Miami Falls to No. 9 Duke in Extra Innings
DURHAM, N.C. — For the second time in three games, the Miami Hurricanes were left stunned.
The Hurricanes led by as many as six runs Sunday, but the ninth-ranked Blue Devils rallied on two separate occasions to secure their second walk-off win of the weekend.
Duke shortstop Wallace Clark delivered the game-winning two-run single to lift the Blue Devils to an 11-10 victory in 11 innings at Jack Coombs Field.
The Blue Devils (24-8, 9-6 ACC) erased a six-run deficit in the eighth, before overcoming a three-run margin in the 11th to sweep the Hurricanes (15-16, 6-9 ACC) for the first time in series history.
“This is a tough one because we had the game won,” head coach J.D. Arteaga said. “We gave it back to them in the eighth inning and then we did a great job of coming back by putting up a three-spot in the top of the 11th. Credit to them, but we gave them a lot of extra baserunners and extra opportunities, which is not going to work against good teams.”
In the eighth, Duke capitalized on three walks and a hit-by-pitch, capped off by third baseman Ben Miller’s game-tying double.
Miami center fielder Jacoby Long pushed the visitors back in front with a go-ahead double in the 11th inning. Four pitches later, third baseman Daniel Cuvet tacked on an insurance tally with a single up the middle.
Catcher Jack Scanlon padded the lead to three with a base hit, but the Blue Devils had the decisive response.
In the bottom half, first baseman Logan Bravo singled to right field to pull Duke within two.
Before the next pitch was even thrown, the umpires called a balk on the Hurricanes to add another run for the Blue Devils, setting the stage for Clark’s heroics.
Duke right-hander Nick Conte (1-0) picked up the win, while Miami left-hander Ashton Crowther (0-4) was charged with the loss.
In the defeat, Hurricane hurler Herick Hernandez matched a season-high 10 strikeouts across six innings of one-run baseball.
Up next, Miami returns home to host Florida Atlantic Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Mark Light Field.
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