Pride was the biggest thing at stake on the diamond this weekend at Jack Coombs field, as Duke and Virginia Tech battled to stay out of last place in the ACC.
“[This series] is huge,” Hokie outfielder Billy Marn said. “I don’t think anyone wants to be the worst team.”
Both offenses were on fire Friday and Saturday as the two teams banged out a combined 58 hits and plated 42 runs.
With a nine-run fourth inning Friday, the Hokies took the series opener, 11-8. Duke charged back immediately Saturday, however, exploding for a seven-run first inning on their way to a 13-10 victory.
With the series split at a game apiece, Duke remained one game ahead of Virginia Tech in the win column heading into Sunday’s rubber match, with Blue Devil Danny Otero set to face off against Hokie ace Ryan Kennedy.
In the end, Virginia Tech (17-21, 4-13 in the ACC) emerged with its first-ever ACC series victory by capturing a 2-0 victory Sunday. With the loss, Duke (13-33, 4-20) now sits alone at the bottom of the conference standings and has dropped six of its last seven.
Duke’s frustrations seemed to come to a head after the first batter in the bottom of the ninth. Duke third base coach John Yurkow was ejected after he exploded in protest of a questionable strike-three call that sent Brett Bartles to the dugout.
“I think everyone’s definitely frustrated, and I guess it just all built up at the end,” Otero said.
Otero, who allowed just one earned run while striking out six in eight innings of work, threw one of his best games of the season.
“Danny did a good job,” first baseman John Berger said. “I wish we could have given him some more run support; he pitched his ass off.”
Kennedy, however, was simply better.
By staying ahead in the count and exploiting the outer half of the plate, the junior lefthander kept the Blue Devil hitters off balance, dazzling them with his strong fastball and elusive changeup.
The southpaw kept Duke at bay for all nine innings, surrendering a measly four hits and fanning 10.
With both pitchers in the zone, the difference in the game was defense, which has been Duke’s Achilles’ heel all season.
With two outs in the top of the fifth inning and the Blue Devils trailing by one, shortstop Bartles sailed a throw well over Berger’s head and into the Hokie dugout, allowing Virginia Tech shortstop Warren Schaeffer to advance to third on the two-base error. On the very next pitch, catcher Matt Foley drove in Schaeffer with a solid single up the middle to give Kennedy a two-run cushion that would prove to be more than enough. Bartles committed four errors over the course of the weekend, including two in Sunday’s contest.
Conversely, the Hokies played exceptional defense all game. In the second inning, centerfielder Nate Parks streaked across the outfield to make a full-extension diving catch, robbing the Blue Devils of an extra-base hit.
“When I made bad pitches, they made the good plays behind me,” Kennedy said. “It’s great to have that when you’re throwing.”
Duke’s offense did little to help the team’s cause, as the Blue Devils failed to drive in any runs despite threatening multiple times.
In the fifth, Duke had runners on first and third with one out, but Jimmy Gallagher grounded sharply into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. The Blue Devils threatened yet again in the seventh, advancing a runner to third with two outs, but failed to capitalize.
Duke will now get a chance to regroup from their tough stretch. The team will have the next 11 days off before a series with N. C. State.
“I think guys are going to try to get away from the game for a couple days,” Berger said. “We knew that we needed to win this series to have a better shot at not holding that last place spot, and we didn’t do that, but we have a chance to bounce back and redeem ourselves against N. C. State. Hopefully after that weekend, we’ll be out of that spot, and that will help us in the tournament.”
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