McAfee's Second Complete Game Gives Duke Series Win

Sunday, April 10

Jack Coombs Field

1:00 PM

Duke University

Clemson

McAfee's Second Complete Game Gives Duke Series Win

4/10/2016 4:48:00 PM | Baseball

Condensed Game: Duke 2, Clemson 1 (Game 3)BASE vs. CLEMSON: Bellinger Interview BASE vs. CLEMSON: Duke's Two-Run Sixth Full Game Replay: Duke 2, Clemson 1 (Game 3)BASE vs. CLEMSON: McAfee's Final Three Outs BASE vs. CLEMSON: Pollard Interview BASE vs. CLEMSON: McAfee Interview Box Score (PDF)Box Score (HTML)Photo Gallery

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Graduate student Brian McAfee tossed his second complete game of the season Sunday to guide Duke to its first series win over No. 18 Clemson since 2010. Behind McAfee's game, the Blue Devils defeated the Tigers, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field.

McAfee (5-2) earned the win for the third straight start and pitched his fifth quality start of the season. He needed 108 pitches to induce 15 groundball outs, including three double plays, to keep Clemson to just one unearned run on the day. After allowing a leadoff seventh-inning walk, McAfee retired the final nine Clemson batters in order to preserve Duke's one-run victory. He struck out six and walked three overall.

“The ump was giving a couple inches off the plate,” said McAfee. “[Clemson] started sitting on fastball/slider away early in the count, so I started using the change up a little bit. Started using fastball in a little more. Kept them off balance the rest of the game.”

Duke (17-15, 6-9 ACC) turned three double plays behind McAfee over the first four innings to limit the Clemson (22-9, 8-7 ACC) offense. The Tigers broke through with an unearned fourth-inning run. Catcher Chris Okey registered the first of his two singles on the day to lead things off and right fielder Seth Beer followed suit with a base knock of his own. McAfee got Reed Rohlman to ground a ball to short, but the throw got away and allowed Okey to score.

Okey would be the only Tiger baserunner to cross home in the contest. McAfee limited Clemson to 0-for-8 on the day with runners in scoring position and the Tigers stranded five baserunners.

Duke countered with a pair of key two-out hits in the sixth. Freshman Jimmy Herron singled to start the frame, the first of two hits for the Blue Devil center fielder. Clemson starter Alex Eubanks (2-3) appeared to work out of the threat after getting back-to-back fly balls, but sophomore Jack Labosky sent a 3-2 pitch to left center to keep the inning alive. Sophomore Justin Bellinger belted the first pitch of his at bat to right center for a double, scoring both Herron and Labosky.

“Yesterday they were throwing me all breaking balls and Friday as well,” Bellinger said. “I was thinking they would be throwing me more fastballs today. My first two at bats, they seemed to be challenging me with some fastballs, so I was ready for a fastball.”

“Really exemplified the toughness our team has begun to display,” head coach Chris Pollard added. “Really proud of the back-to-back at bats by Labosky and Bellinger. Bellinger had really struggled up to that point in the ballgame. He's grown up so much to be able to push it behind him and then be in the moment to deliver the big hit.”

The one-run lead proved to be enough for McAfee, who allowed a lone baserunner the remainder of the game.

“[McAfee] was unreal,” Pollard said. “[He] had the two-seam fastball really working. Ton of groundball louts. He threw four pitches and kept them off balance. Credit Brian for just being tough, being a leader and giving us a chance every single Sunday.”

Eubanks ultimately suffered the loss after Clemson was unable to tie the score. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out six and issued one walk.

Duke is set for two midweek games, first at Davidson Tuesday, April 12 then home against N.C. Central Wednesday, April 13. The Blue Devils host No. 2 Miami at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park Friday-Sunday, April 15-17.

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