Duke Edges Liberty 3-1 in Midweek Action

Tuesday, March 24

Lynchburg, Va.

3:00 PM

Duke University

Liberty

Duke Edges Liberty 3-1 in Midweek Action

3/24/2015 6:42:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

LYNCHBURG, Va. – In a game that saw 12 Blue Devil freshmen take the field, the Blue Devils outlasted Liberty, 3-1, in non-conference action Tuesday evening at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

The Duke (19-6, 4-5 ACC) freshmen accounted for seven of the team's eight hits and all three RBI. In addition, rookie Ryan Day (1-0) picked up his first career win and classmate Mitch Stallings recorded his second save of the season.

“We had six freshmen in the lineup most of the day and they did a good job of keeping their composure,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “We did a good job of scoring guys when we had the opportunity. Liberty has a good club and this is a tough place to play, but I'm pleased with didn't buckle.”

The first run of the game came in the top of the third. After doubling in the first, Michael Smiciklas smoked an RBI triple to right center gap to score Andy Perez. Perez reached on a fielder's choice after Max Miller began the frame with an infield single.

A Sammy Taormina infield single was all Liberty could muster against starter Luke Whitten through three innings before the Flames broke out for a pair of extra base hits in the fourth. Back-to-back one-out doubles from Alex Close and Andrew Yacyk tied the game at 1-1. Redshirt senior Dillon Haviland came on and got the final out, a groundball to short.

In the first start of his career, Whitten tossed a career-high 3.2 innings. Whitten allowed the lone fourth-inning run on three hits, struck out two and walked a batter.

Liberty threatened again in the bottom of the fifth, placing runners at the corners with one out following a Duke throwing error. Day was able to work out of the jam, fanning the leadoff hitter before getting a fly ball to wrap up the frame.

Duke regained the lead to start the sixth, sending its second run around on a Jack Labosky sacrifice fly. Bellinger began the frame with a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Grant McCabe's single to right center. Labosky then hit the first pitch offered by reliever Close to center field for his eighth RBI of the season.

The Blue Devils used five pitchers over the final five innings to shut out the Flames down the stretch. The Duke staff retired eight straight batters at one point and entered the ninth up, 2-1.

Duke got an insurance run in the top of the final stanza. Following a Laboksy leadoff single, Peter Zyla squared around to bunt but pulled the bat back and slapped a double the opposite way. Miller was then able to lift a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Labosky from third and give Duke a 3-1 cushion.

Freshman Mitch Stallings closed out the contest by pitching two scoreless innings to record his second career save.

Duke returns to action this weekend, traveling to Newark, Del., for a three-game series against Boston College Friday-Sunday, March 27-30.

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