After dropping two of three games on the road against Louisville, the Blue Devils have now lost each of their last six series against conference opponents.
With a little less than a month remaining in the season, Duke is in dire need of a series win to get back on track and secure a berth in the ACC tournament, as the window to make the NCAA tournament seemingly has closed barring a deep conference tournament run.
The Blue Devils will be looking to inch closer to .500 in conference play as they face Notre Dame on the road at Frank Eck Stadium in South Bend, Ind. The teams will battle Friday in a doubleheader beginning at 2:15 p.m. before meeting again Saturday at 1 p.m to avoid playing on a rainy Sunday, with both teams fighting for a spot in the ACC tournament in the latter stages of conference play.
The top 12 teams in the conference qualify for the tournament, and Duke and the Fighting Irish are in a five-way tie for eighth.
“We keep our head buried in what we are doing and don’t look out to the future,” Blue Devil head coach Chris Pollard said. “We approach what we are doing one day at a time and we honestly don’t have time to worry about that. That’s not something we spend a lot of time talking about, and it’s not a rallying cry for us. The focus is on getting better each day.”
Despite playing a lot of the bench with the knowledge of a potential doubleheader looming this weekend, Duke found success Wednesday in a 14-6 home victory against Presbyterian (21-22) at Jack Coombs Field.
Pollard rested many of his starters late in the contest, after the Blue Devils seized an eight-run lead following a four-run sixth inning and a sixth-run seventh. Duke (22-21, 8-13 in the ACC) got outstanding production in the five through seven spots in the lineup, with junior Michael Smiciklas, sophomore Kennie Taylor and junior Max Miller combining to go 4-for-7 from the plate. The trio also scored seven of the team’s 14 runs.
In addition to resting some of the team’s starters, Pollard was especially cautious with his pitching Wednesday, making sure to keep everyone fresh for Friday.
“Last night we went one inning apiece with guys to try and conserve the bullpen. We didn’t let guys get past 20 pitches,” Pollard said. “We just didn’t want to extend any reliever past the point where they wouldn’t be live and feeling good for Friday.”
With the Blue Devils playing against one of the weaker offensive teams in the conference, holding Notre Dame (20-22, 8-13) will be even more important if the team wants a much-needed series win. Although the Fighting Irish only hit .247 as a team, Duke will need to watch out for Matt Vierling and Kyle Fiala, who could quickly turn a good outing into a bad one for the visiting team. Both hitters are power threats, as Vierling has six home runs and 32 RBIs and Fiala has four home runs and 30 RBIs.
The Blue Devils will counter Notre Dame's offense with junior southpaw Mitch Stallings on the mound in game one Friday, followed by fellow junior Ryan Day Saturday. The starter for the nightcap of Friday’s doubleheader is yet to be determined.
For Duke to find success in the series, however, it will need a spark in relief. The Blue Devils' middle relievers have been ineffective for much of the season, struggling to link the starters and the back of the bullpen. Seven members of the Duke bullpen sport ERAs worse than 5.00, and Pollard is looking for people to step up as the season’s home stretch approaches.
“I’m looking for and am excited to see some guys step up out of our bullpen, have great outings this weekend and really give us that shot in the arm that we need,” Pollard said. “Right now we’re doing a lot of things well and are excited for a couple of guys to step up out in the bullpen and be that guy that bridges the gap.”
Following this weekend’s series against Notre Dame, the Blue Devils will have a week off for exams before returning to action May 9 to host Campbell at Jack Coombs Field.
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Digital Strategy Director for Vol. 115, Michael was previously Sports Editor for Vol. 114 and Assistant Blue Zone Editor for Vol. 113. Michael is a senior majoring in Statistical Science and is interested in data analytics and using data to make insights.