Duke splits mid-week games with Rider
Duke’s baseball team split a couple of one-run games before hopping back into ACC play this weekend.
The Blue Devils dropped a 2-1 game against Rider on Tuesday, and then beat Rider 4-3 on Wednesday.
It made the Blue Devils 6-3 in one-run games this season, and they’ve won five of the last six games decided by such a slim margin.
Duke (33-14) played both games at Jack Coombs Field but will be back at Durham Bulls Athletic Park this weekend against Georgia Tech. It’s Duke’s final home ACC series, as the Blue Devils head to Miami next weekend for what could determine the Coastal Division champion (Duke currently holds a ½-game lead on the Hurricanes).
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Here’s a quick recap of each game this week:
Rider 2, Duke 1
On Tuesday, Luke Lesch homered in the second inning and doubled in a run in the ninth to drive in both of Rider’s (31-16) runs.
Duke’s Alex Stone extended his hitting streak to 20 games (he also had a hit Wednesday) with a homer in the first and the Blue Devils were silent on the scoreboard after that.
Duke put runners on second and third with no outs in the sixth but couldn’t score, and loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth without pushing across a run. The game ended with Duke loading the bases in the ninth with one out, and then Jay Beshears and Stone striking out to end the game.
The offensive inefficiency overshadowed a strong day from Duke’s pitching staff. Four pitchers — Ryan Higgins, Gabriel Nard, Fran Oschell III and Charlie Bielenson (3-2) — combined to allow four hits and three walks, with 12 strikeouts.
Duke 4, Rider 3
On Wednesday, Duke trailed again by one run in a late inning but rallied for the win this time.
Stone hit a two-run single in the seventh to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead, scoring Alex Mooney and Beshears.
James Tallon recorded a six-out save with four strikeouts. It’s his 10th save of the season.
Duke scored two unearned runs early, one on a groundout by Stone and another on a single by Tyler Albright. Beshears and Albright both had two-hit games.
Aidan Weaver retired all nine batters he faced in starting the game for Duke, and Owen Proksch followed up with two scoreless innings. Rider scored one run in the sixth and two in the seventh, all runs charged to Adam Boucher.
Jimmy Romano (1-0) notched the final out of the seventh, making him the game’s pitcher of record.