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Duke Baseball: Blue Devils start the 2019 season with a sweep of Lehigh

By Kevin Connelly

DENVER, CO - APRIL 22: A groundskeeper manicures the mound as the field is prepared for the Colorado Rockies to host the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on April 22, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Giants 2-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - APRIL 22: A groundskeeper manicures the mound as the field is prepared for the Colorado Rockies to host the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field on April 22, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Giants 2-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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The Duke Baseball team start off the 2019 season on the right foot with a three game weekend sweep of Lehigh.

After the best season in Duke Baseball history in 2018, the Duke Baseball team picked up right where it left off to start the 2019 season.

The Blue Devils swept the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in a three game weekend series in Durham.

Duke pitched a one hit shutout on Opening Day in a 7-0 route.

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Graeme Stinson (1-0) picked up the victory, throwing three inning of scoreless baseball, surrendering  the one hit and striking out six.

Hunter Davis, Bill Chillari, and Thomas Girard combined for seven inning near-perfect innings as Davis hit one batter and Girardi walked one.

The trio combined for 12 strikeouts.

Duke was led by Erikson Nichols on Friday with three hits and 2 RBI in four at-bats, while Kennie Taylor also had 2 RBI for the Blue Devils.

Saturday was another outstanding pitching performance by the Blue Devils as the team downed Lehigh 8-1.

Duke jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Mountain Hawks would respond in the third inning with an unearned run.

Bryce Jarvis (1-0) tossed four innings allowing only one hit and the unearned run to go along with nine strikeouts and two walks.

Jack Carey came in relief of Jarvis and pitched three innings, allowing three hits, one walk, and striking out four.

Ben Gross cleaned out the second game of the series, throwing the last two innings, striking out three and allowing one hit.

Kennie Taylor once again had 2 RBI, but was joined by Joey Loperfido and Chase Cheek with 2 RBI.

Sunday was much more of a competitive game and it was a battle for the Blue Devils.

After jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning, Lehigh would respond with three runs of its own in the top of the third.

The Mountain Hawks chased starting pitcher Cooper Stinson after three and two-third innings pitched, as he gave up three runs on four hits and three walks, but did manage to strike out seven.

Matt Dockman (1-0) came in relief and picked up the victory after throwing three and one-third innings, only allowing two hits and a walk while fanning four.

Eli Herrick (1) came in for the six out save, as the Blue Devils won the final game of the series, 4-3.  Herrick struck out four batters and only allowed two hits.

The Blue Devils answer in the bottom of the fifth with three runs, taking the 4-3 lead and never looking back.

Ethan Murray led the way with 2 RBI and Erikson Nichols and Joey Loperfido also picked up an RBI.

At 3-0 on the season, the Blue Devils will be back on the diamond Tuesday afternoon for a mid-week matchup with Davidson before hosting Northwestern on Friday for a 3-game series.

All games this week will be at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

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