Stone's RBI Single Propels No. 9 Duke to Series Win Over Miami

Saturday, April 6

Durham, N.C.

3 p.m.

Duke University

23-8, 8-6

Miami

15-15, 6-8

Miami

Duke

Stone's RBI Single Propels No. 9 Duke to Series Win Over Miami

4/6/2024 6:53:00 PM | Baseball

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DURHAM – Senior catcher Alex Stone singled up the middle to score AJ Gracia in the bottom of the seventh inning, to give No. 9 Duke (23-8, 8-6 ACC) the lead, 5-4. Graduate Charlie Beilenson worked 2.1 innings in relief, allowing a pair of hits and striking out two batters to claim his second victory of the weekend over Miami (15-15, 6-8 ACC) and claim the series.

Freshman Kyle Johnson tallied his first weekend start in three weeks, working a scoreless three innings and striking out a career high six batters. Miami responded with a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh innings, before the Blue Devils pushed across the eventual game-winning run.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In the bottom of the second, Macon Winslow singled up the middle to score Alex Stone from third. Zac Morris doubled down the line in right to score Winslow from second, 2-0.
Devin Obee grounded out to second to score AJ Gracia from third, 3-0.
Gracia singled up the middle to score Ben Miller from second in the bottom of the fourth, 4-0.
The Hurricanes cut into the lead in the top of the sixth, 4-2.
Miami tied the ballgame in the top of the seventh, 4-4.
Stone singled up the middle to score Gracia from second in the bottom of the seventh, 5-4.

NOTES

Graduate Ben Miller extended his hitting streak to 12 games on Saturday, singling in the first inning.
Freshman Kyle Johnson worked three innings to start the ballgame, allowing one hit and striking out a career high six batters.
Freshman AJ Gracia tallied his 11th multi-hit contest of the season, finishing day 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI.
Senior Alex Stone tallied his ninth multi-hit contest of the season, finishing the day 2-for-4 and drove in the game winning run.
Graduate Charlie Beilenson improved to 2-2 on the season, working the final 2.1 innings on the mound. He allowed two hits and punched out two Hurricanes to collect the win.
Duke improves to 188-60 (.758) when scoring first since 2016.

QUOTES

"I thought it was a terrific start by Kyle Johnson. He really came out and set the tone for today. He had a shutdown inning in the first and then again in the third and Ryan Higgins came in and gave us two shutdown innings behind it. Credit to their offense, they figured out Ryan the second time through the lineup. It was a great job by Jimmy Romano to come in right versus left to get us off the field. Charlie does a great job to get us off the field in the seventh and I thought it was a terrific job by Alex Stone to be on time for the fastball and drive it back up the middle." – Head coach Chris Pollard on his overall thoughts on the series clincher Saturday.

UP NEXT

Duke and Miami conclude the three-game set on Sunday afternoon from Jack Coombs Field. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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