Despite two home runs from VMI redshirt sophomore Justin Starke, #23 Duke hung on for an 8-7 win over the Keydets at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Sunday.
Starke hit his first homer, a solo shot, to left field in the top of the third to put the Keydets ahead 2-1. The Blue Devils scored twice in the second and three times in the third to open a 6-2 lead but VMI battled back as Starke hit a two-run blast in the fifth to centerfield. Duke added a run in the sixth but a Brett Cook single in the seventh cut the lead to 7-5. VMI left two runners stranded on base in the frame.
After a Duke single run in the seventh, Cook drove home two more in the eighth on a single to make it an 8-7 game, but again the Keydets left two runners on base. Will Riley worked out of a jam in the eighth to keep Duke off the scoreboard but VMI couldn’t push the tying run across in the ninth.
Trey Morgan and Ty Swaim each had two hits for VMI. Starke also drew two walks while Will Knight reached base safely four times (1B, 2 BB, HBP). Holden Wilkerson worked 2 1/3 innings of relief and allowed one earned run with three strikeouts.
Chris Crabtree hit a double and a home run to pace the Duke offense. Ryan Higgins earned the win on the mound with two innings of scoreless relief.
The schedule gets no easier as VMI travels to the University of Virginia (3-0), ranked fifth in NCAA Division I by Baseball America, on Tuesday. The non-conference game is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
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