Upcoming Event: Baseball at East Carolina on April 7, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Baseball
at East Carolina
Duke Set for ACC Series at Pittsburgh
5/5/2022 6:37:00 PM | Baseball
DURHAM – The Duke baseball team travels to Pittsburgh for a three-game ACC series over the weekend.
LEADING OFF
Duke continues its five-game road swing with an ACC series at Pittsburgh Friday through Sunday at Charles L. Cost Field. First pitch times are set for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Blue Devils enter the series with an all-time record of 16-9 against Pittsburgh, including a mark of 4-4 on the road. The two teams will meet in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2018. Head coach Chris Pollard, in his 10th season at Duke, holds a 12-8 record against the Panthers in his career. All three games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra. In addition, Chris Edwards will broadcast on the Varsity Network app. Following the series, Duke will travel to East Carolina for a midweek matchup Tuesday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, 6 p.m. – Varsity App (radio) – Live Stats – Stream
Saturday, 3 p.m. – Varsity App (radio) – Live Stats – Stream
Sunday, 1 p.m. – Varsity App (radio) – Live Stats – Stream
PITCHING MATCHUP
Game 1:
Duke – RHP Marcus Johnson (1-6, 4.58 ERA)
Pitt - RHP Matt Gilbertson (7-2, 2.61 ERA)
Game 2:
Duke - LHP Jonathan Santucci (2-1, 3.56 ERA)
Pitt - TBA
Game 3:
Duke - TBA
Pitt - TBA
OFFENSE HOT IN ATLANTA
Duke outscored the nation's third-ranked offense of Georgia Tech, tallying 34 runs in the series win in Atlanta. Duke's 34 runs and 10 home runs were the most in an ACC series under head coach Chris Pollard. It's 43 hits were the most in a conference series since against Virginia in 2017. Duke hit .368 with a 1.181 OPS in the series. Senior RJ Schreck and junior Graham Pauley led the way, combining to go 13-for-26 with two doubles, four home runs, 16 RBIs and five walks to just three strikeouts.
TUCC GROWING ON THE BUMP
Freshman southpaw Jonathan Santucci has grown into his role on the bump for the Blue Devils. Santucci, a two-way player out of Leominster, Mass., started slow but has been developing throughout the season. Having only pitched seven innings as a senior in high school, he is gaining an inordinate amount of experience on the hill. Santucci led the ACC in ERA and opponent batting average in the month of April with a 0.57 and .118, respectively. Most recently, Santucci fanned a career-high 10 batters in a four-inning outing to extend his streak to 15.2 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.
Santucci Monthly Development
Month ERA ER/IP H BB K
February 18.00 2/3.0 3 2 2
March 8.38 9/9.2 8 3 15
April 0.57 1/15.2 6 7 21
May 0.00 0/4.0 1 1 10
TOP-10 SWEEPS
Duke swept 10th-ranked Notre Dame in a three-game series April 14-16. The sweep was Duke's first three-game sweep over a top-10 opponent since at least 2000. The Blue Devils topped No. 10 Florida State in the first two games of a series in 2018, but the two teams were unable to play game three of the series.
ACC SERIES STRIKEOUTS
Duke continues to be one of the top pitching staffs in the country when it comes to strikeouts. The Blue Devils fanned No. 10 Notre Dame 39 times in a three-game sweep. The 39 K's were the fifth-most by a Duke team in an ACC weekend since 2015. Also in the series, Duke's defense was stellar as it allowed just three leadoff batters to reach base in 29 opportunities.
Duke Strikeouts in ACC Series
Opp (Year) H/A K's
Florida State (2020) Home 43
Pittsburgh (2021) Home 43
Pittsburgh (2015) Home 40
Pittsburgh (2019) Home 40
Notre Dame (2022) Home 39
Wake Forest (2021) Home 36
Virginia Tech (2017) Home 35
MOONEY MONEY HITS
Despite batting in the leadoff spot, freshman Alex Mooney continues to lead Duke in RBIs this season. The Rochester Hills, Mich., native and everyday shortstop boasts 25 RBIs on the season and holds a team-leading .333 batting average with runners in scoring position. He also leads the team in multi-RBI games with five.
K'S 4 KIDS' CANCER
Duke has partnered with the Duke Children's Hospital for the fourth consecutive season in the K's 4 Kids' Cancer campaign. Donors can pledge an amount of money to donate per strikeout that the Blue Devils pitching staff throws in 2022. The partnership has contributed over $30,000 in support of the Duke Children's Hospital. Over the past four seasons, Duke has totaled 1,900+ strikeouts.
