Senior Ryan Foster tossed his second career complete game in NCAA tournament play and sophomore Brian Mims finished with five runs batted in as UNCW topped Duke 11-1 in the opening game of the Columbia Regional at Founders Park on Friday.
The Seahawks ran their record to 40-17 with the win, while Duke dropped to 33-23. With Friday’s win, UNCW has won 40 or more games in seven different seasons.
Foster (13-1) set a school record for wins in a year with the win after allowing one run on eight hits and a pair of walks. It was also his third complete game of the season.
Mims fueled the Seahawk offense with a pair of RBI hits, including a two-run single in the second and a bases-loaded double in the third. Daniel Stack added two hits and scored twice, while Robbie Thorburn went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and two driven in.
The Seahawks batted in around in both innings and sent 10 hitters to the plate in the second inning alone.
UNCW scored all the runs they would need with six in the second and five more in the third. Mims and Steven Linkous highlighted the second inning outburst with a two-run double and single, respectively. In the third, Mims doubled in three runs as UNCW put the game out of reach with an 11-0 lead.
Duke starter Brian McAfee (7-5) lasted just two-plus innings in taking the loss. The right-hander was roughed up for eight runs on seven hits and a pair of walks.
The Seahawks will play the winner of the South Carolina/Rhode Island game at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
