Senior pitcher Robby Poll scattered three hits in eight innings as Hope College edged the Denison Big Red 3-0 on Saturday morning from Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Fla.
After solid outings in his first two collegiate appearances, freshman southpaw Danny Kraus (Westlake, Ohio/Westlake) struggled in his first career start walking the first three batters of the inning. However, sophomore catcher David Baskin (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) helped his young pitcher by gunning down Jon Ponte at first. On the very next pitch, Kraus got Colton Bodrie to strike out swinging, and followed that up by getting Pete Zessin to grounded out to senior Zach Huttie (Cary, N.C./Athens Drive) as the rookie got out of the early jam.
The Flying Dutchmen took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Alex Fryer scored on an RBI ground out by Wyatt Curry. Hope tacked on an insurance run in the fifth when Zessin drew a based-loaded walk to bring home Scott Snyder, and added another tally in the seventh on an RBI base hit by Colton Bodrie.
Matt Forgatch (San Marino, Calif./San Marino), Kevin Teague (Fairfax Station, Va./St. Stephens and St. Agnes), Lowell Hall (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) and Tim Duxbury (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier) recorded the four hits for Denison.
Kraus allowed four hits in his five innings on the hill. The freshman surrendered two runs, struck out three and walked seven batters. The DU bullpen had another solid outing as Nick Smith (Mirror Lake, N.H./Holderness School), McCavitt Carter (Hanoverton, Ohio/United Local), Freddy Marino (Shaker Heights, Ohio/University School) and Dale McOsker (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) combined to scatter five hits and one unearned run.
Poll threw eight innings, with nine strikeouts and just one base-on-balls en route to his first win of the season. Junior Andrew Klinkman closed out the final frame for Hope, surrendering just one hit and striking out one to earn the save.
Denison falls to 7-5, while Hope improves to 1-2 overall. The Big Red closes out their 2010 spring trip on Sunday when they take on Emory University at Coolray Field (the Gwinnett Braves Stadium). First pitch is slated for 9 a.m.
