Duke baseball makes up game with Liberty after winter-weather postponement

Grant McCabe led the Blue Devils in last year's matchup with Liberty, driving home two runs in the loss.
Grant McCabe led the Blue Devils in last year's matchup with Liberty, driving home two runs in the loss.

Rescheduling due to wintry weather conditions, Duke changed both the time and location of its first game of a home-and-home series against Liberty this year.

After calling off Tuesday's 3 p.m. game in Lynchburg, Va. due to inclement weather, the Blue Devils and the Flames will instead square off 3 p.m. Wednesday at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C.

Rescheduling the first game of their series to Durham, the two teams have also moved the second contest, deciding to meet again 6 p.m. April 1 at Liberty Baseball Stadium.

The Flames (7-6) and the Blue Devils (7-4) last played May 5, 2013 in Lynchburg, Va. , where Liberty scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to come from behind and defeat Duke 4-3.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the top of the eighth inning, the Blue Devils took advantage of a two-out Flames error. Then-sophomore center fielder Grant McCabe hit a two-RBI single to tie the game. Next, then-junior Dave Perkins came in as a pinch runner and took the lead for Duke after stealing home on a double steal.

An error of their own, however, downed the Blue Devils when first baseman Chris Marconcini missed his mark throwing to second, allowing Liberty left fielder Nick Lacik to score. The Flames third baseman put his team ahead with a squeeze-bunt play that would knock in the deciding run.

Liberty enters Wednesday's contest having won four of their last five games, coming off a 3-1 showing at its own early-season tournament. In those five games, infielder Ryan Seiz racked up six runs, five RBIs and a .579 batting average on his way to earning the National Collegiate Baseball Writers National Hitter of the Week honor.

Duke also rides into the matchup with four wins in its last five games. In their last contest, the Blue Devils defeated another Big South opponent, Coastal Carolina, Sunday at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, S.C. After building up a 7-0 lead and holding the Chanticleers scoreless for seven innings, Duke fended off a late rally. McCabe led the Blue Devils, reaching base on four of five trips to the plate and knocking in two RBIs.

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