No. 9 Duke Storms Past Liberty on Tuesday

Tuesday, April 2

Lynchburg, Va.

4 p.m.

Duke University

21-8

Liberty

13-15

Duke

Liberty

No. 9 Duke Storms Past Liberty on Tuesday

4/2/2024 8:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)

DURHAM – Freshman AJ Gracia hit a three-run home run to put the nail in the coffin on Tuesday, as No. 9 Duke (21-8) defeated Liberty (13-15), 9-4 at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

Graduate Ben Miller opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, singling to third base to score a pair of runs for the Blue Devils. Liberty responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning, before Miller once again singled through the left side to score Devin Obee and Macon Winslow to extend the lead to 4-1.

Freshman Kyle Johnson started for the first time since returning from injury, working a clean inning and striking out a pair. Gabriel Nard improved to 1-2 on the season, working two innings of one-hit baseball on Tuesday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke opened the scoring in the top of the second inning, as Ben Miller singled to third base and a pair of runs scored, 2-0.
Liberty cut into the lead in the bottom of the third, 2-1.
Miller singled through the left side to score Devin Obee and Macon Winslow in the top of the fourth inning, 4-1.
In the top of the fifth, Zac Morris singled to right center to score Alex Stone and Chase Krewson, 6-1.
The Flames added a pair in the bottom of the sixth, 6-3.
Liberty cut the lead to two in the bottom of the seventh, 6-4.
In the top of the eighth inning, AJ Gracia hit a three-run home run to right field, 9-4.

NOTES

Graduate Ben Miller extended his hitting streak to 10 games on Tuesday, recording a 3-for-6 day at the plate with three RBI. Miller also collected his 18th game this season with multiple hits.
Freshman Kyle Johnson started his first game since returning from injury, working one inning and striking out a pair.
Junior David Boisvert worked a clean frame on Tuesday, striking out one batter. Boisvert extended his scoreless innings streak to 13.2 and has not allowed a hit in his last 8.2 innings.
Freshman AJ Gracia blasted a three-run home run to right field to extend the Duke lead to 9-4 in the top of the eighth. The home run moves Gracia to within four home runs from breaking Andrew Fischer's freshman home run record.
Duke improved to 187-60 (.757) when scoring first since 2016 and 202-42 (.828) when scoring three-plus runs in an inning.
Sophomore Gabriel Nard improved to 1-2 on the season, working two innings of one-hit baseball on Tuesday.

QUOTES

"I thought it was a great collective effort today. We played a really good game defensively and were able to get a lot of guys work on the mound and they stepped up big time. I thought the collective shutdown inning by Edward Hart and Charlie Beilenson in the eighth, after we scored the three in the top of the eighth was big. They had fought their way back into the ballgame and they are a good club and always a great atmosphere when we come here." – Head coach Chris Pollard on his overall thoughts

UP NEXT

Duke returns home to host ACC foe Miami at Jack Coombs Field. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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