Tag: Jaime Ferrer

Duke uses two grand slams to demolish Florida State 16-4 and capture second ACC Tournament Title

Duke uses two grand slams to propel them to second ACC Tournament Title.

A new champion has emerged in the ACC Baseball realm, and they hail from Durham, NC.

On a Sunday afternoon, Chris Pollard and his team showcased their resilience, demolishing a top 10-ranked Florida State squad 16-4 to claim Duke’s second-ever ACC Tournament title.

Duke entered the tournament as the sixth seed, and while there was no doubt about their inclusion in next week’s NCAA Tournament, the Duke players had a chip on their shoulder to perform better against the ACC’s best of the best than they had in the regular season. They lost a few close games, ultimately the difference between Duke finishing as a three-seed or higher in the conference tournament.

After losing two of three in the regular season to them, Duke knew the Seminoles would be challenging. 

And from the outset, things were dicey quickly as James Tallon served up a two-run home run to Cam Smith of FSU to start the game.

Down two runs, Duke didn’t panic, and in the top of the second, the Blue Devils hit the gas and would never look back.

After loading the bases, Oklahoma transfer Wallace Clark came up with a chance to do damage. He would get hit by the at-bat’s first pitch, which cut into Florida State’s lead to 2-1.

FSU brought in Noah Short for Carson Dorsey, and Duke star freshman Kyle Johnson roped a two-run double down the left field line, pushing Duke ahead for a 3-2 lead. Later that inning, AJ Gracia blooped a two-run single to give the Blue Devils a 5-2 lead.

In the fourth, Ben Miller left his handprint on the game when he hammered a grand slam to make it 9-2. The Seminoles got two runs back in the bottom of the inning with a Jaime Ferrer two-run homer, but the Duke offense was still going strong.

 

Outfielder Chase Krewson drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the sixth to make it 10-4, and then senior Devin Obee smashed the second Blue Devil grand slam of the day moments later.

Duke would allow no more runs and would cruise to the title the rest of the way.

Duke’s offense was remarkable this tournament, and they showcased why on Sunday. They did it in many ways, piecing together rallies and using the long ball to score. Devin Obee was named ACC Tournament MVP after he hit three home runs in the final three games.

The win improved the Blue Devils to 39-18 on the season.  Duke is looking to advance to the College World Series for the first time since 1961 and eventually pursue the first national championship in program history. After being dropped to a No. 2 seed in most postseason projections, the Blue Devils did their best to make a case to host at least a regional round.