In Durham, North Carolina, Duke University took a significant step toward the College World Series after defeating Murray State 7-4 on Saturday. This triumph marks the Blue Devils’ early lead in the Durham Super Regional series, needing just one more win to reach the prestigious tournament for the first time since 1961. The second game in this series is scheduled for Sunday.
A standout performance came from Kyle Johnson, who played a pivotal role in securing the victory. Johnson, who entered the game with a batting average of .228 in 57 at-bats, delivered an impressive offensive showing. His efforts included two doubles and a home run, culminating in a total of five RBIs, along with scoring twice himself.
The Blue Devils found themselves trailing 2-0 in the third inning. They managed to level the score when Jake Berger initiated a rally by drawing a leadoff walk. Berger took advantage of Johnson’s powerful two-run home run directed to center field to bring the scorelines even.
Johnson and Berger were instrumental again in the fourth inning when Duke took the lead with three more runs. A bases-loaded double by Johnson drove in two more runs, placing Berger on third base. Berger was then able to score on a wild pitch from Murray State’s Nic Schutte, who holds an 8-4 record.
Johnson continued to dominate in the sixth inning with another double that brought in a run before he was scored by a Ben Rounds double. Despite only six hits garnered by Duke—four of which were credited to Johnson—the team capitalized on the eight walks issued to them.
Murray State’s Dom Decker shined for his team with four of their nine hits and securing two RBIs in this matchup. In terms of pitching, Duke’s Owen Proksch pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on six hits and striking out seven batters. Reid Easterly also contributed significantly, pitching three flawless innings to earn his fifth save.
This victory places Duke, now at a season record of 42-19, in an advantageous position as they compete in super regionals for the fourth occasion. Murray State holds a record of 42-15, marking their fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and their inaugural experience in the super regionals.