Cavaliers Get Back on Track with 15-5 Win over Duke

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March 19, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Hunter Wyant drove in a career-high fourruns and tied a career high with three hits to lead the University ofVirginia past Duke here Saturday 15-5. With the win, the Cavaliers put anend to a five-game skid and improve to 9-14 on the season, 1-3 in AtlanticCoast Conference play. Duke, meanwhile, falls to 13-12 and 0-3.

The Blue Devils took a brief lead in the top of the fourth with arun on one hit. However, UVa stormed back with eight runs on eight hits inthe bottom of the inning to take a commanding 8-1 lead. The Cavaliers,winners of five straight at home, sent 12 men to the plate in the inningfor their biggest frame of the season.

Duke scratched away with a run in the fifth thanks to a leadoffsingle by shortstop Vaughn Schill and a two-out double by Kevin Kelly.Virginia then exploded again, this time sending 10 men to the plate for aseven-run sixth. The Cavaliers made use of five hits and three Duke errorsin the inning. The Devils plated three runs late, but it was to no avail.

Brandon Creswell (4-2) picked up the win for the Cavaliers, lastingseven and two-thirds innings and allowing five runs, four earned, on eighthits with three walks and seven strike outs. John Thomas pitched the finalfour outs and allowed no runs on three hits with a walk and two whiffs.

Stephen Cowie (5-3) took the loss for the Blue Devils. He lastedfour innings, taking the fall for the Cavaliers first big inning. Kellywent 3-for-5 with two doubles and three RBI, and Ed Conrey had a pair ofhits to lead Duke at the dish.

Eight of the nine bats in the UVa lineup produced hits with sevencollecting two or more. Wyant was 3-for-4 on the day with two runs scoredand four RBI. Luis Giraldo, Jon Benick and Julian Gonzalez each had acouple of base hits and two RBI on the afternoon.

Virginia had 17 hits as a team on the day, two better than itsprevious season high of 15. The 15 plate crossings was also a season highfor the Orange and Blue.

Duke and UVA will play the second game of the series here Saturdayat 2 p.m. Chris Capuano is scheduled to get the start for the Blue Devils,while Tommy Keiper is slated to toss for the Cavaliers.

VIRGINIA 15, DUKE 5

Duke  (13-12, 0-3)   000 110 210 -   5 11  5UVA    (9-14, 1-2)   000 807 00x -  15 17  3WP - Creswell (4-2). LP - Cowie (5-3). Sv - None.Cowie, Schroeder (5), Benik (6) and Conrey; Creswell, Thomas (8) andRueffert. T - 2:50. A - 127.