Duke Beats Clemson, 14-8, to Secure Series Victory

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Duke baseball team tallied 14 hits on its way to a series victory over Clemson as the Blue Devils topped the Tigers, 14-8, on Friday evening at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.  

Offensively, the Blue Devils (27-20, 15-17 ACC) tallied 14 hits in the contest as they jumped out to an 11-1 lead through the third inning. Junior RJ Schreck‘s two home runs, career-high five RBI, four runs scored, and two walks highlighted his 3-for-4 day. The Los Angeles, Calif., native matched his career highs in hits, runs scored, and home runs.

Junior Cooper Stinson started on the mound for the Blue Devils. Stinson allowed four runs on four hits, three walks, and hit three batters while striking out a trio in 4.1 innings of work. Freshman southpaw Josh Allen entered in relief of Stinson, allowing four runs on just two hits and three walks in 1.1 innings to earn the win.

The Blue Devils wasted no time offensively, quickly taking a 4-0 lead after the first inning. Senior Joey Loperfido reached as the leadoff batter by getting hit by a pitch before an RBI single from Schreck brought him home. Sophomores Chad Knight and Graham Pauley also recorded RBI singles to plate runs.

Duke doubled its lead in the second inning. A two-out walk to Schreck began a rally of three consecutive hits that plated four runs for the Blue Devils. Graduate student Peter Matt singled up the middle before a double from senior Michael Rothenberg plated Schreck. Senior Chris Crabtree capped the two-out rally with a three-run home run to right-center field.

Schreck hit his first home run of the day in the third inning. Back-to-back walks with two outs put runners on first and second for Schreck, who launched a ball over the center-field wall for a three-run blast.

The Blue Devils added two more in the fourth to extend their lead to 13-1 midway through the inning. Crabtree and Knight began the inning with consecutive singles before a passed ball moved the pair to scoring positions on the base path. Pauley and graduate student Erikson Nichols drove the runners in the next two at-bats.

Clemson (24-25, 16-19 ACC) fought back, scoring seven unanswered over a three-inning span. The Tigers cut the Duke advantage to five, 13-8, after the sixth inning.

A solo shot to center field from Schreck stopped the Tigers’ run in the top of the seventh. His second home run of the day gave Duke a 14-8 lead.

Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Loper closed the game for Duke to secure the save. Loper allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out two in 3.1 scoreless innings pitched. The Chesapeake, Va., native earned his fifth save of the season to tie for the team lead.

Duke seeks to sweep the series on Saturday as the Blue Devils, and Clemson take the field at 1 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.