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Duke Opens Six-Game Week With Home Double Header Against N.C. Central
DURHAM, N.C. ? The Duke baseball team will conclude its first-ever series with neighboring N.C. Central with a double header this Tuesday, April 15, at 5 p.m. at Jack Coombs Field. The two seven-inning games will kick off a six-game week for the Blue Devils, who will head to Buies Creek, N.C., on Wednesday to face Campbell before returning home for a three-game spread against ACC foe Clemson.
In the historic first meeting between Duke (23-12, 5-11 ACC) and N.C. Central (6-20) earlier on March 26, the Blue Devils conquered the Eagles 10-2 to take a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series.
The Blue Devil lineup got a lot more dangerous this weekend as junior first baseman Nate Freiman returned from a month-long absence to homer and drive in three RBI in a Friday win over N.C. State. After missing the previous 18 games due to an injury, Freiman wasted no time in regaining his form as the 6-8, 240 pound first baseman batted .308 with four RBI in the three-game series, including a pair of multi-hit efforts on Friday and Sunday. With a career batting average of .344, Freiman ranks fifth on Duke’s all-time batting average list and is the Blue Devils’ active career leader in home runs (16) and RBI (91). He has four home runs and 19 RBI in 17 games this season.
Freiman’s return should also bolster the offensive production of a number of Blue Devils who have stepped up in the cleanup hitter’s absence. Junior catcher Matt Williams has already benefited from hitting on front of Freiman, as the 5-10, 200 pound collected at least one hit in every game against the Wolfpack while hitting immediately before his junior classmate. Williams is currently on a four-game hitting streak in which he is batting .357 with four RBI and a double.
Sophomore outfielder Jeremy Gould, who has stepped up as Duke’s main RBI contributor this season, continues to swing a hot bat as evidenced by his .455 batting average of the last five games. He has driven in a team-leading 30 RBI on the way to a .364 batting average for the 12th-best clip in the ACC. Included in his production are a pair of home runs and nine doubles, two of which came in his last game against N.C. State.
Sophomore shortstop Gabriel Saade broke out of a three-game hitless streak on Sunday, managing a pair of singles and two RBI against the Wolfpack. Both of his RBI came on a clutch two-out single to give him 23 batted in on the season, with 17 of those coming with two outs on the board. Saade has emerged as Duke’s most versatile offensive player this season, batting anywhere from leadoff to fifth in the batting order on the way to 27 runs, four home runs, 13 stolen bases and a .400 on base percentage aided by his team-leading 21 walks.
Not to be lost over the weekend was a dominant relief outing from sophomore right-hander Alex Hassan, who also doubles as Duke’s starting center fielder and leading hitter. Hassan came in from center field at the end of game three against the Wolfpack to retire six straight batters, giving him 10 consecutive scoreless outings over his last seven appearances. He has allowed just one run all season on the way to a 0.69 ERA, four saves and a win. The 6-3, 200 pounder has also been Duke’s most consistent hitter, leading the team with a .368 average, 12 doubles and 37 runs scored.
In addition to Hassan’s presence on the mound, Duke’s bullpen is one of the best groups in the ACC. Led by sophomore Michael Ness, senior Ryan Perry and junior Kyle Butler, the unit has led Duke to nine of its 23 victories while accounting for just one loss on the way to a 2.80 ERA and a .242 opponent batting average. Ness has been the pen’s anchor, logging a team-leading 14 appearances with a 2.27 ERA, two saves and a 2-1 record, including three shutout innings on Friday to close out a 4-1 win over the Wolfpack. Perry’s sidearm delivery has provided a good change of pace for Duke’s staff, while Butler has served as a viable option to eat inning. Freshman John Bunder has also come into his own lately with a 1.50 ERA in a six-inning span over his last three appearances. He has held opponents to just four hits and one walk during the tear while striking out five.
Freshman pitcher Sam Allen will make his collegiate debut this Tuesday in game one against N.C. Central. A 6-3, 185 pound right-hander, Allen comes to Duke as a three-year letterwinner at Roswell High School in Roswell, Ga., where he went 20-4 in his prep career to earn three all-county awards and an all-area selection as a senior. He had the lowest ERA on the team in all three years of varsity competition while racking up a combined 170 strikeouts in 158 innings of work over the three-year span.
Scouting N.C. Central
N.C. Central continues to develop in their first year of Division I competition, but have made steady improvements throughout the season. Though their season has produced just six wins, the Eagles have had several close games, including a recent 3-1 loss to Longwood.
Sophomore first baseman Tye Gray has been the Eagles’ most productive offensive player this season, leading the team with a .389 batting average and eight stolen bases. The 6-4, 230 pounder has pounded 21 hits and four doubles on the way to a .463 slugging percentage and a .470 on base clip.
N.C. Central’s pitching staff has been the backbone of the team, with Douglas Dalley, James Jordan and Alex Weathersby putting together very strong seasons. Dalley (2-2) owns the team ERA lead with a 3.24 clip, while Jordan (2-0) has also been effective with a 4.28 ERA. Weathersby has been used in a variety of roles, as the Raleigh, N.C., has made six appearances, including four starts, on the way to a 5.23 ERA and a save.
Scouting Campbell
Campbell (14-22, 8-13 Atlantic Sun) is coming of a series win over Jacksonville after rebounding from a game one loss to post back-to-back wins of 3-1 and 8-4. The Fighting Camels are very aggressive on the base paths, as evidenced by their 89 stolen base attempts. They’ve come up successful in 65 of those attempts, thanks largely in part to Brandon Scott who has swiped 19 bags in 24 attempts. Scott is also batting .306 and is tied for the team lead with three home runs and 31 RBI.
Also contributing to the Campbell offense is Ryan Hamme, who owns a team-leading .352 batting average along with 32 runs scored, which is also a team high. Hamme has served well as the Fighting Camels’ leadoff batter, compiling a .469 on base percentage while stealing 10 bases. He has been thrown out just twice trying to steal and has also been a solid option at first base, putting together a .991 fielding percentage with just three errors.
Among the pitching leaders for Campbell are Hunter Ford, Jeff Hoffman and Scott, who have all been used primarily in a relief with the exception of Scott, who had made six starts. Ford has been Campbell’s most called-upon pitcher, logging 16 appearances on the way to a 3.92 ERA and a 1-2 record.
On Deck For The Blue Devils
Following the three mid-week matchups, Duke will host its first ACC series since March 30 with a three-game set against Clemson, beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 18. The series will continue at 2 p.m. on Saturday before the 1 p.m. finale on Sunday.
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