Duke baseball: Blue Devils win two straight to take opening series

The Duke baseball team is ready to get back on the field after an Opening Series victory against the Army Black Knights following a tough defeat on Opening Day.

Baseball season is back and after two fantastic seasons in a row, the Duke Blue Devils are looking to break through and get to Omaha for the College World Series.

Duke got is season started on Friday afternoon against the Army Black Knights and both teams found themselves in a pitching duel on Opening Day.

More from Ball Durham

Army plated a run in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-0 which held through seven innings.

The Blue Devils were able to get on the board in the eight via a balk as Chris Crabtree came home to score. Duke would try to close out Opening Day with a dramatic walk-off, but after an Ethan Murray single to lead off the ninth, Duke was unable to bring him home to tie the game.

Despite losing on Opening Day, starting pitcher Bryce Jarvis (0-1) picked up the loss after throwing four innings and surrendering four hits, two runs, one earned, one walk, and two strikeouts.

With one loss already on the season, things didn’t get off to a great start in Game Two of the series on Saturday as Duke found themselves in a 7-1 hole in after five innings but the Blue Devils had a rally in their bones which was all started by a grand-slam in the sixth inning from Matt Mervis.

Mervis’ first home run of the season got Duke to within two runs and the Blue Devils would tie the game in the seventh inning via a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch but Army would take its lead back in the eighth inning, going up 8-7.

However, trailing by one going into the bottom of the ninth once again Saturday would be different for Duke then Friday was.

After getting one out in one batter, Duke would load the bases with the ensuing three batters which led to a tie game thanks to a Britt Fuller sacrifice fly and Chase Cheek won the game with a line drive to right field which popped out of the fielders glove and gave the Blue Devils its first victory of the season, 9-8.

ALSO READ: Ranking all 25 Duke basketball players in the NBA this season

Jack Carey (1-0) was credited with the victory after pitching two innings in relief while allowing one run on one hit, one walk, and striking out one.

Sunday was much calmer for Duke as the Blue Devils won the series with a 7-0 win over Army, jumping on the Black Knights with five runs in the first two innings with the big blow coming on a two-run homer from Michael Rothenberg.

Cooper Stinson (1-0) got the win after pitching five and two-thirds scoreless innings after allowing just three hits and striking out six while not walking a batter.

Duke (2-1) will hit its stride soon as the games begin to pick up with a mid-week matchup on Tuesday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park with fans being able to watch the game on ACC Network Extra with the first pitch just after 4:00pm EST.

Home/Duke Baseball