So far, so good for Duke baseball

Devils in winner's bracket for first time since 2019.

Duke baseball spotted UNC Wilmington a 2-0 lead before roaring back, using five home runs to secure a 12-3 win Friday afternoon in Conway, South Carolina on the opening day of the 2023 NCAA baseball tournament.

First baseman MJ Metz hit three of those home runs, the most important a solo shot that tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth. Or maybe the most important was an opposite-field blast in the fifth that extended Duke’s lead from 4-3 to 6-3.

It wasn’t even clear if Metz was going to play. He’s been bothered by a bad knee and it was a Thursday decision. Chris Pollard said he told Metz that he had earned the right to make that call.

“I thought I could help the team and wanted to give it a shot,” Metz said following the game. Not surprisingly he credited Duke’s medical staff for helping him get on the field but he also had a shout-out to sister Kragen for making the trip to Conway to provide moral support.

Alex Gow got the starting nod for Duke and allowed single runs in the first, second and fifth. But he was able to limit damage and eat 4.1 valuable innings, enough to allow time for Duke’s bats to wake up and for the bullpen to take over.

If you’ve followed Duke baseball this season, you recognize the template. If you haven’t, that’s how you manage a staff whose best starting options are on the sidelines with arm injuries.

“I thought it was huge that Alex Gow settled in and got us into the fifth inning,” Pollard said.

And what a job the bullpen did. Charlie Beilinson (2.2 innings), Adam Boucher (1.0) and Aaron Beasley (1.0) allowed one hit in 4.2 scoreless innings. Note that Fran Oschell III and James Tallon didn’t pitch at all, leaving them fresh--and hopefully, not rusty--for Saturday’s winners-bracket game.

Beilinson said his job was simple. “Just trying to get ahead and stay ahead and keep the momentum in our favor.”

Pollard praised Beilinson’s ability to turn UNCW’s potent offense into a ground-ball team.

While this was going on, Duke’s bats erupted.

“We felt like if we could be selective at the plate that this ball park played to our strengths and our guys did a great job of hunting their pitches,” Pollard said.

Pollard added that UNCW surprised Duke by pitching up and in early but praised his team for making the proper adjustments.

After Metz tied the game in the fourth Damon Lux put Duke up 4-2 with a two-run blast.

The Seahawks got one back in the top of the fifth but Metz answered in the bottom of the inning.

Duke put it away with a six-run seventh, Jay Beshears had a solo blast, Metz another two-run homer, followed by a throwing error and a couple of doubles, a sac fly, some stolen bases, pretty much an all-of-the-above half-inning for the Duke offense.

There was even some drama in Duke’s half of the eighth. Alex Stone reached base twice, a walk and being hit by a pitch, one of six HBPs thrown by the UNCW staff. But he came into the game with a 30-game hitting streak. One final chance at keeping it alive. Alas, he popped out to shallow left. Then Metz had a chance for a fourth home run. But he fanned.

It wasn’t just the long ball working for Duke. Pollard said Duke wanted to be aggressive on the base paths and they stole six bases, three by Alex Mooney, two by Giovanni DiGiacomo and one by Lux.

Duke will face Rider at 6 Saturday in the winner’s bracket, after Rider upset Coastal Carolina 11-10 in 10 innings. It shouldn’t hurt Duke that their Saturday opponent played a Friday game that ended after 11 P.M.

Duke and Rider played two games last month at Duke, each winning a one-run game. So, Rider should have Duke’s full attention.