The 17th-ranked baseball team rebounded from last weekend's three-game series sweep at Florida State by routing overmatched Elon, 14-3, Tuesday afternoon at historic Jack Coombs Field.
The Blue Devils (24-6) rode a strong pitching performance from freshman Brent Reid and piled 11 hits on top of five Fightin' Christian errors to explode for the 11-run win over Elon (15-11).
Reid (6-1) picked up his second win less than a week after sitting out for two weeks with an illness, scattering nine hits over seven innings and surrendering three earned runs while striking out five.
"We were anxious to see how he would do on his second start back," coach Steve Traylor said. "I thought his velocity was down a bit; his movement was probably better than it was last [week] although he wasn't throwing as hard. I thought his [location] was pretty good. He's learning to throw a slider-that's going to be a better pitch for him.
"Gregg Maluchnik said early in the game that [Reid] has unbelievable movement. We were sitting here hoping that he did, because his velocity was not there. He'll probably get a start Sunday..."
That start would come in the final game of a three-game set at Atlantic Coast Conference foe Georgia Tech.
Clayton Connor wrapped up the pitching duties on the afternoon for Duke, throwing two shutout innings, giving up no hits and earning the final out after being belted squarely on the leg by a line drive back through the box. Connor appeared okay after the shot, but teammate Adam Geis did not appear so lucky after being struck by a pitch in the upper arm during the bottom of the first inning.
Geis was removed from the game, but X-rays on the arm were negative.
Even without Geis, Duke exploded at the plate. The offensive outpouring was a continuation of the Blue Devils' trend in Tallahassee, where they lost all three games but scored at least nine runs in each.
Tuesday Duke put the game away for good with a six-run sixth inning. The Blue Devils capitalized on three walks and a pair of back-to-back errors by Elon first baseman Todd Wirt to score a quick run.
Duke first baseman John Benik then added two more runs with an RBI single. After a pitching change, the Blue Devil continued to pour it on as Vaughn Schill ripped a double down the left field line, scoring two more. Jeff Becker closed out the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Schill's double was his second on the day as the sophomore finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored. Designated hitter Ed Conrey also shined at the plate, going 3-for-4 also with a double, two RBI and three runs scored.
"I think we hit the ball as a team pretty well," junior Michael Fletcher said. "Ed and Vaughn swung it well, everyone up and down the lineup hit the ball well and that's what we need."
The game is also important as a transitional contest for the Blue Devils, coming off one long road trip to Florida State and falling before this weekend's trip to Atlanta.
"It was a good game for us to have after the 13-hour bus trip," Maluchnik said. "Half our squad is sick, so its pretty good to get out here and swing the bats."
Duke gets one more warmup before its trip to Atlanta as it takes on Wofford today at 3 p.m. at Jack Coombs Field. Freshman Ryan Caradonna is expected to get his first start on the mound.
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