Duke baseball beats Miami, advances to ACC Tournament championship vs Florida State

CHARLOTTE — Duke baseball has a chance to win its first ACC Tournament championship since 2021.

Behind some stellar pitching and a big inning at the plate, the 15th-ranked Blue Devils rallied for an 8-2 win against upset-minded Miami in Saturday’s second semifinal at Truist Field.

After a weather delay that lasted roughly an hour and 20 minutes, Duke (38-18) and Miami (27-30) took the field and the Hurricanes jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

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The Blue Devils’ bullpen limited Miami to one hit the rest of the way, helping Duke secure its spot in Sunday’s championship (noon, ESPN2) against No. 8 Florida State (42-14). Here are some observations from Duke's win.

Duke baseball’s Alex Stone, Devin Obee hit home runs to complete rally

Alex Stone broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run blast over the left-center field wall, and Devin Obee followed with a towering shot off the scoreboard to highlight a six-run eighth inning for the Blue Devils. Obee, who finished with two hits, has a pair of home runs in Charlotte. For Stone, it was the 40th home run of his Duke career

Charlie Beilenson, Blue Devils flex pitching strength

Following a two-run homer in the fourth inning, Miami didn’t get another hit until the eighth. Ryan Haggins was solid as the starter, allowing just the home run, and Duke’s bullpen was sensational. The relievers limited the Hurricanes to two hits across the final five innings. Gabriel Nard was first out of the bullpen and didn’t allow a hit in 2⅓ innings. Charlie Beilenson, one of the top relievers in the nation, closed the door in the final three innings as the winning pitcher.

NCAA Tournament regional host in play for Duke vs Florida State

The Blue Devils will have an opportunity to raise an ACC trophy for the first time since 2021, but they also have a chance to increase their odds of hosting an NCAA Tournament regional. Entering Saturday’s game, Duke was 20th in the RPI and the Seminoles were eighth. A championship run would be hard for the committee to ignore. In late April, the Blue Devils lost a three-game series against FSU in Durham.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke baseball advances to ACC Tournament championship vs Florida State