Completed Event: Baseball versus Murray State on June 9, 2025 , Loss , 4, to, 5
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Final
Baseball
4
vs Murray State
5
Friday, June 4
Knoxville, Tenn.
12 P.M.
Duke University
vs
Liberty
ACC Champs Begin Knoxville Regional on Friday
6/3/2021 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
DURHAM – The Duke baseball team, which recently won the 2021 ACC Baseball Championship, opens the NCAA Championship with a 12 p.m. contest against Liberty at the Knoxville Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
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FIRST PITCH
HOW TO FOLLOW
All games from the Knoxville Regional will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. Mark Neely (PxP) and Adam Greenberg (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN. Duke's opening game versus Liberty will be broadcast on ACC Network. Chris Edwards also has the call for the game on the Blue Devil Sports Network from Learfield IMG College and will be available on 620 AM, GoDuke.com or the TuneIn app.
Friday, 12 p.m. vs. Liberty – TuneIn – Watch
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REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, June 4
Game 1: Duke vs. Liberty | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Game 2: Tennessee vs. Wright State | 6 p.m. | ESPN3/WatchESPN
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Saturday, June 5
Game 3: G1 Loser vs. G2 Loser | 12 p.m.
Game 4: G1 Winner vs. G2 Winner | 6 p.m.
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Sunday, June 6
Game 5: G3 Winner vs. G4 Loser | 2 p.m.
Game 6: G4 Winner vs. G5 Winner | 6 p.m.
Monday, June 7 (If Necessary)
Game 7: G6 Winner vs. G6 Loser | 1 p.m.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Duke will compete in the NCAA Championship for just the ninth time in program history but the fourth time in the past five tournaments. Duke is coming off back-to-back Super Regional runs, in which the Blue Devils faced a winner-take-all game three for a berth in the College World Series, but came up just short. Duke will compete in the NCAA postseason for third time in as many tournaments for the first time in program history. The Blue Devils have never faced Liberty or Wright State in the NCAA Championship, but Duke has taken on Tennessee, topping the Volunteers, 7-1, in 1952.
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LOPERFIDO, SCHRECK EARN ALL-ACC HONORS
Senior Joey Loperfido and junior RJ Schreck earned All-ACC honors, the conference announced following the regular season. Loperfido earned Second Team All-ACC honors after leading the team and ranking in the top 10 in the conference in batting average (.360), on-base percentage (.469), runs (48), doubles (14), and stolen bases (11) when the award was announced. Schreck was a third team All-ACC selection after hitting a slash line of .350/.453/.644 – all career highs. His slugging percentage leads the team and ranked in the top 10 in program history for a single season. Schreck also boasted 15 home runs and 46 RBIs, both ranking in the top 10 in the conference this season.
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HISTORIC ACC CHAMPIONSHIP RUN
Duke won its first ACC title since 1961, breaking a 60-year drought. The 2021 ACC Championship was Duke's first title in the current tournament format, which was put in place in 1973. In the 2021 championship run, Duke's pitching staff was electric. The Blue Devils boasted a 1.00 ERA through four games, while striking out 41 and walking just five batters. Duke's bullpen did not allow a single run in 13.2 innings of work, while Duke's starters only allowed one walk while striking out 27. Duke's 1-0 shutout win in the championship game was just the third shutout in a championship game in the event's history.
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RIDING THE WINNING WAVE
The Blue Devils have won 12 in a row entering the NCAA Tournament. The winning streak is Duke's longest since 15 games 1998, but that streak did not include a conference opponent. The 12-game streak this season is the longest in the midst of conference play since 1935. In its past 12 games, Duke is hitting .303 as a team, while holding its opponents to a .223 batting average. Duke also boasts a 2.46 ERA in the streak with 114 strikeouts to just 26 walks.
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THREE CONSECUTIVE REGIONALS
The Blue Devils will make an appearance in their third consecutive NCAA Regional for the first time in school history. Head coach Chris Pollard has led Duke to four NCAA postseason appearances (2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021) during his nine seasons at Duke. His first appearance in 2016 broke a 55-year drought.
