DUHRAM, N.C. – No. 25 Duke split its opening two ACC baseball games with Boston College on Saturday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
 
With Friday's series opener being suspended due to weather, the two teams finished out the final four frames on Saturday with the Eagles earning the 10-6 win. The Blue Devils responded in Game 2 though following a strong 10-3 victory to set up the rubber game on Sunday.
 
Graduate student Erikson Nichols and junior RJ Schreck led the Blue Devils at the plate in both games. Nichols finished 4-for-6 with a double, three runs scored and an RBI. Schreck garnered five hits, one run, and an impressive seven RBI during his nine at bats. Four of those RBI came in the opening game of the series. Junior Ethan Murray and sophomore Chad Knight added four hits each on the day, with Knight chipping in with four RBI.
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Henry Williams started Game 2 for Duke, putting in 6.0 innings of work while allowing just two runs on five hits. Williams struck out a season-high seven and earned his first win of the season. Fellow classmate Marcus Johnson was credited with the loss in the opener after giving up three runs on five hits in 2.1 innings on the mound.
 
Duke jumped on the Eagles early in the second game scoring in five of the opening six innings to create a 10-2 gap between the teams. Schreck got the scoring started in the first when he doubled to center field to score senior Michael Rothenberg and graduate student Peter Matt, who both singled on the previous two at bats.
 
The Blue Devils then added a bases loaded walk in the second to shift their lead to 3-0 after two. Despite allowing Boston College to earn a run back following a solo home run in the third, Duke answered by outscoring the Eagles 7-1 over the next three innings to extend its advantage to 10-2. The Blue Devils recorded two three-run frames during that stretch to help the rally. The Eagles added one final run in the seventh, but the deficit proved to be too much.
 
In relief of Williams, redshirt sophomore Oliver McCarthy made his second appearance of the season. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native earned the three-inning save after fanning two batters and allowing two hits and one run during his time on the hill.
 
The first game of the series resumed Saturday afternoon with the two teams knotted at 5-5 in the top of the sixth inning. Schreck broke the deadlock in the seventh when he singled in Rothenberg, who led off the inning with a double down the right field line. Unfortunately, Boston College scored three in the eighth and two in the ninth to register the 10-6 victory.
 
The Blue Devils return to action Sunday at 1 p.m., for the series finale with Boston College.
 
Postgame Notes:

• Duke's first six runs of Game 2 came with two outs.
• Rothenberg extended his on-base streak to 29-straight outings.
• Williams recorded the first win of his career, while dishing a career-high seven strikeouts. He leads the team with 13 punchouts this season.
• McCarthy earned his first career save.
• Nichols' four hits in the second game set a career high.

 
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