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Duke Baseball: Blue Devils On Fire as They Crack Top-10

By Kevin Connelly

Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of a bag of baseballs before the start of the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of the away jersey of the Vanderbilt Commodores and the home jersey of the Virginia Cavaliers before the start of game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of a bag of baseballs before the start of the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Vanderbilt Commodores during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) Omaha, NE - JUNE 23: A general view of the away jersey of the Vanderbilt Commodores and the home jersey of the Virginia Cavaliers before the start of game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 23, 2015 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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Duke Baseball has been on a tear, rising all the way up in the rankings to get themselves inside the Top-10.

It has been very quiet, nothing outgoing or flashy, but the Duke Blue Devils Baseball team is No. 9 in the NCAA after barely squeaking in the preseason polls at No. 25 and then being unranked from late February to mid-March.

The Blue Devils currently stand at 30-7. Duke finished the regular season with 30 wins last year and they were the second fastest team to 30 victories this season behind reigning the National Champion Flordia Gators.

Through that 30-7 record, the Blue Devils are 12-5 in the ACC. Duke holds a one-game lead over North Carolina for the top spot in the Coastal Divison.

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The Blue Devils caught the eye of the nation this weekend with a sweep of Flordia State, taking both games, with the third game being canceled due to rain.

At the plate, Duke has been led by Joey Loperfido and Jimmy Herron.

Loperfido is hitting a scorching .331 with five home runs and a team-leading 28 RBI. Herron does it all for the Blue Devils. He is hitting .300 with only two homers and 15 RBI, but it’s the little things Herron does to lead Duke.

Herron has a team-leading 26 walks and has successfully stolen 15 bases out of 16 attempts.

On the mound it’s Adam Laskey that is the dominant starter for Duke, posting a 6-2 record with a 3.81 ERA in 52 innings pitched.

However, it is the Duke bullpen that has been the strength of the pitching staff. Jack Labosky, Ethan DeCaster, Matt Dockman, and Bill Chillari all have sub-2.00 ERA.

The four pitchers have combined to throw 116.2 innings this year, with Labosky and DeCaster anchoring the late innings with 11 saves between them.

The Blue Devils are back home to take on East Carolina on April 17 as they prepare for a huge weekend series against No. 4 NC State at home.

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