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LOPERFIDO TABBED ACC CHAMPIONSHIP MVP
Senior Joey Loperfido continued an impressive campaign at the 2021 ACC Championship, as the Blue Devil took home tournament MVP honors after going 7-for-18 with three doubles, two home runs and three RBIs on the way to the title. Loperfido joined classmate Michael Rothenberg (who boasted a grand slam and a walk-off home run in pool play) and junior Cooper Stinson (who pitched six shutout innings in the title game) on the ACC All-Tournament team.
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DUKE BOASTS SEVEN ACC TITLES
With the addition of the baseball team's fourth ACC title, Duke boasts seven conference championships in 2020-21 -- tying the school record for most in an academic year (2000-01) and leading all ACC programs this year. The 2020-21 team titles include baseball, softball, women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's fencing, women's golf and men's lacrosse. Duke's seven team titles are three clear of North Carolina and Florida State, which each captured four.
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WRACKING UP THE SAVES
The Blue Devils have tallied 14 saves this season to rank third in school history. Duke's next save would tie for second in program history, which was set in 2015. The school record for saves is 17, which was recorded by the 2009 team. Sophomore Marcus Johnson has seven saves for the Blue Devils, tying him for 13th in program history. His next save would move him to ninth in program lore and would become the fourth player under head coach Chris Pollard with at least eight saves in a season. Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Loper has also been strong on the back end of games as he holds five saves on the season, a career high.
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DUKE CONTINUES K'S 4 KIDS' CANCER
Duke baseball announced the renewal of the K's 4 Kids' Cancer campaign, which is now in its third season with the team. Fans can help Duke baseball strikeout children's cancer by making a pledge for every strikeout that Blue Devil pitchers rack up this season. In just two years, the campaign has raised over $25,000 and all funds go directly to support cancer research and patient care at Duke Children's Hospital.
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#GoDuke
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FIRST PITCH
- Second-seed Duke (32-20) takes on third-seed Liberty (39-14) on Friday at noon to open the Knoxville Regional. All games during the regional will be played at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
- The Blue Devils enter the Knoxville Regional on a 12-game winning streak, the second-longest winning streak by a Duke team since 1935. In addition, the Blue Devils won 14 of 16 games in the month of May to close out the season.
- Duke recently won its fourth ACC title, topping NC State, 1-0, in the ACC Baseball Championship final on Sunday at Truist Field in Charlotte. It was Duke's first ACC title in 60 seasons and its first ACC Championship win under the current tournament format.
- The Blue Devils have hit 68 home runs this season, the fourth-most in a single season in program history and the most since 1998.
- Duke will appear in the NCAA Championship for the fourth time under head coach Chris Pollard. The Blue Devils will compete in the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive occasion for the first time in program history (2018, 2019 and 2021).
HOW TO FOLLOW
All games from the Knoxville Regional will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. Mark Neely (PxP) and Adam Greenberg (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN. Duke's opening game versus Liberty will be broadcast on ACC Network. Chris Edwards also has the call for the game on the Blue Devil Sports Network from Learfield IMG College and will be available on 620 AM, GoDuke.com or the TuneIn app.
Friday, 12 p.m. vs. Liberty – TuneIn – Watch
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REGIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday, June 4
Game 1: Duke vs. Liberty | 12 p.m. | ACC Network
Game 2: Tennessee vs. Wright State | 6 p.m. | ESPN3/WatchESPN
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Saturday, June 5
Game 3: G1 Loser vs. G2 Loser | 12 p.m.
Game 4: G1 Winner vs. G2 Winner | 6 p.m.
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Sunday, June 6
Game 5: G3 Winner vs. G4 Loser | 2 p.m.
Game 6: G4 Winner vs. G5 Winner | 6 p.m.
Monday, June 7 (If Necessary)
Game 7: G6 Winner vs. G6 Loser | 1 p.m.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Duke will compete in the NCAA Championship for just the ninth time in program history but the fourth time in the past five tournaments. Duke is coming off back-to-back Super Regional runs, in which the Blue Devils faced a winner-take-all game three for a berth in the College World Series, but came up just short. Duke will compete in the NCAA postseason for third time in as many tournaments for the first time in program history. The Blue Devils have never faced Liberty or Wright State in the NCAA Championship, but Duke has taken on Tennessee, topping the Volunteers, 7-1, in 1952.
