DURHAM, N.C. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team took Saturday's contest down to the wire, but an eighth-inning run propelled Duke past the Hawks, 2-1, at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Duke (2-0) got on the board early courtesy of an RBI single by Jay Beshears in the bottom of the first.

• The Hawks threatened in the top of the fourth after Max Hitman led off with a single, Nate Thomas drew a walk, and Luca Trigiani moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt.  Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, Duke starter Adam Boucher worked around a hit batsman that loaded the bases to escape the jam.

• The Blue Devils had a chance to extend their lead in the fifth, loading the bases on a trio of walks, but Peter Gallo punched out Alex Stone to end the inning and keep it a one-run game.

• Saint Joseph's (0-2) broke through in the top of the seventh as Brandon Drapeau led off with a double and Ryan Cesarini doubled him home two batters later to tie the game.

• The hosts went back ahead in the bottom of the eighth, plating an unearned run on a sacrifice fly by Damon Lux.

• Drapeau singled with one out in the ninth, but James Tallon would shut the door to finish off the win for Duke.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Tallon saved the win for Ryan Higgins, who allowed a run on two hits in two innings.  Cole Stetzar took the loss for Saint Joseph's.

• Neither start factored into the decision, as Boucher allowed two hits in four shutout innings for Duke and Will McCausland allowed a run on five hits while fanning four in his collegiate debut for the Hawks.

• Trigiani's sacrifice bunt was the first of the season for the Hawks; Saint Joseph's recorded just one sacrifice bunt over the course of the entire 2022 season.

UP NEXT
The teams will wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon; first pitch is schedule for 1:00 p.m.