DURHAM, N.C. – The Virginia Tech Hokies and Duke Blue Devils were deadlocked at 5-5 for the middle frames of their final ACC game at Jack Coombs Field Sunday afternoon. The teams split the first two games and the series came down to the final three innings.
Duke's Kyle Gallagher broke the tie with a seventh-inning home run and two more home runs for the team in the eighth frame added some insurance to the Blue Devil lead and they went on to win the game, 9-5, and the pivotal series two games to one.
The game featured 10 runs through the first three frames, with each team taking a turn holding the lead, but not a single run during the middle frames, before Duke closed the game with those last four runs of the afternoon.
The Hokies opened the day with three in the first. Jack Owens led off the frame with a double and scored on a two-out single by Kerry Carpenter. The Tech two-out rally continued with back-to-back singles by Kevin Madden and Tanner Thomas, the second plated Carpenter.
With Dalton Harum at bat and Hokies on the corners, Thomas broke for second, and on the throw down, Madden raced home. The relay to the plate was late and Tech was up 3-0.
Duke (20-16, 8-10 ACC) responded with two runs in the home half – a two-out, two-RBI single by Erikson Nichols – and took its lead in the second with three in the second. A Gallagher two-out, two-RBI single in the inning gave the Blue Devils a 5-3 advantage.
Tech (21-16, 6-12 ACC) answered back in the third as Carpenter tallied his second single and second run of the game as Madden knocked him in with a double. Madden scored on the next pitch, on an RBI single by Thomas.
Both starters were knocked out of the game in the third inning, and the game was in the hands of the bullpen. Tech's Connor Yoder threw one inning and had three strikeouts, while Ryan Okuda went 3.1 innings, allowed one hit and struck out two.
For Duke, Hunter Davis tossed 4.1 innings and allowed just one hit and struck out four, while Thomas Girard closed the game throwing 2.1 innings, surrendering just one hit and striking out six.
He won his first game of the season, improving to 1-4, while Tech's Jack Dellinger suffered the loss and is now also 1-4.
Five Hokies – Jack Owens, Carpenter, Madden, Thomas and Nick Holesa – registered multi-hit games, while Carpenter and Madden scored twice and Thomas was the only Tech player with more than one RBI.
Up Next
The Hokies will return to action on Tuesday, as they head to High Point, N.C. to take on the Panthers at Williard Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.