Box Score
The Dukes (26-27-1) will now face top-seeded Xavier Friday at 3:30 pm. Xavier (25-30) lost its opening game to Rhode Island, 11-4 earlier in the day.
Junior Mike Carroll hit a two-run double in the first inning and fellow junior Bill Torre launched a two-run homer to left in the fourth to propel Duquesne to a 4-3 lead. That score held until the seventh when DU posted three more tallies to extend the advantage to 7-3. The Owls answered in the eighth though with four runs to tie things up before Anthony Manley's game-winning hit.
Junior pitcher Gary Pierpont tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs while striking out a career-high tying six and walking just one. Freshman Matt Zarin, who entered the contest in the eighth, collected his second victory of the season by sitting down the three Owls he faced in the ninth.
Andrew Heck was 3-4 with a run scored, Derek Mechling was 2-4 with three runs scored and Manley was 1-2 with two RBI and three runs scored.
NOTES
- Torre's home run was his third of the season and the first ever by a Duke in 10 post-season games
- Heck's three-hit performance was his second of the season as well as his second of the A-10 Championship
- The victory marks the first time Duquesne has won two post-season games and advanced to the third day of the tournament.
- The Dukes face number 1 seed Xavier on Friday, May 23,2008, at 3:30 p.m. The Musketeers lost to #5 Rhode Island Thursday. Today's winner will take on URI tonight at 7:00 p.m. The Rams were defeated by defending champion and two seed Charlotte in Thursday's first game.