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Sports

Hot Hitting Leads Duke Past William & Mary

Lawrence Davis III @LawDavis13 @SpecMagSports

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke posted 16 hits as it cruised to an 11-6 victory over William & Mary in midweek action on Tuesday night at Jack Coombs Field.

The Blue Devils were strong in the batter’s box, outhitting the Tribe 16-7. Junior RJ Schreck led the way by hitting 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs. Graduate student Erikson Nichols also finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Sophomore Billy Seidl made just his second career start and earned his second collegiate win, allowing two runs on two hits in two innings of work. A native of Wellesley, Mass., Seidl struck out two during his time on the hill.

Duke (19-18) opened the scoring in the first inning, scoring six in the bottom of the first. Two-run home runs from Schreck and Chris Crabtree highlighted the inning, along with a two-RBI single from sophomore Graham Pauley. The Blue Devils scored six runs on six hits in the inning.

William & Mary (12-22) responded with two runs in the top of the second before adding another run in the fourth to make it 6-3.

The Blue Devils doubled their lead in the fourth inning, plating three runs. With bases loaded and one out, Crabtree laced a ball back at the pitcher that ricocheted off his shoulder to first base for an unlucky RBI groundout. In the next at-bat, graduate student Erikson Nichols hit a two-RBI single to center field.

After the Tribe scored again in the top of the fifth, the Blue Devils added two in the bottom of the frame. Schreck hit his second home run of the day, a 415 ft. solo shot to right field, before graduate student Peter Matt added another long ball in the next at-bat to extend Duke’s lead, 11-4.

William & Mary scored a run in the top of the seventh and the eighth but were unable to overcome the deficit.

Freshman Luke Fox continued to impress in his rookie campaign, striking out all three batters faced in a perfect inning of work.

Sophomore Marcus Johnson closed the game for Duke, striking out the side in the scoreless ninth inning.

Duke returns to the diamond on Friday as the Blue Devils travel to Louisville for a three-game ACC series over the weekend. Friday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.