A day after one of the Blue Devils’ biggest wins of the season, there was no letdown.
Although they have not made the NCAA tournament in more than 50 years, the Blue Devils played like a team that has been on the brink of earning a bid before and came up with a statement win Friday night.
With the regular season coming to an end, Duke will have one of its final opportunities this weekend to earn its first NCAA tournament berth since 1961.
A day after the Blue Devils prevailed in a slugfest against Longwood, they beat Norfolk State Wednesday by keeping the bats on their shoulders in the end.
After sweeping Gardner-Webb in a double-header Sunday, Duke will continue its quest to play in the postseason when it faces Longwood Tuesday at 11:40 a.m. and Norfolk State Wednesday at noon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Zyla’s three-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning broke open a 2-2 game, highlighting the Blue Devils' 13-4 victory against Gardner-Webb Sunday in the second game of a doubleheader at Jack Coombs Stadium.
Stroman fanned eight batters and surrendered two runs on eight hits in seven innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday.
After a week filled with final exams, the Blue Devils have one focus as the end of the regular season approaches—making the postseason.
Marcus Stroman took the mound on his 25th birthday Sunday afternoon and continued his rise into the upper echelon of starting pitchers in the major leagues.
Sophomore Michael Smiciklas singled with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to drive in sophomore Jack Labosky from third base and closer Mitch Stallings pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to push the Blue Devils past No. 12 N.C. State 2-1 Sunday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Duke committed three errors—two of which came attempting to field bunts—and No. 12 N.C. State exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning to rout Duke 12-2 at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Duke got another quick start Friday in the series opener at Doak Field at Dail Park against No. 12 N.C. State, but the Wolfpack rallied and Evan Mendoza lined a two-out walk-off single to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the home fans happy after a 3-2 win.
Duke will take on No. 12 N.C. State in a three-game series at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, with the first game slated to start Friday at 6 p.m. The Blue Devils are 12-5 in April, but the Wolfpack also enter the weekend playing their best baseball of the year with wins in 11 of their last 13 games.
Looking to keep its recent momentum going ahead of a critical three-game weekend series, the Blue Devils used a hot start to remain unbeaten all time against N.C. Central.
Duke has won 13 of its last 18 games and is 18-0 all-time against N.C. Central as it looks to keep the momentum going with a critical weekend series against No. 12 N.C. State on the horizon.
Cornell pitchers Kellen Urbon and Brian McAfee had an extra year of eligibility at a non-Ivy League school and both wound up at Duke, where they have established themselves as fixtures in the Blue Devil rotation.
Brian McAfee hurled eight strong innings and southpaw Mitch Stallings recorded his sixth save as the Blue Devils defeated Virginia Tech 3-1 Sunday at English Field at Union Park in Blacksburg, Va.
Stroman tossed seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and just one walk to lift the Blue Jays past the Baltimore Orioles 4-3.
After a walk-off double gave Virginia Tech a 3-2 win in the postponed series opener Saturday, the Blue Devils responded with 19 runs on 19 hits in the second game of the day to claim a lopsided victory and even the series.
For the first time this season, Kellen Urbon—not Bailey Clark—will take the mound for the Blue Devils Friday night to open an ACC series as the Blue Devils head to Virginia Tech.
