With five teams constantly ranked in the top 25, the ACC isn’t a conference where teams typically get much of a chance to catch their breath. However, this weekend’s trip to Winston-Salem to take on conference doormat Wake Forest represents a good chance for the Blue Devils to make up some ground in the ACC standings.
As Duke (22-16, 6-12 in the ACC) prepares to enter the stretch run of the season with its eye on a berth in the conference tournament, the Blue Devils sit in ninth place, three games behind N.C. State, Boston College and Virginia Tech. In order to qualify for the postseason, Duke needs to finish among the top eight teams in the conference, and a sweep of Wake Forest (10-30, 2-16) would help close the gap.
“We just got through arguably the toughest three-week stretch of anyone in all of college baseball,” head coach Sean McNally said. “Now, we have a big series ahead of us, and we need to make a run and start making up some ground down the stretch.”
Getting the ball in the first game of the series is versatile freshman Marcus Stroman, who will be making the first start of his collegiate career. Although he is the team’s starting second baseman, the youngster is no stranger to the mound as he has made 12 relief appearances, posting a 4-1 record and a 4.34 ERA. Stroman will take on southpaw Tim Cooney—the Demon Deacons’ most consistent starter.
“We’re at a point in our season, with four ACC series left, where Friday night we need to set the tone for the weekend,” McNally said. “We want to go with our best available arm, and he’s had plenty of experience on the mound.”
Another freshman, 6-foot-6 righthander Chase Bebout, is getting the starting nod on Saturday and will be making his third consecutive weekend series start. After starting off the season getting the occasional midweek start against some of the schedule’s lesser foes, McNally rewarded him with a start against Clemson, in which he pitched into the eighth inning and secured a win. Last weekend’s start against Florida State wasn’t as successful, but on the season, he boasts a 3.72 ERA to go along with his 4-1 record.
“Chase has really earned his spot on the weekend by pitching well in the midweek,” McNally said. “We’re confident that he’s one of our top three starters, and he has been keeping us in games, giving us a chance to win.”
Sunday’s series finale will pit junior Dennis O’Grady against Wake Forest’s struggling righthander Michael Dimock. Dimock’s difficulties have been representative of the greater struggles that the Demon Deacon pitching staff has faced this year—the team has a 6.74 staff ERA.
If Jeremy Gould, Jake Lemmerman and the rest of the Duke offensive standouts can manage to stay hot, this series could feature a few offensive outbursts that would offer Duke’s young pitching staff some breathing room. Also, in recent weeks, Will Currier has solidified himself as the regular designated hitter on the strength of his seven home runs and .368 batting average over the last 11 games.
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