Duke Outlasts NC Central, 12-7

Tuesday, April 6

Durham, N.C.

6 P.M.

Duke University

12-13

NC Central

10-9

NC Central

Duke

Duke Outlasts NC Central, 12-7

4/6/2021 11:40:00 PM | Baseball

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DURHAM – The Duke baseball pitching staff combined for 18 strikeouts as the Blue Devils outlasted NC Central, 12-7, on Tuesday night at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in downtown Durham, N.C.

Junior RJ Schreck led the Blue Devils offensively, finishing 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI, two runs, two stolen bases and a career-high three walks. Classmate Ethan Murray and graduate student Erikson Nichols also recorded multi-hit outings. Murray went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, a run and an RBI while Nichols finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Sophomore Billy Seidl made his first career start on the hill for the Blue Devils. Seidl earned the win in the declared staff day for the Blue Devils, pitching 2.0 scoreless innings and striking out four of the six batters faced.

Duke (11-11, 5-8 ACC) got on the board first with runs in each of the opening innings to take a 2-0 lead. Nichols recorded an RBI single in the first inning to score senior Joey Loperfido. In the next inning, an RBI double from Schreck scored junior Rudy Maxwell from second.

A seven-run fourth inning by the Blue Devils separated the two sides and increased Duke's lead to 9-1. Seven consecutive Blue Devils reached base with one out in the inning. Duke boasted five hits, matching the season-high in an inning, including doubles from Loperfido, Nichols and Murray.

Both teams scored a run in the fifth before NC Central took advantage of free bases in the sixth to score four and bring the score to 10-6.

The Blue Devils tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh to solidify their lead as Schreck and graduate student Peter Matt scored on consecutive wild pitches.

NC Central threatened in the ninth, scoring a run, but were unable to overcome the 12-7 deficit.

A combined 18 pitchers made appearances throughout the game. Duke utilized the services of six arms out of the bullpen. Freshman Luke Fox allowed just one unearned run on one hit while striking out six in 2.0 innings of work.

Sophomore Marcus Johnson worked a scoreless eighth inning efficiently, retiring all three batters faced in just seven pitches with a strikeout.

Duke travels down Tobacco Road this weekend as the Blue Devils are set to take on North Carolina in Chapel Hill for a three-game series. Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.

Postgame Notes:

Duke's seven runs in the fourth inning were the most in a single inning this season.
The Blue Devil's five hits in the fourth inning matched the most in an inning this season, previously done in the third inning against Georgia Tech on March 28.
Duke hit five doubles in a single game for the third time this season.
The Blue Devils stole six bases on the evening, the most in a game this season.
Schreck's three walks were a career high.
Schreck recorded his team-leading 20^th RBI in the second inning.
Senior Joey Loperfido reached base for the 18^th consecutive game, a streak that leads the team, thanks to being hit by pitch for a team-leading seventh time.