Duke takes one from Maryland

The Blue Devils received two excellent performances from starting pitchers in their three-game series against Maryland, but emerged with just one victory.

Marcus Stroman lasted eight innings in Friday’s loss, and Robert Huber gave Duke (14-23, 6-12 in the ACC) a complete game win Sunday to bookend a 21-2 drubbing by the Terrapins (24-14, 7-11).

Stroman tallied eight strikeouts in his eight frames, surrendering just four hits and two runs, only one of which was earned. Duke played small ball on offense in the third inning, using a sacrifice bunt, a fielder’s choice and an intentional rundown to stake Stroman to a 2-0 lead. But an RBI single in the sixth by Maryland first baseman Tomo Delp and a seventh-inning passed ball by Blue Devil catcher Mike Rosenfeld allowed the Terrapins to tie the game. The 2-2 score held until the bottom of the tenth inning, when Maryland left fielder Michael Montville sent a David Putman fastball over the left-field fence to earn his team a walk-off 4-2 victory.

Montville kicked off a hit parade that lasted into Saturday as the Terrapins chased Duke starter Trent Swart after he gave up six hits and seven earned runs while recording just four outs. Maryland went on to pound out 21 hits in total, with seven players recording multi-hit days. The Terrapins scored in every inning—highlighted by a seven-run eighth—off five different Duke relievers.

Sophomore righthander Robert Huber went the distance Sunday, striking out six while allowing three runs and five hits. Duke and Maryland traded runs through the middle innings to a 2-2 tie in the fifth that lasted until Terrapin sophomore Jake Stinnett delivered a pinch-hit double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. But Maryland starter David Carroll and reliever Charlie Haslup loaded the bases with one out in the next frame. Catcher Mike Rosenfeld delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at three, and Will Piwnica-Worms followed with a pinch-hit single to send the remaining two runners home and give Huber a two-run lead that he would hold for his fourth win of the season.