Duke Blue Devils, Liberty, Lauryn Clarke, Spectacular Magazine
Sports

Duke Falls to Liberty, Season Comes To An End

Lawrence Davis III @LawDavis13 @SpecMagSports

KNOXVILLE, TENN. – Second-seed Duke (33-21) dropped their second NCAA Championship contest in the elimination game against third-seed Liberty (41-15) by a final score of 15-4 at the Knoxville Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Sunday evening. 

The Liberty Flames came out hot, putting eight runs on the board in the first inning with four hits, including a grand slam from Greensboro, N.C. native Jaylen Guy. 

The Blue Devils put up two in the third inning. Sophomore second baseman Graham Pauley singled to second base. Designated hitter Chad Knight then reached on a fielder’s choice; Pauley out at second. Senior center fielder Joey Loperfido followed that up with a two-run home run, making it his eighth home run of the season (8-2). 

Loperfido ended the season with a bang, going 3-for-4, and continued to lead the team with the highest batting average (.374)

Senior Trey McDyre hit a solo home run in the fourth inning for the Flames (9-2). Junior Logan Mathieu, who had a home run during his first regional appearance against Duke, had another today in the fifth to put Liberty up 10-2. 

Graduate Student Peter Matt, who had two home runs in his last appearance against Liberty, crushed another solo shot over left-center in the sixth inning, making it his 15th home run of the season and giving Duke another run (10-3). 

The hits didn’t stop there for the Flames, delivering a five-run inning in the eighth (15-3). 

Duke brought in pinch hitters’ Junior Damon Lux and Graduate student Chase Cheek. Lux and Cheek both singled, scoring one more run for the Blue Devils for the final score of 15-4. 

Junior Cooper Stinson started on the mound for the Blue Devils but struggled to contain the Liberty offense. Cooper allowed six runs on two hits, striking out one, walking four, in just half an inning pitched for the loss. Left-handed freshman Josh Allen entered in the first as a relief, facing only four batters, giving up two runs on two hits, with one home run, walking one. Graduate student Richard Brereton was then called out to relieve Allen in the first. Brereton, who faced the Liberty offense in game one, allowed one hit, no runs, walking one, and striking out two to retire the inning. 

The Duke bullpen used up a total of seven pitchers, including right-handers Billy Seidl, Henry Williams, Nick Conte, and left-hander Aaron Beasley.   

Liberty only used up one of its arms. The Junior left-hander Mason Meyer had a tremendous outing, pitching a complete game. 

This marks the end of the 2021 season for the Duke baseball team. The team had a remarkable season, making history with their first-ever ACC Championship title in school history.