DURHAM — Sloppy play in the field and quiet bats doomed the North Carolina baseball team in a 3-2 loss to Duke on Friday — the team’s fourth loss in a row.
Senior righthander Drew Van Orden helped Duke (15-12) break a nine-game losing streak against the Tar Heels (15-10), striking out 12 batters in eight innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run.
UNC sophomore Trent Thornton (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season, despite holding the Blue Devils to three runs in seven innings. He allowed nine hits, struck out three and walked one, but UNC’s defensive lapses would cost Thornton.
UNC opened the scoring in the second inning when freshman right fielder Tyler Ramirez slapped a double down the left field line. A botched relay from left field allowed Tom Zengel to score, and UNC grabbed an early but short-lived 1-0 lead.
The Blue Devils tied the score in the third, when a wild pitch got away from catcher Korey Dunbar, scoring Duke’s Mark Lumpa.
Duke third baseman Matt Berezo would do the rest, driving in a run in the fifth and the seventh with sacrifice flies to center field. Berezo, who has started the season hitting a sizzling .468, went 2-for-2 with two singles and two sacrifice flies in the game.
Both Berezo RBIs were facilitated by Tar Heel errors, including a fifth-inning throwing error by UNC third baseman Landon Lassiter, which extended the inning.
The Tar Heels had an opportunity to climb back into the game in the top of the ninth, when Duke closer Robert Huber walked the first two batters he faced, but back-to-back fielder’s choices and a Zengel strikeout left the Tar Heels one run short of a comeback.
If weather permits, UNC will take on the Blue Devils Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. Junior Benton Moss (2-1, 2.51 ERA) will take the mound for the Tar Heels on Saturday, and freshman Zac Gallen (2-2, 4.59 ERA) will pitch Sunday.
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