Duke Baseball Season 2025 - One Run Short of Omaha
- Thread starter duke2x
- Start date
Chicago 1995
Member
A couple of really bad ABs the last two times for Ben against this closer.
Great year, but this guy had him. He can’t take first pitch fastball when the guy has killed you with off speed stuff. And he did.
karmacoma
Member
I can't blame the coaching, or the pitching. With one eighth inning exception, the bats were stone cold silent the last 5+ innings. If you had asked me before first pitch if four runs would be sufficient tonight, I'd say absolutely not.
Dr. Maturin
Member
Great year. We have a team, a coach, and a program to be proud of. After the slow start, I not many thought this team could get this far.
But man. What a epic collapse over the last two games. The kind of thing those guys will remember forever.
That door will fall one day. We are truly unlucky to be 0/7 in clinching games, though these two were the only ones where we were clearly the favorite. It could be a long, long time before we get a chance as juicy as this one.
But man. What a epic collapse over the last two games. The kind of thing those guys will remember forever.
That door will fall one day. We are truly unlucky to be 0/7 in clinching games, though these two were the only ones where we were clearly the favorite. It could be a long, long time before we get a chance as juicy as this one.
karmacoma
Member
Kinda like.....oh never mind. #TooSoon
CameronBornAndBred
Well-known member
We looked our gift horse in the mouth and it bit our faces off.
Stinging way to finish the season. Probably best opportunity to get to the World Series. Pollard needs to get better pitching. He is a great coach and recruiter. Ben Miller couldn’t get a hit in the biggest game of the year. Murray State is a run producing team. Our pitching couldn’t contain them.
SamHouston
Member
Duke hitters looked at called third strikes at least three times. Gracias long fly out was a killer, too.
UrinalCake
Member
Disappointing to lose but objectively speaking Murray State deserved to win. They jumped out in front right out of the gate, had more hits, and consistently got ahead in the count whereas we did not. If not for them stranding the bases loaded twice, this wouldn't have been close.
The environment was really great despite the outcome. Murray State had a strong contingent but the Duke fans were loud and did all they could. I spotted Foster, Brown, and Ngongba in the stands, and I believe others were there but I didn't want to stare like a fanboy too much.
The environment was really great despite the outcome. Murray State had a strong contingent but the Duke fans were loud and did all they could. I spotted Foster, Brown, and Ngongba in the stands, and I believe others were there but I didn't want to stare like a fanboy too much.
I’m going to take a stab here. Like many of you I’m deeply invested in Duke baseball. For many years. Pollard has done one incredible job. I sincerely believe he is one of the best coaches at Duke. To do what he has done with such limited resources. You get kids like AJ and KJ to come here over the all the big horses. The Duke brand helps for certain, but to come play here when you look at the fan base, stadium, support staff, etc is truly something. Not to mention we’ve lost some massive recruits during his tenure to the draft.
All that being said, do we have the best assistants, the best coaches to get our amazing athletes to improve? I’m not in a position to say yes or no, but I sense the answer may be not to our liking. Does this come down to pay? I bet some or a good part of it does.
And can we move beyond the one-year “rental” model? I can only imagine what this does to the psyche of talented younger players when they are essentially recruited over—one year at a time. I’d much rather see talented freshman or sophomores take their lumps early in the season. I don’t for a minute doubt that playing Noah, Sam, Zach—you name it—would be excellent regulars. I despise the rental model. While I’ve loved many of these guys (eg, MJ, Zach Morris, Ben Rounds) how does this affect the young guys? To me plug and play Ivy League player each year is tenuous at best.
In ending, despite the roster construction I loved the team this year. We started off horribly (see: Cincinnati series—an embarrassment) but overachieved and got to the Supers. Let’s continue getting uber-talented players and make damn well sure they are coached-up to the max. And can we get more young transfers (eg, Wallace) and spot-fill with graduates?
My two cents. Love to hear feedback. Surely some of this may be pie-in-the-sky, but in the end just want our team to get to (and far into) the CWS. I’ll be at Omaha with you when we do.
All that being said, do we have the best assistants, the best coaches to get our amazing athletes to improve? I’m not in a position to say yes or no, but I sense the answer may be not to our liking. Does this come down to pay? I bet some or a good part of it does.
And can we move beyond the one-year “rental” model? I can only imagine what this does to the psyche of talented younger players when they are essentially recruited over—one year at a time. I’d much rather see talented freshman or sophomores take their lumps early in the season. I don’t for a minute doubt that playing Noah, Sam, Zach—you name it—would be excellent regulars. I despise the rental model. While I’ve loved many of these guys (eg, MJ, Zach Morris, Ben Rounds) how does this affect the young guys? To me plug and play Ivy League player each year is tenuous at best.
In ending, despite the roster construction I loved the team this year. We started off horribly (see: Cincinnati series—an embarrassment) but overachieved and got to the Supers. Let’s continue getting uber-talented players and make damn well sure they are coached-up to the max. And can we get more young transfers (eg, Wallace) and spot-fill with graduates?
My two cents. Love to hear feedback. Surely some of this may be pie-in-the-sky, but in the end just want our team to get to (and far into) the CWS. I’ll be at Omaha with you when we do.
Was there a reason we couldn't use DBAP? It was empty the past week.