The Miami Hurricanes faced a tough challenge on Friday night, falling 4-0 to Duke in a game where their bats just couldn't find their rhythm. Held to just two hits, courtesy of singles from Alex Sosa and Alonzo Alvarez, the Hurricanes struggled to generate offense. This marks a rough patch for Miami, who started the season with a blazing 10-0 record but have since slipped to 3-5.
With a record of 13-5 overall and 1-3 in the ACC, Miami had a glimmer of hope in the ninth inning. They loaded the bases through three walks, but their rally was cut short when Dylan Dubovik struck out for the third time, sealing Duke's victory.
On the mound, AJ Ciscar, now 2-2, put in five innings of work, allowing four hits and four runs, three of which were earned. He showed impressive strikeout ability with nine Ks but also issued his first two walks of the season.
Relief came in the form of Lazaro Collera, who delivered 2 2/3 scoreless innings, and Lonzo Drummond, who made his season debut with a strikeout.
Duke's Tyler Albright set the tone early with a home run in the first inning, providing all the offense the Blue Devils would need. They added three more runs in the fourth, capitalizing on Ciscar's error on a bunt, a bases-loaded walk to Albright, and a balk.
The Hurricanes found themselves striking out 12 times and went 0 for 13 with runners on base, a stat that underscores their offensive woes. Adding to their struggles, Miami committed three errors during the game.
The series continues with game two set for Saturday at 4:00 p.m. on ACCNX, where Miami will look to bounce back and even the series.