Pitching Dominates, No. 6 Duke Takes Series Opener Against No. 10 Clemson

Friday, March 15

Durham, N.C.

6 p.m.

Duke University

15-3, 3-1

Clemson

15-2, 0-1

Clemson

Duke

Pitching Dominates, No. 6 Duke Takes Series Opener Against No. 10 Clemson

3/15/2024 9:42:00 PM | Baseball

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DURHAM – Junior left-hander Jonathan Santucci tossed another gem on Friday night against No. 10 Clemson (15-2, 0-1 ACC), as No. 6 Duke (15-3, 3-1 ACC) downed the Tigers 5-2 in the series opener. Santucci worked five innings of two-hit baseball and punched out 11 Clemson batters.

The Leominster, Mass., native improved to 4-0 on the season, while graduate Charlie Beilenson collected his nation's-leading eighth save of the season. Beilenson worked the final 2.2 innings in relief, allowing one hit and striking out four.

Clemson opened the scoring in the top of the first, before Logan Bravo put the Blue Devils up for good with his third home run of the season, a three-run blast to right-center field. Bravo added an insurance run in the bottom of the third, homering for the second time in as many at bats. Freshman Macon Winslow joined the home run parade in the bottom of the fifth, homering to center field to push Duke's lead to 5-2.

Sophomore Owen Proksch entered in the sixth for Santucci, working a clean 1.1 innings on the mound and allowing one hit.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Clemson opened the scoring in the top of the first, 1-0.
Logan Bravo hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the first, 3-1.
Bravo hit a solo home run to left field, 4-1.
The Tigers cut into the lead with a solo home run, 4-2.
Macon Winslow hit a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth, 5-2.

NOTES

Graduate transfer Logan Bravo collected a two-home run game, hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the first and a solo home run in the bottom of the third.
Freshman Macon Winslow added some power to the lineup on Friday, crushing a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the fifth. Winslow finished the day 3-for-3 with a walk.
Graduate transfer Zac Morris extended his hitting streak to 13 games, tying the longest on the team this season.
Junior Jonathan Santucci tossed another gem on Friday night, improving to 4-0 on the season. He worked five innings, allowing two hits, one earned run and struck out 11 Tigers.
Sophomore Owen Proksch stabilized the game on Friday, working 1.1 innings and allowing one hit.
Graduate Charlie Beilenson struck out four batters, earning his nation-leading eighth save of the year. He worked 2.2 innings and allowed one hit. Beilenson sits now four saves away from tying sophomore James Tallon for first on the single season saves list.
Duke improved to 196-40 (.831) when scoring three or more runs in an inning.
Head coach Chris Pollard is now two wins away from moving into a tie for second on the all-time wins list as a Duke head coach.

QUOTES

"I thought we have a terrific offensive approach there in the first. It was a great job for having an answer. Santucci goes out and gives us a shutdown inning up behind it. I thought a huge point in the game was Jonathan being able to regroup in the fourth. He gives up the solo home run and then back-to-back walks. It is first and third with nobody out, but he was able to get himself off the field right there and give us another clean one behind it really set us up not only to win the ballgame but keep our arms fresh for the weekend." – Head coach Chris Pollard on the offensive approach in the bottom of the first and Jonathan Santucci's outing.
"I thought Proksch and Charlie were good tonight and both gutsy out of the pen. Macon Winslow also added some great at bats which was nice to see a young guy have." – On the gutsy performances by Owen Proksch and Charlie Beilenson out of the bullpen and Macon Winslow's tough at bats all night long.

UP NEXT

Duke and Clemson continue the three-game set on Saturday from Jack Coombs Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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