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Duke Baseball: Blue Devils Get Back on Track in Blacksburg

By Kevin Connelly

Omaha, NE - JUNE 28: A general view of NCAA baseballs prior to game two of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arizona Wildcats and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 28: A general view of NCAA baseballs prior to game two of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arizona Wildcats and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 28, 2016 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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It was a tough week for the Duke Baseball team a two weeks ago, but they righted the ship this week after some hard-fought road victories.

The week was supposed to start at beautiful BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte against Davidson, but Mother Nature and other ideas. The game was canceled due to rain and the only game left for the Blue Devils on the schedule was their weekend series with Virginia Tech.

The No. 13 Blue Devils looked to get back on track, but the Hokies had other things in mind as Duke rolled into town on Friday night.

The Hokies got out to a very quick 2-0 lead, but Duke starter Adam Laskey settled down and pitch a great 6.1 innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 runs, while striking out 4.

The Blue Devils got one run back in the fifth inning on a Kenny Taylor RBI groundout.

Virginia Tech tacked on another run in the seventh inning, extending their lead to 3-1.

Virginia Tech starter Ian Seymour lasted seven innings, yielding five hits, one run, and fanning seven Blue Devils.

However, the Blue Devils would not go quietly as Griffin Conine stepped to the plate with two outs in the eighth inning and blasted game-tying double, that gave the Blue Devils new life.

Both teams failed to get any runs across in the remaining inning and a half, so the Blue Devils and Hokies were headed to extras.

With nothing doing in the 10th inning, Virginia Tech’s JD Mundy stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the 11th with two on and two out and he ended the Blue Devils hopes of a victory with a Walk-off single, as the Hokies took Game 1 from the Blue Devils 4-3.

The winning pitcher for the Hokies was Joey Sullivan (2-3) as Bryce Jarvis (2-1) took the loss for Duke.

Saturday: Duke vs Virginia Tech

After only plating three runs on Friday night, the Blue Devils bats made up for lost time on Saturday afternoon.

The Blue Devils chased Hokies starting pitcher Nic Enwright as he could not record an out in the second inning, as the Blue Devils tabbed Enwright for three runs in that second inning.

The big blow came from the leadoff spot in that second inning as Joey Loperfido took Enwright deep.

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The Hokies got a run back in the bottom half of the second inning and then took the lead in the third inning behind a three-run inning of their own.

The Blue Devils then began to chip away at the Hokie lead getting a run back in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, but the Hokies would tie the game up again in the bottom of the fifth.

Tied at five going into the seventh inning, the Blue Devils decided they had enough and would put the game away right there.

Duke scored three runs in the seventh and eighth innings, led by a Chris Proctor two-run homer in the eight. That would do it for the ballgame as the Blue Devils went onto to win 11-5.

After picking up a tough loss the night before, Bryce Jarvis (3-1) got the win Saturday for Duke, throwing two scoreless innings of relief for starter Mitch Stallings, and it was Dylan Hall (3-3) who took the loss for the Hokies.

Sunday: Duke vs Virginia Tech

In the rubber match of the series, it wasn’t much of a contest.

The Blue Devils used a four-run, fourth inning to take the game and the series from the Hokies.

Jack Labosky capped off the fourth inning with a home run to left center field.

Starting pitcher Ryan Day (3-2) was absolutely dominant, tossing seven shutout innings, scattering five hits, striking out six, and walking none.

The Blue Devils chased Hokie starter Connor Coward (2-5) in the sixth inning after an RBI single by Labosky.

Duke would tack on another two runs in the seventh inning behind a Griffin Conine homer.

The Blue Devils went onto win the game 7-0 and took the series two games to one from Virginia Tech.

The Blue Devils improved their record to 33-11 overall and 15-8 in the ACC after the weekend, while Virginia Tech fell to 18-26 overall and 8-16 in the ACC.

Next up for the Blue Devils is a doubleheader with Gardner-Webb on Sunday, May 6 at Jack Coombs Field.

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