DUKE X MORGAN'S MESSAGE
Duke Baseball and the non-profit organization Morgan's Message teamed up during Saturday's home game against North Carolina to bring awareness to behavioral health within the student-athlete community. The Blue Devils will don stickers on their batting helmets with the Morgan's Message logo in addition to wearing bracelets with the organization's mantra – "taking a shot at mental health."
LOPER CRUCIAL IN ND SERIES
Senior Jimmy Loper was crucial for the Blue Devils in the ACC series sweep over Notre Dame. Loper entered the contest with the tying runner at the plate in the first game of the series and got Duke out of the jam. The next day, Loper extended to keep the game tied and in extra innings, setting up the walk-off win for Duke. Loper allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out 11 in 5.1 scoreless innings of work. He earned a save and a win.
DOUBLE DOWN
Duke holds 80 doubles this season. Junior Graham Pauley leads the team with 14, ranking tied for eighth in the conference. Junior Chad Knight recorded three doubles against UMass Lowell on March 9 to become the first Blue Devil to hit three in a single game since March 2016.
WEARING IT
Sophomore infielder Luke Storm leads the team and ranks third in the conference and in the top 30 nationally with 16 hit by pitches. Storm, a native of Easton, Pa., has been praised by Duke head coach Chris Pollard for his stability in the batter's box, also amongst the team leaders in on-base percentage (.410). His 16 HBPs sit sixth in the Duke single-season chart.
MOONEY FOUR OF A KIND
Freshman Alex Mooney is looking to join exclusive company as he currently holds two four-hit outings (against Bucknell and Campbell). Should he find a third four-hit game he will be just the second Blue Devil to tally three in a season since 2006, joining Peter Matt with three in 2021.
STORM'S A BREWIN'
Duke sophomore switch hitter Luke Storm has been a valuable addition to the lineup after redshirting in 2021. Storm has entered the lineup in multiple different positions. Recruited as a shortstop, Storm has seen time at second base, first base and in the outfield so far this season. Storm recently went 3-for-4 on March 27 at Florida State while celebrating his 21st birthday before hitting a monstrous home run to tie the game in the eighth inning against No. 10 Notre Dame on April 15.
#GoDuke
LEADING OFF
Duke continues its five-game road swing with an ACC series at Pittsburgh Friday through Sunday at Charles L. Cost Field. First pitch times are set for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Blue Devils enter the series with an all-time record of 16-9 against Pittsburgh, including a mark of 4-4 on the road. The two teams will meet in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2018. Head coach Chris Pollard, in his 10th season at Duke, holds a 12-8 record against the Panthers in his career. All three games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra. In addition, Chris Edwards will broadcast on the Varsity Network app. Following the series, Duke will travel to East Carolina for a midweek matchup Tuesday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Friday, 6 p.m. – Varsity App (radio) – Live Stats – Stream
Saturday, 3 p.m. – Varsity App (radio) – Live Stats – Stream
Sunday, 1 p.m. – Varsity App (radio) – Live Stats – Stream
PITCHING MATCHUP
Game 1:
Duke – RHP Marcus Johnson (1-6, 4.58 ERA)
Pitt - RHP Matt Gilbertson (7-2, 2.61 ERA)
Game 2:
Duke - LHP Jonathan Santucci (2-1, 3.56 ERA)
Pitt - TBA
Game 3:
Duke - TBA
Pitt - TBA
OFFENSE HOT IN ATLANTA
Duke outscored the nation's third-ranked offense of Georgia Tech, tallying 34 runs in the series win in Atlanta. Duke's 34 runs and 10 home runs were the most in an ACC series under head coach Chris Pollard. It's 43 hits were the most in a conference series since against Virginia in 2017. Duke hit .368 with a 1.181 OPS in the series. Senior RJ Schreck and junior Graham Pauley led the way, combining to go 13-for-26 with two doubles, four home runs, 16 RBIs and five walks to just three strikeouts.
TUCC GROWING ON THE BUMP
Freshman southpaw Jonathan Santucci has grown into his role on the bump for the Blue Devils. Santucci, a two-way player out of Leominster, Mass., started slow but has been developing throughout the season. Having only pitched seven innings as a senior in high school, he is gaining an inordinate amount of experience on the hill. Santucci led the ACC in ERA and opponent batting average in the month of April with a 0.57 and .118, respectively. Most recently, Santucci fanned a career-high 10 batters in a four-inning outing to extend his streak to 15.2 consecutive scoreless innings pitched.
