Durham Bulls Edge Duke, 6-1, in Exhibition Contest

Tuesday, April 2

Durham, N.C.

6:00 PM

Duke University

Durham Bulls

Durham Bulls Edge Duke, 6-1, in Exhibition Contest

4/2/2019 9:05:00 PM | Baseball

BASE: Pollard Postgame Bulls 4/2/19

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – In the second edition of “The Battle in The Bull City”, The Durham Bulls claimed a 6-1 victory over the Duke baseball team Tuesday evening at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The Blue Devils and the Bulls, Triple A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, squared off in a seven-inning affair, marking the second-ever exhibition contest between the DBAP's two denizens. The matchup leads into the Bulls' season opener April 4, as the ball club travels to Charlotte to take on the Knights.

“They've got a really good club,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “They're going to be fun to come watch this summer for everybody in Durham—Duke fans and Durham fans—they're going to be a fun team to watch. It was a great experience for our guys. I'm really proud of our kids.”

The Bulls plated four runs across the third and fourth innings, scoring two runs in each frame to sandwich a Duke run the top of the fourth. The Bulls went on to score two more in the sixth to push the lead to 6-1, the eventual final.

Duke used a total of four pitchers in the contest, with freshman left-hander Aaron Beasley earning the start for the Blue Devils. Beasley tossed the first 2.0 innings, scattering only one hit while collecting one strikeout across the scoreless effort. The junior trio of Coleman Williams, Al Pesto and Matt Mervis rounded out the rest of the Duke arms in the exhibition matchup.

“I can't say enough good things about Aaron Beasley,” Pollard added. “I talked to our players after the game was over about what a great experience that had to be for a Durham native to do that. For a guy that's grown up in Durham, Aaron Beasley has been coming to ballgames here. To pitch against the Durham Bulls and come out and have those two great innings to start the ballgame, it's a really great experience.”

The Blue Devils plated their lone run in the fourth, using a trio of singles to complete the scoring sequence. Senior Kennie Taylor kicked off things, reaching on a one-out single up the middle before sophomore Steve Mann entered to pinch run. Junior Erikson Nichols followed suit, sending a single to center field to place runners on first and second. One out later, freshman Rudy Maxwell lined a single to left to score one and place Duke in the scoring column.

On November 17, 2009, Duke and the Durham Bulls announced an agreement for the Blue Devils to play 18 home games at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The two clubs renewed that agreement October 2, 2015. Beginning in 2016, the contract renewal is a seven-year agreement that allows Duke to play up to 36 exhibition and home games at the DBAP each year. The agreement also calls for a limited number of Duke practices at the DBAP as well as a permanent Duke locker room and clubhouse at the facility.

The 2019 campaign marks the 10^th consecutive season in which Duke plays homes games at the DBAP. Under the current agreement, the Blue Devils play the vast majority of their home schedule at the minor league venue.

Duke returns to the diamond tomorrow evening, traveling down to Greenville, N.C., for a midweek matchup on the road at East Carolina. The Blue Devils and the Pirates are set for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

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