Despite posting its lowest number of wins in the last several years, the baseball team proved that this was indeed a year of extensive progress as it peaked in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament last weekend at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Blue Devils (34-25) won two games and advanced to the tourney semifinals, before bowing out Saturday 12-2 to eventual champion Florida State. The showing was Duke's best in the conference tournament since 1983.
Duke dropped its opening round contest in the double elimination tournament to the second-seeded Seminoles 4-2 on Wednesday, but bounced back Thursday by eliminating defending champion Virginia, 16-3. The Blue Devils continued their impressive run on Friday as they rode a strong pitching performance from senior Richard Dishman to a 5-3 win over top-seed Georgia Tech.
Duke's season came to an end with Saturday's defeat at the hands of FSU. The Seminoles used a strong pitching performance by Chuck Howell (8-1), who allowed only nine hits, and their usual powerful bats to send the Blue Devils home.
"They were too much for us at the end of the tournament," Duke coach Steve Traylor said. "It's a real difference for us between the first and fourth games in the tournament, namely depth-wise. The first game was real close and we had our chances. By the fourth game, we weren't quite as deep with our pitching, so we were at a disadvantage.
"Despite finishing second in the regular season, I really thought they were the best team and unfortunately, we had to face them twice."
In the fourth game, ACC Player of the Year J.D. Drew contributed three hits and Jeremy Morris bashed his 23rd home run of the year as the Seminoles beat freshman pitcher Chris Capuano (6-6).
The first meeting between the two teams was a different story, however, as FSU pitcher John Bentley limited the Blue Devils to just five hits. Despite a strong outing from Duke's own Brad Dupree-who relieved starter Clayton Connor an inning and a third into the contest after Connor was forced from the mound by back spasms-the Seminoles four runs were too much for the Blue Devils to overcome.
Sophomore Jeff Becker, who along with freshman shortstop Vaughn Schill was named to the All-ACC first team, hit his 12th home run of the season in the two-run loss.
Another offensive star for Duke was right fielder Michael Fletcher, who collected three hits on the day, including two doubles-raising his season total to 21, a new school record.
The win over Georgia Tech was one of the high points of Duke's season. The Blue Devils not only managed a win over a Yellow Jacket squad it was swept by just two weeks earlier, but also sent the top-seeded squad home early.
"That was a huge win-playing the number one seed in an elimination game, they gave us their best shot," Traylor said.
Dishman was the star as he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and ended up surrendering just one hit over eight innings before being relieved by Schill, who allowed three runs before closing out the game by striking out the side in the ninth.
"Dishman was the difference in that game, there was no doubt about it," Traylor said. "Both pitchers took no-hitters into the sixth inning, and after we got a couple of runs on the board, Dishman dominated until he got tired in the ninth."
Senior second baseman Frankie Chiou closed his career in sparkling fashion, as he contributed a two-run single to lead the Blue Devil offense. Schill also added an RBI double.
Fletcher keyed Thursday's win over the Cavaliers with a 3-for-4, five RBI performance, and was supported by strong hitting from the rest of the Duke lineup.
"We swung the bats extremely well and got a great pitching game out of Stephen Cowie along with good defense," Traylor said. "We were kind of like the team we were earlier in the year, putting a lot of runs on the board."
Cowie (6-2) notched the win for the Blue Devils.
Saturday's loss brought Duke's season to an end, as it did not receive a bid to the NCAA Regional competition.
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