Duke Baseball: After no-hitter, Blue Devils still pick up series win

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 29: A glove and balls sit on the infield before a game between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 29: A glove and balls sit on the infield before a game between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Duke Baseball team picked up a series victory over Penn State this weekend after throwing a no-hitter on Friday night.

Prior to the combined no-hitter on Friday night, the week started back in Durham for the Duke Blue Devils defeating Richmond 5-2 on Tuesday, February 26.

Bill Chillari (2-0) picked up the victory for the Blue Devils after throwing four innings, surrendering three hits and one run, while striking out four.

More from Ball Durham

Thomas Girard (1) struck out two and walked one in the ninth inning picking up his first save of the season and moving the Blue Devils to 7-1 on the season.

Michael Rothenberg led the Blue Devils offensively with 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, and a hit.

The Blue Devils would then head south to Bradenton, Florida for a 3-game series with the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The series got off to an almost perfect start for the Blue Devils as Graeme StinsonMatt Dockman, and Jack Carey combined to throw a no hitter in the opening game of the series, as the Blue Devils dominated, beating Penn State 14-0.

It was the first no-hitter in program history since 1955.

light. Related Story. Blue Devils combine for no hitter in blow out of Penn State

After a dominate Friday night for the Blue Devils pitching staff, it was a rather below average performance on Saturday afternoon for Duke’s arms, falling to Penn State 8-7.

Duke fell behind 3-0 in the first innings but would respond with two runs in the top of the third.

The Nittany Lions would add a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Duke would once again have an answer in the top of the fourth, tying the game at four.

Duke would then take its first lead of the game in the top of the fifth, putting up a three-spot in the frame, but the back end of the bullpen could not hold the lead, allowing Penn State to cross the home-plate, two times in the bottom of the sixth and two more times in the seventh.

The Blue Devils could not score anymore runs, dropping the second game of the series.

Hunter Davis (0-1) was handed the loss for Duke.

In the rubber game of the 3-game series, it took a while for Duke’s bats to wake up, but the pitching staff was back to its dominant self.

Cooper Stinson gave Duke five excellent innings, allowing just one run on three hits, walking four and striking out six.

Ben Gross (2-0) secured the win for the Blue Devils after just throwing one inning, allowing one run and one walk, but striking out the side.

Despite the excellent efforts of the pitching staff, Kennie Taylor stole the show, belting two home-runs in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively.

Taylor launched a grand-slam in the seventh inning to give the Blue Devils the lead and then followed that up in the eight inning with a two-run homer to clinch the series victory for Duke.

In the 9-2 victory, Taylor led the way with those two home-runs, his only hits of the afternoon, and 6 RBI.

The Duke Blue Devils are now 9-2 on the season with a rare two-game mid-week series in Durham against the University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday and Wednesday before going back on the road for its first ACC games this season against Virginia in Charlottesville this weekend.