Santucci Monthly Development
Month ERA ER/IP H BB K
February 18.00 2/3.0 3 2 2
March 8.38 9/9.2 8 3 15
April 0.57 1/15.2 6 7 21
May 0.00 0/4.0 1 1 10
TOP-10 SWEEPS
Duke swept 10th-ranked Notre Dame in a three-game series April 14-16. The sweep was Duke's first three-game sweep over a top-10 opponent since at least 2000. The Blue Devils topped No. 10 Florida State in the first two games of a series in 2018, but the two teams were unable to play game three of the series.
ACC SERIES STRIKEOUTS
Duke continues to be one of the top pitching staffs in the country when it comes to strikeouts. The Blue Devils fanned No. 10 Notre Dame 39 times in a three-game sweep. The 39 K's were the fifth-most by a Duke team in an ACC weekend since 2015. Also in the series, Duke's defense was stellar as it allowed just three leadoff batters to reach base in 29 opportunities.
Duke Strikeouts in ACC Series
Opp (Year) H/A K's
Florida State (2020) Home 43
Pittsburgh (2021) Home 43
Pittsburgh (2015) Home 40
Pittsburgh (2019) Home 40
Notre Dame (2022) Home 39
Wake Forest (2021) Home 36
Virginia Tech (2017) Home 35
MOONEY MONEY HITS
Despite batting in the leadoff spot, freshman Alex Mooney continues to lead Duke in RBIs this season. The Rochester Hills, Mich., native and everyday shortstop boasts 25 RBIs on the season and holds a team-leading .333 batting average with runners in scoring position. He also leads the team in multi-RBI games with five.
K'S 4 KIDS' CANCER
Duke has partnered with the Duke Children's Hospital for the fourth consecutive season in the K's 4 Kids' Cancer campaign. Donors can pledge an amount of money to donate per strikeout that the Blue Devils pitching staff throws in 2022. The partnership has contributed over $30,000 in support of the Duke Children's Hospital. Over the past four seasons, Duke has totaled 1,900+ strikeouts.
DUKE X MORGAN'S MESSAGE
Duke Baseball and the non-profit organization Morgan's Message teamed up during Saturday's home game against North Carolina to bring awareness to behavioral health within the student-athlete community. The Blue Devils will don stickers on their batting helmets with the Morgan's Message logo in addition to wearing bracelets with the organization's mantra – "taking a shot at mental health."
LOPER CRUCIAL IN ND SERIES
Senior Jimmy Loper was crucial for the Blue Devils in the ACC series sweep over Notre Dame. Loper entered the contest with the tying runner at the plate in the first game of the series and got Duke out of the jam. The next day, Loper extended to keep the game tied and in extra innings, setting up the walk-off win for Duke. Loper allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out 11 in 5.1 scoreless innings of work. He earned a save and a win.
DOUBLE DOWN
Duke holds 80 doubles this season. Junior Graham Pauley leads the team with 14, ranking tied for eighth in the conference. Junior Chad Knight recorded three doubles against UMass Lowell on March 9 to become the first Blue Devil to hit three in a single game since March 2016.
WEARING IT
Sophomore infielder Luke Storm leads the team and ranks third in the conference and in the top 30 nationally with 16 hit by pitches. Storm, a native of Easton, Pa., has been praised by Duke head coach Chris Pollard for his stability in the batter's box, also amongst the team leaders in on-base percentage (.410). His 16 HBPs sit sixth in the Duke single-season chart.
MOONEY FOUR OF A KIND
Freshman Alex Mooney is looking to join exclusive company as he currently holds two four-hit outings (against Bucknell and Campbell). Should he find a third four-hit game he will be just the second Blue Devil to tally three in a season since 2006, joining Peter Matt with three in 2021.
STORM'S A BREWIN'
Duke sophomore switch hitter Luke Storm has been a valuable addition to the lineup after redshirting in 2021. Storm has entered the lineup in multiple different positions. Recruited as a shortstop, Storm has seen time at second base, first base and in the outfield so far this season. Storm recently went 3-for-4 on March 27 at Florida State while celebrating his 21st birthday before hitting a monstrous home run to tie the game in the eighth inning against No. 10 Notre Dame on April 15.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballDuke Baseball - Corey Muscara Opening Press Conference
Friday, June 27
Press Conference: Corey Muscara Introduction
Wednesday, June 25
Press Conference: Durham Super Regional Sunday
Sunday, June 08
Press Conference: Durham Super Regional Saturday
Saturday, June 07
