Smith Dominant as Army Beats #15 Duke in Opener

Friday, February 14

Durham, N.C.

4 p.m.

Army West Point

1-0

Duke

0-1

ARMY

Duke

Smith Dominant as Army Beats #15 Duke in Opener

February 14, 2020 | Baseball

Box Score

DURHAM, N.C. – The Army West Point baseball team kicked-off the 2020 season in style on Friday, knocking off No. 15 Duke, 2-1, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

The win is the Black Knights' first over a ranked opponent since they defeated No. 11 North Carolina State in the first game of the NCAA Regional in 2018.

Starting pitcher Logan Smith was dominant in the game, going 7.0 innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts and just one hit allowed.

The senior right hander cruised throughout the night, allowing just a leadoff single in the second inning.

On the offensive side, eight Black Knights reached base safely with three recording multi-hit games. Freshman Kevin Dubrule finished his Army debut going 2-3 with a walk. His first collegiate hit came in the fourth, when he drove a double one-hop off the left field wall. It was followed by a squeeze bunt by catcher Brendan Siriani that plated Army's second run.

In the ninth with Army holding on to a 2-1 lead, freshman Will Hart entered with the tying run on base and no outs. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second, Hart got the next batter to fly out to center. Army then turned to Harry Flannery Jr. with the tying run in soring position and the closer shut the door with a flyout to left to secure the Army victory.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday in the second game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with Anthony LoRicco making his season debut on the mound for Army.

HIGHLIGHTS AND NOTES

Pitcher Logan Smith got off to a hot start, striking out seven through the first three innings.
Jeremiah Adams delivered Army's first hit of the season, legging out an infield single to the left side.
Army got on the board first in the third. After a Jacob Hurtubise infield single, Carter Macias looped a ball to center that was misplayed by Duke's Joey Loperfido. Hurtubise scored all the way from first to give Army the first lead of 2020.
In the fourth, Kevin Dubrule doubled off the wall in left for his first hit of his Army career. With runners on second and third, catcher Brendan Siriani laid down a squeeze to first base. Tim Simoes scored on the play to extend the Black Knights' lead to 2-0.
Smith continued to roll through the middle frames, posting 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth. He exited after seven with a career-high 10 strikeouts and just one hit allowed.
Robbie Buecker made his career-debut in relief of Smith in the eighth. The freshman fanned two in his one inning of work, surrendering one run.
He returned for the ninth, but after a leadoff single by Duke's Ethan Murray, Will Hart entered in relief.
Duke bunted the tying run over to second before Hart got the second out on a flyout to center. Army then turned to Harry Flannery Jr. who came on to get the final out, notching his first save of 2020.