Inconsistency has plagued the Duke pitching staff all season. Although its pitchers have fueled the team’s success, their moments of brilliance and promise have been offset by breakdowns and lopsided losses.
The Blue Devils entered this season understanding that they would win games with solid pitching and defense—even with the loss of star pitcher Andrew Wolcott to the MLB Draft—rather than explosive bats. In most of the team’s wins this season, Duke (21-16, 6-12 in the ACC) has held its opponent to few if any runs and has accumulated four shutouts thus far.
“Our team is really based on pitching and defense,” junior Dennis O’Grady said. “Every time we go out, our goal is to shut the other team out and just throw up zeros every inning.”
O’Grady, senior Michael Ness and sophomores Ben Grisz and Eric Pfisterer have been workhorses for the Blue Devils and have each pitched more than 35 innings Senior Christopher Manno, though, came into this season with high expectations but has underperformed to this point. Manno is 1-2 with two saves and a 6.25 ERA.
The senior has faired no better in conference play, posting an 8.37 ERA.
“Chris has been really good for us during his career, and he’s working very hard,” head coach Sean McNally said. “He’s made some bad pitches and he’s paid for it.… He’ll get it cranked up. For us to be good, he’s a key guy. From what I know about him, he’ll continue to work at it relentlessly, and that’s all he can do.”
Freshman Chase Bebout and Marcus Stroman, however, have stepped up immensely and made a positive impact.
Bebout, an imposing figure on the bump standing 6-foot-6, has been a vital contributor to Duke’s success with a record of 4-1 and a 3.72 ERA. In ACC play, Bebout’s 4.38 ERA is the lowest on the team.
“They’ve been huge,” O’Grady said of the two freshmen. “Marcus and Chase have been big contributors for us this year. If we didn’t have those two guys, I don’t how many wins in the ACC we would have.”
Stroman plays second base and is instrumental in the Duke offense, but he has also been a force on the mound. Out of the bullpen, Stroman is 4-1 with three saves and a 4.34 ERA.
“Marcus has been unbelievable—a freshman like that who can come in and be in pressure situations in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings with the game on the line,” O’Grady said. He’s a special player and he’s really going to be the face of the program.”
There is an undeniable dichotomy in the Duke pitchers’ performance in nonconference games compared to conference matchups. Duke’s domination of nonconference opponents and its struggles in the ACC is a reflection not only of the conference’s superior level of play, but also of the pitching staff’s own vulnerability.
In six games against Fordham and Temple, for example, the Blue Devils only allowed 13 runs. In just three games against powerhouse Georgia Tech, though, Duke gave up 43.
“We have the same mindset in ACC games and nonconference games,” O’Grady said. “The competition is a lot different. The ACC is the best league in the country and the best players play there, and it’s just a learning curve.”
Duke still has four series left against tough ACC opponents to end the season, and the pitching staff must be more dependable in order to finish strong and make the conference tournament.
“We’re going to try to be consistent for the remainder of the schedule,” O’Grady said. “We really need to start turning around and getting more wins, and it’s going to start with the pitching staff.”
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