Game 1 - Duke Tops Georgia, Forces Winner-Take-All Finale
ATHENS, Ga. (GoDuke.com) – Graeme Stinson and Jack Labosky allowed one run over 7.2 innings in relief, allowing No. 18 Duke to come back from an early deficit and defeat No. 9 Georgia, 8-5, Monday afternoon at the NCAA Athens Regional.
Duke grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, rallying with two outs to open the game’s scoring. Zack Kone doubled the opposite way and scored on a Joey Loperfido RBI single.
Georgia used four singles and a pair of walks to plate four in the second. After retiring the first four UGA batters he faced, starter Bill Chillari ran into trouble and exited a 2-1 game with the bases loaded. A couple infield singles brought home two more runs before reliever Graeme Stinson got Duke off the field.
Stinson turned in a sterling effort, allowing one run on six hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter. Labosky took over in the seventh and faced the minimum the rest of the way to pick up his third win of the season.
Stinson’s performance allowed Duke to claw its way back and the Blue Devils got a run in both the fifth and sixth frames to tie the game.
The Blue Devils took the lead for good on Griffin Conine’s 16th home run of the year, a solo shot in the seventh to right center. Kennie Taylor extended the lead two batters later, lifting a two-run homer to right center that gave Duke an 8-5 advantage.
Game 2 - Blue Devils Headed to First NCAA Super Regional
ATHENS, Ga. (GoDuke.com) – For the first time in school history, Duke is headed to the NCAA Super Regionals after the Blue Devils bested No. 9 Georgia, 8-4, to win the 2018 NCAA Athens Regional Monday afternoon at Foley Field.
After defeating Georgia (39-21) earlier in the day, No. 18 Duke (44-16) used four home runs and stellar pitching performances to stave off the Bulldogs in the nightcap. The Blue Devils next face Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas.
Griffin Conine blasted two home runs, totaling three longballs on the day, while Zack Kone and Jimmy Herron had a homer each. On short rest, senior Mitch Stallings pitched seven complete before turning the game over to Labosky for the six-out save.
Stallings (4-5) earned the win following a gritty performance on the mound. The senior lefty scattered seven hits, allowing four runs (three earned) while fanning six. After pitching three innings and earning the win in game one, Labosky retired all six batters he faced in the finale to pick up his 10th save of the season.
After trailing Campbell 8-1 in an elimination game Saturday, Duke outscored its opponent 47-15 over the next four games to advance to the Super Regionals.