No. 11 Duke Guts Out Series Win Over No. 9 Virginia

Saturday, March 30

Durham, N.C.

1 p.m.

Duke University

20-8, 6-6

Virginia

22-6, 7-5

Virginia

Duke

No. 11 Duke Guts Out Series Win Over No. 9 Virginia

3/30/2024 5:33:00 PM | Baseball

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DURHAM – Graduate Chad Knight drove in what would be the game winning runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, as No. 11 Duke (20-8, 6-6 ACC) claimed its second top-10 series win on Saturday, 7-4.

No. 9 Virginia (22-6, 7-5 ACC) took an early 2-0 lead, scoring a run in the top of the third and fourth innings. Graduate Logan Bravo tied the ballgame with one swing, hitting his sixth home run of the season, a two-run blast to left center.

The Cavaliers regained the lead in the top of the seventh inning, before Duke strung together its 12th inning this season where they batted around, scoring five runs in the bottom half of the frame. Knight singled through the left side to score a pair of runners, before Bravo reached on a fielder's choice to score a run. Freshman Macon Winslow battled during his at bat and drove a single to center field to score a pair after a blocking the plate review.

Graduate Charlie Beilenson worked the final two innings of the contest, allowing one run on two hits and struck out one to end the ballgame.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Virginia opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third inning, 1-0.
Cavaliers added a run in the top of the fourth, 2-0.
Logan Bravo hit a two-run home run to left center field in the bottom of the fourth, 2-2.
Virginia regained the lead in the top of the seventh inning, 3-2.
Chad Knight singled through the left side to score a pair. Bravo reached on a fielder's choice and Macon Winslow singled to center field to score a pair after a blocking the plate review, 7-3.
Virginia tacked on a run in the top of the eighth, 7-4.

NOTES

Graduate Harrison Rodgers made his first start in a Blue Devils uniform on Saturday, finishing the day 0-for-1 with a walk.
Graduate Logan Bravo finished the day 1-for-3 with three RBI and a two-run home run to left center field. Bravo's home run was his sixth of the season and tied the ballgame in the fourth inning.
Graduate Ben Miller extended his hitting streak to nine games, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored. The multi-hit contest was Miller's 17th of the season, leading the Blue Devils by six games.
Freshman Kyle Johnson returned to the mound for the first time in two weeks, working a clean inning and allowing two hits. He punched out one Cavalier.
The Blue Devils batted around in the bottom of the seventh inning, marking the 12th time this season that they have accomplished that feat. The last time Duke batted around was against NC State on Sunday. The Blue Devils went on to score five runs in the frame to put the game out of reach.
Duke improved to 201-42 (827) when scoring three-plus runs in an inning on Saturday.

QUOTES

"It was two of the best teams in the country going head-to-head. It was as even of a series that you could have asked for this weekend. We played really well on Thursday night, and they turned around and played well Friday night. Both teams were toe-to-toe through six innings today. They had a dagger in the seventh with two outs and two strikes, but we had an answer in the bottom of the seventh. I told our team before the game today, let's all commit to each other to be the toughest version of ourselves and we were." – Head Coach Chris Pollard on his overall thoughts on the series.
"I talked to our team after the game that he has provided unbelievable leadership for us all year. He has been locked in on every pitch and it was really cool and really special for me to see him step into that moment and have that big at bat." – On the decision to pinch hit Chad Knight who drove in the game winning runs.
"I am so proud of it. I am almost emotional about it. It is something we have been trying to do for a long time. To see this place like this in a rubber match is something that we kind of dreamed about since we got here." – On the atmosphere at Jack Coombs Field on Saturday afternoon.

UP NEXT

Duke hits the road for the first time during the midweek slate, traveling to Lynchburg, Va., for the final meeting against the Liberty Flames. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Liberty Baseball Stadium.

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