Oh man, if you didn’t catch Duke’s latest fireworks against Pitt, you missed a show—straight up. We’re talking an epic comeback after falling behind 6-0, only to run-rule the Panthers in an eight-inning knockout, finishing 19-9. That’s one way to say “don’t count us out just yet.”
So, Duke was bruised a bit when they got swept at Stanford like a month ago. But what do they do? Bounce back like champs, going 16-5 since then. Now, they’re sitting pretty with a 28-14 overall and 12-9 in conference play. You gotta love a team with that kind of resolve.
It all looked like a smooth ride for Pitt at first, especially with their second baseman Caden Dulin smashing them out of the park for his first multi-homer game. Up 7-2 by the 5th inning, they thought they had it sealed. But enter the Blue Devils with a monster 5th inning rally. Wallace Clark started the spark with an HBP, and Ben Miller chipped away with an RBI single, pulling it to 7-3.
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Duke head coach Chris Pollard told the boys to just “cut it in half,” eyeing the bullpen like a kid in a candy store, knowing there were pitchers they could feast on. Macon Winslow, bases juiced, drilled a two-run single, cutting it to two runs. Then boom! Sam Harris, the sophomore slugger pulls up off the bench and crushes a 104 MPH shot over the wall to steal the lead at 8-7. Sweet, sweet revenge for a guy who had to watch Noah Murray take his spot in the lineup just a day before.
Over the last few games, Harris found his groove, knocking out five homers and bringing in 13 RBIs over his last seven. A far cry from his bumpy start where he barely got time on the field. Looks like someone’s coming into their own just in time for the postseason!
After Harris put Duke ahead, Pitt had a glimmer of hope when Luke Cantwell dropped a two-run single to retake the lead briefly in the 6th. But remember, Duke isn’t just a gritty team—they’re tighter than a family. They cranked out eight runs that inning, Ben Rounds and AJ Gracia leading the charge with their own homers.
And AJ Gracia? Man, here’s a tale worth cheering for. This guy was on struggle street, hitting a measly .188 for the first 30 games, hardly extra-basing his way out of a wet paper bag. Patience at the plate and faith in his process, and all of a sudden, he’s knocking in hits left and right. A double and homer on Saturday kept the good times rolling for the star sophomore. Gracia gives sage advice to stay constant and keep swinging, knowing things will turn for the good.
And Duke can’t forget Reid Easterly, the ultimate relief ace. Friday saw a rare stumble when his scoreless streak was snapped. But it was like that reset button was just what he needed. Two innings, stakes sky-high, Easterly steps in and does his job, makes mistakes, but shakes it off like the pro he is. With guys on base, he locked it up, giving Duke defense to add to their arsenal. By the end, he sealed the win cleanly enough, and his ERA gleams at 2.30 over 47 innings as he sits at a smoldering 6-1 this season.
Sure, the ACC challenges ahead—like Virginia Tech, Clemson, Georgia Tech—won’t be walks in the park. But 10 of their last 14 games are at home. Almost a sure bet for the NCAA Tournament, they’ll be eyeing some juicy seeding. Duke is pulling pieces together at lightning speed—just in time for that hopeful sprint to Omaha. Keep your eyes peeled, folks!
