Duke wins home opener
Blue Devils edge Liberty behind another solid pitching performance
Duke won its home opener 4-2 against Liberty on Wednesday at Jack Coombs Field.
The Blue Devils (4-0) had five pitchers combine to give up three hits and one walk, while striking out eight.
Tim Noone, a graduate transfer from Division III-level Babson College, gave up one run in three innings as the starter. That was an RBI double in the second inning that gave Liberty (3-1) an early lead.
Gabriel Nard recorded two 1-2-3 innings in relief, with three strikeouts. Kyle Johnson pitched the next two innings, giving up an unearned run in the seventh that made it 4-2.
Jimmy Romano worked around a walk in the eighth, and Charlie Beilenson — pitching for the third time already this season — recorded his third save of the season already with two groundouts and a strikeout in the ninth.
Duke’s Ben Miller had an RBI double in the third inning that tied the game at 1-1, and then Logan Bravo hit a two-run single later in the inning.
Zac Morris’ RBI single in the fourth inning was the last of Duke’s scoring.