Completed Event: Baseball versus Murray State on June 9, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5
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Final
Baseball
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vs Murray State
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Photo by: Duke Athletics
Blue Devils Open Spring with First Practice Friday
1/24/2020 7:11:00 PM | Baseball
DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke baseball team had its first full team practice of the spring Friday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field in preparation for the 2020 season.
The day began with head coach Chris Pollard along with senior right-handed pitcher and infielder Matt Mervis and sophomore Ethan Murray talking with the media. Practice followed at 2:30 p.m. with the Blue Devils focusing on fundamentals for roughly an hour before the team squared off in an intrasquad scrimmage.
"I like our depth this year," said Pollard. "I like on the mound, I like our depth on the infield and I like our depth behind the plate. We still have some question marks in the outfield. I think relative to our infield and what we have on the mound and behind the plate, I think it's the deepest team that we've ever had."
Duke is ranked in the preseason for the third consecutive season and just the third time in program history. The Blue Devils are recognized as a top-20 team among four different polls—USA Today Coaches Poll (No. 20), D1Baseball (No. 15), Baseball America (No. 15) and Perfect Game (No. 11). The No. 11 ranking by Perfect Game serves as the highest preseason ranking in program history for the Blue Devils.
Last season, the Blue Devils made a magical postseason run in the NCAA Tournament, culminating in the program's second straight and second NCAA Super Regional appearance. The NCAA Tournament selection marked the second consecutive appearance for the Blue Devils and the third in the last four seasons under head coach Chris Pollard.
The program concluded the 2019 campaign as a consensus top-20 team for the second straight season. Duke received rankings as high as 16th in the national polls, while being recognized as a top-20 team amongst five different publications.
After four Blue Devils began their professional careers and six graduated last spring, Duke returns seven starting position players, including consensus Freshman All-American Ethan Murray and standout pitcher Bryce Jarvis. Twelve players have joined the Blue Devil roster for this upcoming season, including 11 freshmen and one transfer in Luke Hartman from Bucknell.
Earlier this week, D1Baseball announced its preseason All-Americans, with two Blue Devils receiving national recognition. Jarvis was named to the second team, while classmate Thomas Girard was tabbed to the third team.
Additionally, six Blue Devils were recognized among the tops in their respective classes by Perfect Game in the organization's annual top-50 and top-100 lists. Mervis (No. 19) and Chase Cheek (No. 35) were tabbed among seniors, while the junior duo of Jarvis (No. 49) and Michael Rothenberg (No. 68) were listed in their class. Murray and Cooper Stinson were the Duke representatives on the sophomore ledger, checking in at 22nd and 72nd, respectively.
Friday's session marked the official start of the Blue Devils' full-squad practice slate for the spring leading up to the Feb. 14 season opener with Army West Point. Duke is scheduled for a pair of scrimmages Saturday and Sunday to wrap up the weekend, slated for 1:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Scrimmages are open to fans wishing to watch.
#GoDuke
The day began with head coach Chris Pollard along with senior right-handed pitcher and infielder Matt Mervis and sophomore Ethan Murray talking with the media. Practice followed at 2:30 p.m. with the Blue Devils focusing on fundamentals for roughly an hour before the team squared off in an intrasquad scrimmage.
"I like our depth this year," said Pollard. "I like on the mound, I like our depth on the infield and I like our depth behind the plate. We still have some question marks in the outfield. I think relative to our infield and what we have on the mound and behind the plate, I think it's the deepest team that we've ever had."
Duke is ranked in the preseason for the third consecutive season and just the third time in program history. The Blue Devils are recognized as a top-20 team among four different polls—USA Today Coaches Poll (No. 20), D1Baseball (No. 15), Baseball America (No. 15) and Perfect Game (No. 11). The No. 11 ranking by Perfect Game serves as the highest preseason ranking in program history for the Blue Devils.
Last season, the Blue Devils made a magical postseason run in the NCAA Tournament, culminating in the program's second straight and second NCAA Super Regional appearance. The NCAA Tournament selection marked the second consecutive appearance for the Blue Devils and the third in the last four seasons under head coach Chris Pollard.
The program concluded the 2019 campaign as a consensus top-20 team for the second straight season. Duke received rankings as high as 16th in the national polls, while being recognized as a top-20 team amongst five different publications.
After four Blue Devils began their professional careers and six graduated last spring, Duke returns seven starting position players, including consensus Freshman All-American Ethan Murray and standout pitcher Bryce Jarvis. Twelve players have joined the Blue Devil roster for this upcoming season, including 11 freshmen and one transfer in Luke Hartman from Bucknell.
Earlier this week, D1Baseball announced its preseason All-Americans, with two Blue Devils receiving national recognition. Jarvis was named to the second team, while classmate Thomas Girard was tabbed to the third team.
Additionally, six Blue Devils were recognized among the tops in their respective classes by Perfect Game in the organization's annual top-50 and top-100 lists. Mervis (No. 19) and Chase Cheek (No. 35) were tabbed among seniors, while the junior duo of Jarvis (No. 49) and Michael Rothenberg (No. 68) were listed in their class. Murray and Cooper Stinson were the Duke representatives on the sophomore ledger, checking in at 22nd and 72nd, respectively.
Friday's session marked the official start of the Blue Devils' full-squad practice slate for the spring leading up to the Feb. 14 season opener with Army West Point. Duke is scheduled for a pair of scrimmages Saturday and Sunday to wrap up the weekend, slated for 1:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Scrimmages are open to fans wishing to watch.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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