No. 17 Blue Devils Use Big Inning to Down WildcatsThe No. 17 Duke Blue Devils showcased their offensive prowess with a commanding 11-2 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats on Sunday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field, completing a series sweep.

The Wildcats (5-5) initiated the scoring in the top of the first inning. With the bases loaded, infielder Ryan Kucherak drew a walk, allowing outfielder Preston Knott to cross home plate.

However, the Blue Devils (7-5) responded emphatically in the bottom half of the inning. Infielder Ben Miller continued his stellar performance over the weekend by launching a three-run homer to right-center field, giving Duke a 3-1 lead. Later in the inning, with the bases loaded, utility player Jake Hyde delivered a grand slam, extending the advantage to 7-1.

Duke added to its lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring four runs on a combination of walks, hits, an error, and a hit-by-pitch, pushing the score to 11-1.

Northwestern managed to add a run in the top of the eighth inning when infielder Trent Liolios doubled and subsequently scored on an RBI single by Kucherak, finalizing the score at 11-2.

On the mound, Duke’s junior James Tallon started the game, pitching two innings and allowing one run on two hits. Freshman Henry Zatkowski provided solid relief, throwing 2.2 innings, conceding just one hit, and striking out five, earning his first collegiate win.

Northwestern’s left-hander Carter Danz took the loss, surrendering five earned runs on two hits and three walks. However, right-hander Blake MacMillan was effective in relief, allowing just one hit over 3.1 scoreless innings and striking out four.

This victory marked Duke’s seventh consecutive win over Northwestern, having swept the Wildcats in their previous series in 2024.

Up next, Duke will host North Carolina A&T on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Meanwhile, Northwestern will conclude its early-season non-conference road games with a four-game series at The Citadel, starting Friday.