BUIES CREEK, N.C. –
Carlton Floyd's 4-5 day wasn't enough as five Duke players recorded
multi-hit and multi-RBI games as the Blue Devils (19-9, 1-8 ACC)
scored an 11-7 victory over Campbell (5-22, 1-5 A-Sun) Tuesday
evening at Taylor Field.
Chris England (1-6) took the
loss in an eight-pitcher effort, hurling two innings and allowing
three runs, one of which was earned, while giving up two hits. Will
Currier (2-0), picked up the victory in his first career start for
Duke, pitching five innings giving up three earned runs on six
hits.
Campbell
kept things close
in the early going, as a Brandon Scott single in the first, and
Ryan Hamme and Mike Causey sacrifice flies in the third and fifth
innings respectively gave Campbell a 3-2 lead after four
innings.
A combined nine runs in the
fifth and sixth innings, however, sprung Duke from the close
contest. One earned and two unearned runs put Duke ahead for good
in the fifth as an RBI single by Jimmy Gallagher and sacrifice
flies by Nate Freiman and Brett Bartles put the Blue Devils ahead
for good at 5-3. In the sixth, Duke sent 10 men to the plate, with
the first seven reaching, as two-RBI singles by Freiman and Ryan
McCurdy highlighted the five-hit, six-run barrage.
After trailing by eight, The
Camels made things interesting with two runs apiece in the seventh
and eighth innings. With the bases loaded and one out in the
eighth, Hamme drilled a line drive that was snared by McCurdy who
promptly doubled Blake Lowry off first base, ending the best chance
CU had to make things interesting.
Aside from Floyd, Causey
recorded his second straight multi-hit game, the first time he had
accomplished the feat this season. Lowry was the only Camel with
multiple RBIs, a first for the freshman, as his double in the
seventh gave him two on the night.
A host of Blue Devils had
solid nights, led by little-used Kyle Kreick. Kreick, who was
making his first career start with only three at-bats under his
belt, went 3-4 from the seventh spot in the order. Jonathan
Anderson, Gallagher, Freiman, Bartles all had two hits, with all
but Anderson plating multiple RBIs on the evening. Freiman led the
way in the RBI department for the Blue Devils with three, as
McCurdy and Jonathan Niccolla also notched two RBIs
apiece.
Duke faces a stiff test this
weekend as they play host to the number one ranked Florida State
Seminoles in an Atlantic Coast Conference match-up. Campbell heads
east to the face the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State for its
third A-Sun series. First pitch on Friday for Camels-Bucs baseball
is slated for 7:00.
