrie pitched the final four innings, allowing just a hit and a walk with five strike outs to earn his first-career save. Chris Capuano (3-3) was chased from the game following the second inning and was saddled with the loss. He surrendered seven runs on eight hits with one walk and no strike outs.

For the second consecutive game, eight Cavaliers starters got hits, and six starters had at least two hits. LaVigne led the way with a career-high four hits in five trips, three runs and three RBI. Luis Giraldo, Mark Rueffert, Hunter Wyant and Bowling each had three hits with the Bowling driving in a career-high tying four runs. The two teams will play the final game of the series here Sunday at 1 p.m. Sophomore Southpaw Greg Withelder (2-4) will take the mound for the Cavaliers.

VIRGINIA 15, DUKE 3

Duke (13-13, 0-4)	110 010 000 - 3  10 3UVa (10-14, 2-3)	071 003 40x - 15 20 3

WP – Keiper (1-0). LP – Capuano (3-3).
Sv – Hurrie (1). Capuano, Dupree (3), Beauchamp (8) and Conrey, Mason (8); Keiper, Hurrie (6) and Benick.
T – 2:54.
A – 251.