Blue Devils hunt for ACC wins

Duke (21-7, 4-7 in the ACC) has four victories over top-25 opponents, is only eight wins short of matching last year's total with about half the season remaining and has played its best baseball in recent memory.

But the Blue Devils compete in the ACC, a league known for its baseball juggernauts. Every loss has come against conference foes, relegating the talented squad close to the bottom of the standings.

A trip north to face Boston College (13-14, 2-10) in a three-game weekend series in Chestnut Hill, Mass. could be a breath of fresh air from the tough competition Duke has faced recently. Eight of the Blue Devils' last 12 contests have come against teams ranked 17th or better.

Duke has epitomized consistency all season, though, sporting one of the nation's most sound defenses and one of the league's best pitching staffs.

The Eagles will rely on their powerful bats to secure some much-needed conference wins against the Blue Devils. Twelve players have gone yard to account for Boston College's 37 home runs this season, a staggering 22 more than Duke has.

But Duke's pitching has been hanging up batters, with junior Andrew Wolcott leading the way with a 3.31 ERA in six starts and 21 strikeouts through 35.1 frames. In fact, the Blue Devils boast one of the most effective pitching staffs in the nation. Their 3.14 combined ERA is 11th-best.

Across the diamond, the Eagles have struggled all year from the rubber. None of Boston College's projected starters this weekend have an ERA less than 5.40, and the team has given a staggering 4.7 walks per game.

And once Duke gets men on base, watch for head coach Sean McNally to give the green light. Although Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez plays the position well, the Blue Devils have converted on 35-of-39 steal attempts.