Duke Falls to Liberty in Regional Opener, 11-6

Friday, June 4

Knoxville, Tenn.

12 P.M.

Duke University

32-21

Liberty

40-14

Liberty

Duke

Duke Falls to Liberty in Regional Opener, 11-6

6/4/2021 5:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score BOX SCORE SEASON STATS POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE POSTGAME QUOTES Photo Gallery

KNOXVILLE, TENN. – The Duke baseball team dropped a 11-6 decision to Liberty in the opening game of the Knoxville Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Duke's (32-21) loss snapped the team's 12-game winning streak. The streak was the third-longest active streak in the nation and tied for the third-longest in program history since 1935.

Graduate student Peter Matt led the Blue Devils at the plate. The Larchmont, N.Y., native was a triple shy of the cycle, finishing 4-for-5 with two home runs.

Junior Jack Carey started on the mound for the Duke. He allowed eight runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three.

Duke fell in a hole early as Liberty (40-14) jumped out to an 11-1 lead through four innings. The Flames used six extra-base hits, including three home runs, to establish the lead. Duke's lone run came off a solo shot by Matt in the second inning.

The Blue Devils pulled another run back in the bottom of the sixth. A single by junior RJ Schreck and a Matt double put runners on second and third with no outs, before an RBI groundout by senior Michael Rothenberg plated the run.

Two more runs were added in the eighth for Duke. Schreck and senior Chris Crabtree were hit by pitches to put runners on first and second before back-to-back two out knocks from sophomore Graham Pauley and graduate student Erikson Nichols each scored a run to make it 11-4.

Matt's excellent day at the plate continued in the ninth inning. Senior Joey Loperfido led off the inning with a single before Matt recorded his second home run of the day, this time a two-run shot to right field.

Graduate student Richard Brereton, freshman Josh Allen and junior Aaron Beasley neutralized the Liberty offense as the trio pitched 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out five. From the sixth to the ninth inning, they combined to retire 11 consecutive batters.

The Blue Devils will play the loser of Wright State and Tennessee at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

Postgame Notes:

Matt recorded his 13th and 14th home runs of the year. It snapped a 14-game drought entering the game.
Matt was a triple shy of the cycle for the fourth time this season.
Rothenberg was hit by a pitch for the 36th time in his career, the fourth-most by a player in Duke history.
Senior Chris Crabtree was hit by a pitch twice in a single game for the first time in his career.

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