a day ago
Murray State baseball eliminates Duke Blue Devils to reach College World Series
Omaha remains just out of reach for Duke baseball.
A late-game collapse spelled disaster for the Blue Devils in a 5-4 loss to Murray State in Monday's winner-take-all game of the NCAA Durham Super Regional. The Racers spoiled Duke's College World Series hopes on Jack Coombs Field, clinching a spot in Omaha for the first time.
Murray State coach Dan Skirka gets a Powerade bath after Murray State's 5-4 victory over Duke in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
Duke carried a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning, but the Racers tied the game when Jonathan Hogart belted his second home run of the game in the top of the seventh. Murray State then took the lead for good with two more runs in the top of the eighth inning and held on, preventing Duke (41-21) from making its first College World Series appearance since 1961.
Advertisement
'[That's] one of the best offenses that we've run up against all season,' Duke's head coach Chris Pollard said. 'The kids were tough. They didn't break down to the moment.'
Duke players watch as Murray State celebrates their 5-4 victory over Duke in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
The teams combined for six home runs, and it was Luke Mistone's tie-breaking homer in the top of the eighth that pushed the Racers over the edge. Murray State (44-15) is the fourth No. 4 seed to ever advance to the MCWS, and the first Missouri Valley Conference team to reach Omaha since 2003.
'Hopefully, it motivates everybody,' Murray State head coach Dan Skirka said. 'This team could do it with 28 newcomers and three new coaches. [They] came together and hit their stride at the right time.'
Murray State players including pitcher Graham Kelham (41), left, celebrate the last out in Murray State's 5-4 victory over Duke in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
Duke's final home run in the bottom of the eighth wasn't enough to save the Blue Devils' season, and their 64-year Omaha drought continues.
Advertisement
In similar fashion to Sunday's game, Hogart cranked a leadoff home run over the left field wall. Carson Garner followed it up with a double, and Dom Decker to batted him in with a single up the middle. The Racers loaded the bases, stringing together five hits. Freshman starting pitcher Henry Zatkowski escaped the inning with the Blue Devils trailing 2-0.
'Yesterday, he ambushed a first-pitch fastball, and so today, we were going to go heavy breaking ball,' Pollard said. 'That's Henry Zatkowski's best swing-and-miss pitch. His slider to a right-handed hitter is the best swing-and-miss he has. He'd thrown it twice and gotten bad swings — a bad take and a bad swing — and then, all of a sudden, you get an on-time swing and he hits it 400 feet.'
Zatkowski recovered, collecting a career-high seven strikeouts in four innings.
Duke punched back in the bottom of the first. First baseman Jake Hyde hit a sacrifice fly to right field to plate shortstop Wallace Clark, who drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a single from AJ Gracia.
Murray State's Dom Decker (12) forces out Duke's Wallace Clark (7) in the ninth inning during Murray State's 5-4 victory over Duke in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
Hyde followed with a home run to center field in the third to knot the game at 2-2. Then, second baseman Jake Berger — who entered Monday going 0-5 with two walks in the super regional series — led off the fourth inning with a home run soaring just three feet over the center field wall to give Duke its first lead of the night, 3-2.
Advertisement
After five scoreless innings that saw only one hit from the Racers, Hogart tied it back up with another home run in the top of the seventh, nailing a ball 413 feet over the left field fence.
Mistone rocketed another long ball to the same spot, retaking the lead for Murray State in the top of the eighth. Then, Dan Tauken's RBI triple pushed the Racers' lead to 5-3.
'They're just so good at bat-to-ball,' Pollard said. 'They're really, really good at two strikes. They center the ball really well. It's probably a combination of having some guys that have all had skill set, and they happened to be in the same lineup together.'
Murray State's Jonathan Hogart (15) celebrates hitting a home run during Duke's game against Murray State in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
In the bottom of the inning, Duke sophomore catcher Macon Winslow sent the sixth home run of the night to left field with two outs to pull the Blue Devils within one.
Advertisement
Duke had life in the bottom of the ninth when Clark was hit by an inside breaking ball with nobody out. After a Gracia foul out, the Blue Devils' season nearly ended on a rare runner's interference call for an illegal slide into second on what could have been a double play off the bat of Ben Miller. The Racers even stormed the field in celebration.
Duke's Jake Hyde (16) celebrates with Tyler Albright (40) and Ben Rounds (8) after hitting a home run in the third inning during Duke's game against Murray State in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
But, officials overturned the call. Clark was still out at second. Miller was safe at first.
Duke pinch ran for Miller, but the Racers reset and Graham Kelham got Hyde to ground out to first base to end the game, the fourth time in the past seven NCAA tournaments the Blue Devils' season ended in a super regional.
Advertisement
'We've won so many ball games over the years,' Pollard said. 'We won so many big ball games: ACC Championships, Regional Championships [and] ball games that we had to win in the regular season to go to the NCAA Tournament — must-win kind of ball games. It's hard for me to reconcile why we haven't been able to do it in this particular kind of game.'
Murray State's Will Vierling (17) runs home on a triple by Dan Tauken in the eighth inning during Murray State's 5-4 victory over Duke in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
Duke's Kyle Johnson (5) crashes into the wall as he chases a fly ball during Duke's game against Murray State in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
Duke's Henry Zatkowski (12) celebrates after striking out a player to end the inning during Duke's game against Murray State in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
Duke's Kyle Johnson (5) is hit by a pitch during Duke's game against Murray State in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
The Duke bench celebrates with Jake Hyde (16) after he hit a home run during Duke's game against Murray State in the third game of the Durham Super Regional at Jack Coombs Field in Durham, N.C., Monday, June 9, 2025.
