With the score knotted at eight in the bottom of the ninth, Duke reliever Danny Otero sacrificed a triple to right centerfield, leaving Elon (6-3) a fly ball away from a victory.
Otero then intentionally walked two batters to set up a force-play at home plate. The reliever quickly struck out pinch-hitter Kevin Pratt before outfielder Ryan Radford grounded out to preserve the tie.
As the game swung into extra innings, the darkening sky forced the two teams to suspend play and leave the score tied for the evening.
The ballgame began with Blue Devil starting pitcher Jim Perry perfect through seven hitters. The righty's perfection ended on a solo home run by Radford that put the Phoenix ahead, 1-0.
Duke (4-5) got on the board with a bang in a six-run, six-hit fourth inning that put the squad five runs ahead. Over a stretch when eight consecutive Blue Devils reached base safely, Javier Socorro and Bryan Smith each notched an RBI double with catcher Ron Causey adding a two-RBI single.
Perry had been cruising until he was unable to retire a batter in the Elon fourth inning. Paul DeMarco came on in relief but relinqished three Phoenix runs before retiring the side. Elon used this momentum during its following two at bats, tying the game and building a two-run lead heading into the seventh.
With the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh, Duke had a chance to take the lead back and possibly more. Freshman first baseman Brett Bartles, who is currently leading the team with a .533 batting average, hit a two-RBI single, evening the score at eight. The Blue Devils, however, failed to capitalize on the opportunity to take the lead. Eric Baumann was picked off second base, leaving just Bartles on first, where he finished the inning.
Play will resume March 2 back at Jack Coombs Field before the teams face off for their second game of the season.
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