DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University was able to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but Duke was able to hold its lead for a 5-3 final score at the Durham Athletic Park.
 
While it took four innings for either team to get a hit in the first meeting between these two sides on Feb. 21, NCCU (5-3) started early with two hits and a run in the first frame.  Carter Williams (Brown Summit, N.C.) knocked a leadoff single into right field, and Andrew Valichka (Pedricktown, N.J.) drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
 
Duke (6-2) was able to tie the game on a sacrifice fly of its own in the top of the second before taking a lead on a two-run homer from Griffin Conine (Weston, Fla.) down the right field line in the third inning to move the Blue Devils ahead, 3-1.
 
Duke added a couple more runs later in the game on a double from Michael Rothenberg (Boca Raton, Fla.) and a bases loaded walk from Max Miller (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) but the Eagles remained in striking distance after Williams socked a two-run blast out to right in the fifth frame, and NCCU went to the ninth inning trailing 5-3.
 
The Eagles were able to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth after a two-out walk, but the rally would be frozen there.
 
Williams finished the evening with three hits, two RBI and a run scored for the Eagles in a strong day in the leadoff spot.  Rothenberg had a two-hit game for Duke, with two doubles from both sides of the plate as a switch hitter.
 
NCCU will leave the city of Durham for the first time on Wednesday, Feb. 28 as the Eagles travel north to Longwood next.