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LOPERFIDO, SCHRECK EARN ALL-ACC HONORS
Senior Joey Loperfido and junior RJ Schreck earned All-ACC honors, the conference announced following the regular season. Loperfido earned Second Team All-ACC honors after leading the team and ranking in the top 10 in the conference in batting average (.360), on-base percentage (.469), runs (48), doubles (14), and stolen bases (11) when the award was announced. Schreck was a third team All-ACC selection after hitting a slash line of .350/.453/.644 – all career highs. His slugging percentage leads the team and ranked in the top 10 in program history for a single season. Schreck also boasted 15 home runs and 46 RBIs, both ranking in the top 10 in the conference this season.
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HISTORIC ACC CHAMPIONSHIP RUN
Duke won its first ACC title since 1961, breaking a 60-year drought. The 2021 ACC Championship was Duke's first title in the current tournament format, which was put in place in 1973. In the 2021 championship run, Duke's pitching staff was electric. The Blue Devils boasted a 1.00 ERA through four games, while striking out 41 and walking just five batters. Duke's bullpen did not allow a single run in 13.2 innings of work, while Duke's starters only allowed one walk while striking out 27. Duke's 1-0 shutout win in the championship game was just the third shutout in a championship game in the event's history.
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RIDING THE WINNING WAVE
The Blue Devils have won 12 in a row entering the NCAA Tournament. The winning streak is Duke's longest since 15 games 1998, but that streak did not include a conference opponent. The 12-game streak this season is the longest in the midst of conference play since 1935. In its past 12 games, Duke is hitting .303 as a team, while holding its opponents to a .223 batting average. Duke also boasts a 2.46 ERA in the streak with 114 strikeouts to just 26 walks.
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THREE CONSECUTIVE REGIONALS
The Blue Devils will make an appearance in their third consecutive NCAA Regional for the first time in school history. Head coach Chris Pollard has led Duke to four NCAA postseason appearances (2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021) during his nine seasons at Duke. His first appearance in 2016 broke a 55-year drought.
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LOPERFIDO TABBED ACC CHAMPIONSHIP MVP
Senior Joey Loperfido continued an impressive campaign at the 2021 ACC Championship, as the Blue Devil took home tournament MVP honors after going 7-for-18 with three doubles, two home runs and three RBIs on the way to the title. Loperfido joined classmate Michael Rothenberg (who boasted a grand slam and a walk-off home run in pool play) and junior Cooper Stinson (who pitched six shutout innings in the title game) on the ACC All-Tournament team.
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DUKE BOASTS SEVEN ACC TITLES
With the addition of the baseball team's fourth ACC title, Duke boasts seven conference championships in 2020-21 -- tying the school record for most in an academic year (2000-01) and leading all ACC programs this year. The 2020-21 team titles include baseball, softball, women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's fencing, women's golf and men's lacrosse. Duke's seven team titles are three clear of North Carolina and Florida State, which each captured four.
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WRACKING UP THE SAVES
The Blue Devils have tallied 14 saves this season to rank third in school history. Duke's next save would tie for second in program history, which was set in 2015. The school record for saves is 17, which was recorded by the 2009 team. Sophomore Marcus Johnson has seven saves for the Blue Devils, tying him for 13th in program history. His next save would move him to ninth in program lore and would become the fourth player under head coach Chris Pollard with at least eight saves in a season. Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Loper has also been strong on the back end of games as he holds five saves on the season, a career high.
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DUKE CONTINUES K'S 4 KIDS' CANCER
Duke baseball announced the renewal of the K's 4 Kids' Cancer campaign, which is now in its third season with the team. Fans can help Duke baseball strikeout children's cancer by making a pledge for every strikeout that Blue Devil pitchers rack up this season. In just two years, the campaign has raised over $25,000 and all funds go directly to support cancer research and patient care at Duke Children's Hospital.
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#GoDuke
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Players Mentioned
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