Completed Event: Baseball versus Murray State on June 9, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5
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Duke Opens 2018 with Road Series at Vanderbilt
2/15/2018 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
DURHAM, N.C. – The 2018 baseball season begins this weekend as Duke travels to No. 15 Vanderbilt for a three-game series at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn. This weekend's series marks the first meeting between the two programs.
After posting its fourth straight 30-win season, Duke begins the 2018 campaign ranked nationally in three preseason polls (NCBWA No. 31, D1Baseball No. 25, and Perfect Game No. 20).
The Blue Devils return 22 letterwinners from this past season's 30-28 team, including nine starting position players and three weekend starters. Preseason All-American outfielders Griffin Conine and Jimmy Herron headline that group as both return for their junior seasons. In addition, Duke also brings back starting center fielder Kennie Taylor, second baseman Max Miller, shortstop Zack Kone, third baseman Jack Labosky, catcher Chris Proctor and designated hitter Michael Smiciklas.
On the mound, Duke returns 68 percent of its innings pitched from the 2017 season, including its full weekend rotation in Ryan Day, Adam Laskey and Mitch Stallings.
Vanderbilt enters 2018 as a consensus top 20 team following a trip to the Corvallis Super Regional opposite then-No. 1 Oregon State. Freshmen comprise half the Commodores' roster as part of the nation's No. 1 recruiting class which surrounds key juniors Julian Infante, Connor Kaiser, Ethan Paul and Patrick Raby.
A sophomore left-hander, Laskey takes the mound opposite sophomore right-hander Drake Fellows in Friday's season opener. Senior righty Ryan Day faces off against LHP Zach King Saturday before senior left-hander Mitch Stallings takes the mound in Sunday's finale versus RHP Chandler Day.
SEC Network + is set to broadcast Friday and Sunday's contests via ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. Chris Edwards is on call for the Blue Devil IMG Sports Network audio broadcast available on GoDuke.com.
Following the weekend trip, Duke opens the home portion of its schedule Tuesday, Feb. 20 against North Carolina Central.
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