DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) — The William & Mary Tribe fell to the Duke Blue Devils 14-9 on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in a back-and-forth contest that saw the home team erase deficits and seize control with a decisive sixth-inning outburst.

Duke improved to 24-28 overall, while William & Mary dropped to 21-29.

William & Mary struck first in the top of the first but went quietly after three batters. Duke answered in the bottom half, with Kaden Smith doubling and scoring on Matthew Strand’s single to right center. Collin Anderson followed with a single, and after a wild pitch and stolen base, the Blue Devils loaded the bases. Bobby Marsh grounded out to strand three runners, leaving Duke ahead 1-0 after one.

The Tribe tied the game in the third. Anthony Greco led off with a double, advanced on a balk and scored on Corey Adams’ single. The inning ended with a double play. Duke then broke open the game in the bottom of the third. Strand and Anderson walked, and after a pitching change—Hank Lippman replaced Tom Bourque—Michael DiMartini struck out. Strand and Anderson stole second and third, and Marsh walked to load the bases. Coltin Quagliano singled through the left side to drive in two runs, making it 3-1. Jake Lambdin singled to reload the bases, and RJ Hamilton crushed a grand slam—his seventh homer of the season—to put Duke ahead 7-1.

William & Mary chipped away. In the fourth, Anderson homered to left to push Duke’s lead to 8-1. The Tribe responded in the fifth. With one out, Greco reached on a fielding error by new pitcher Roman DiGiacomo. Adams walked, and Jamie Laskofski walked, loading the bases. Sam Kaczmarek reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Greco, and then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Strand, allowing Adams to score. Louie Bartletti grounded out to short, driving in Kaczmarek, and the Tribe pulled within 8-4.

Duke answered in the bottom of the fifth. With Noah Hertzler now pitching for William & Mary, Tyler Albright homered to left center, his third of the season, tying the game at 8-8. The Blue Devils got a runner to third with no further damage.

The Tribe took its first lead in the sixth. Charlie Iriotakis tripled to right center and scored on Chase Ecker’s single up the middle, making it 9-8. Duke immediately countered in the bottom half. Strand walked, Anderson singled, and DiMartini launched a three-run homer to left field—his ninth of the year—to put Duke ahead 12-9. Albright reached on a fielder’s choice, and after a catcher’s interference and a passed ball moved runners, Hamilton flied out to end the inning.

Duke added insurance in the seventh. With Derek Baker now pitching for William & Mary, Strand singled, stole second and advanced to third on an error by Justin Summers. DiMartini singled him home, making it 13-9. Marsh walked and stole second, but Albright struck out.

William & Mary got one back in the eighth. Laskofski homered to right, his 11th of the season, cutting the lead to 13-10. Duke answered in the bottom of the eighth. Hamilton doubled, Smith singled him home, and the score became 14-10.

The Tribe mounted a final rally in the ninth. Kosuda walked, Iriotakis tripled to right center to score him, and Ecker grounded out to third to plate Iriotakis, making it 14-12. But Greco flied out to end the game.

Key performers included Duke’s DiMartini, who homered and drove in four runs, and Hamilton, whose grand slam provided the early blow. William & Mary’s Iriotakis had three hits and three RBIs, including two triples. Baker, Lippman, Hertzler, and Bourque pitched for the Tribe, while Caleb Anderson and Jack Feehery worked in relief for Duke.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of William & Mary 5, Duke 1, but the ELO system gave Duke a 78.80 percent probability to win.