As the Bull Durham quote goes, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes it rains.
Saturday, it rained—but not before the Blue Devils were able to build a 4-3 lead against Virginia Tech in six-and-a-half innings in the second game of a three-game series at Jack Coombs Field.
The game was suspended after the top of the seventh due to the weather and is scheduled to resume at 1 p.m. Sunday. Duke scored early and never trailed, led by strong pitching from starter Dillon Haviland, though the Hokies began mounting a comeback before the game was called off for the day.
"It is what it is," Duke head coach Chris Pollard said. "You wake up tomorrow and it feels new, but the reality is, the advantage is with us—and we've just got to use that advantage."
The Blue Devils came into Saturday's game looking to build momentum after a 6-3 win Friday night broke up a four-game losing streak and continued to push runs across the plate.
Duke (23-18, 6-15 in the ACC) got on the board in the first inning, capitalizing on a walk and a hit batter by Hokie starter Sean Kesilica with a two-run, two-out single by designated hitter Cris Perez.
"[Perez] came up with a big clutch hit," Pollard said. "He had some of the best at-bats he's had all year."
The Hokies (19-23, 8-13 in the ACC) were quick to respond in the second inning. An error by Blue Devil first baseman Jalen Phillips proved costly, and Virginia Tech got one run on the board. Haviland pitched himself out of a jam to prevent further damage, stranding two Hokies to end the inning.
The redshirt senior worked five innings Saturday, picking up five strikeouts and dancing around four hits and four walks.
"The biggest thing that was working well was Dillon Haviland really grinding for us, really competing for us," Pollard said. "We made some mistakes behind him, he pitched through them—he made some tough pitches."
The Blue Devils added another run with an RBI double from center fielder Evan Dougherty in the bottom of the second. Three innings later, Duke scored once more when Hokie reliever Aaron McGarity walked pinch-hitter Michael Smiciklas with the bases full.
Duke carried the three-run lead into the top of the seventh, when the Hokies began threatening. After giving up two walks, reliever Sarkis Ohanian faced Virginia Tech first baseman Brendon Hayden—who drove in all three runs for the Hokies Friday—with two outs. With the count full, Hayden hit a two-run double to make the score 4-3, continuing to burn the Blue Devil pitching staff.
After several hours of steady rain, the game was suspended before the Blue Devils had an opportunity to respond.
Moving into Sunday, Pollard stressed the importance of staying focused.
"If I'd have told you before the day started...that you're going to take a one-run lead into the bottom of the seventh, and you've got three at-bats left and they've got two at-bats left, would you take it? With the chance to win the series on the line?" Pollard said he told the team after the game was suspended. "Every coach and every player in America would tell you, 'Yeah, I'd take those odds.' That's where we are, and we've got to go finish it."
The teams will play the series finale Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 45 minutes following the completion of Saturday's game.
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