DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke Blue Devils baseball team (41-19) electrified a sold-out crowd at Jack Coombs Field on Saturday, securing a 7-4 victory over the Murray State Racers (42-15) in the opening game of the Durham Super Regional. The game's attendance of 2,686 marked a new program record for baseball at Jack Coombs Field, highlighting the excitement surrounding Duke's postseason run.
Sophomore Kyle Johnson emerged as the star of the game, stepping up in place of the suspended AJ Gracia. Johnson delivered a career-high four hits and was just one RBI shy of matching his personal best, leading the Blue Devils' offensive charge against the Racers.
Murray State initially took the lead, scoring a run in both the second and third innings. However, Johnson responded emphatically in the bottom of the third with a game-tying two-run home run. Following this, junior pitcher Owen Proksch provided crucial stability on the mound, contributing 2.2 shutout innings.
Duke seized control in the fourth inning, with Johnson hitting a clutch ground-rule double to left-center field, driving in two runs. Jake Berger then capitalized on a wild pitch to score, extending the Blue Devils' lead to 5-2. The momentum continued into the sixth inning, as Johnson again doubled off the centerfield wall, bringing Macon Winslow home from second. Ben Rounds then added another run with a double off the right-field wall, scoring Johnson and pushing the score to 7-2.
The Racers attempted a comeback in the seventh, scoring two runs to narrow the gap to 7-4. However, graduate Reid Easterly entered the game and shut down Murray State's offense, pitching the final three innings and allowing only two hits to earn his fifth save of the season.
Key Moments of the Game:
- 2nd Inning: Murray State's D. Decker singled to center, giving the Racers an early lead.
- 3rd Inning: Decker singled again, scoring J. Hogart and extending Murray State's lead. Kyle Johnson answered with a two-run homer, tying the game.
- 4th Inning: Johnson's ground-rule double brought in two more runs for Duke.
- 6th Inning: Johnson and Rounds both doubled, adding to Duke's lead.
- 7th Inning: Murray State scored two runs, but Easterly closed out the game for Duke.
Duke now leads the Super Regional series 1-0 and is one win away from advancing further in the NCAA Baseball Championship. The Blue Devils look to continue their strong play in the next game.