With Duke's leader in batting average and best power hitter from last season in Justin Bellinger struggling mightily and suffering a hand injury, the Blue Devils were extremely inconsistent at the plate in the first month of the season.
But inserting junior Michael Smiciklas into the No. 5 spot has given Duke's lineup more pop—now the Blue Devils are starting to resemble the dangerous unit at the plate many anticipated they would be coming into the season.
One day after using an eight-run third inning to down Davidson 8-6, Duke picked up another mid-week nonconference win with a 10-2 victory against North Carolina A&T at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park Wednesday evening. Smiciklas launched a grand slam Tuesday, but classmate Jack Labosky and sophomore Griffin Conine were the ones slugging the ball against the Aggies.
Conine crushed a first-inning pitch over the right-field wall to stake his team a 2-0 lead before Labosky matched his teammate with a shot to left center in the third inning that made it 4-0. After his fifth home run of the year, Labosky added a double to lead off a five-run sixth inning that saw the home team blow the game open.
The Blue Devils' huge sixth inning allowed them to cash in on a strong start from freshman Graeme Stinson, who struck out eight and gave up two runs—one of which was unearned—in six innings of work.
After averaging 9.8 runs in its previous five games, Duke (15-13) wasted no time getting dialed in at the plate yet again.
Following a routine frame from Stinson in the top of the first, Conine delivered his fifth homer of the season to immediately give his team momentum. The Weston, Fla., native hit just .205 a season ago but has been on a tear to start the season, making the top of the Blue Devil lineup even more dangerous even with Bellinger out of the lineup.
Not to be outdone, Labosky matched Conine's shot to keep pace with his teammate as they lead the team with five home runs apiece already this season. Labosky's home run came after Stinson no-hit North Carolina A&T (11-12) through three frames.
Although the Aggies struck for a run in the fourth inning then were gifted another tally in the sixth following an errant pickoff throw and wild pitch, Duke erupted again in the bottom of the frame to pull away.
The Blue Devils got five runs on five hits in the half inning, with Labosky, sophomore Jimmy Herron and junior Peter Zyla all picking up doubles to add to the team's extra-base-hit barrage.
Duke added another run in the seventh on a Chris Proctor sacrifice fly, and freshman Bill Chillari and juniors Luke Whitten and Chris McGrath each tossed a scoreless inning in relief in one of the cleanest performances for the Blue Devil bullpen all season. Duke allowed fewer than three runs for the first time since March 10.
The Blue Devils will return to action looking to stay hot at the plate Friday through Sunday against Pittsburgh.
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