CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – No. 17 nationally ranked Duke scored the last eight runs of the game, including a six-run eighth inning to run past the Miami Hurricanes for an 8-2 win in the second semifinals of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Championship at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
With the win, No. 6-seeded Duke is now 7-0 in the ACC Baseball Championship in Charlotte, having gone 4-0 in 2021 to win the title and now 3-0 this year.
The Blue Devils reached the ACC title game for only the second time in program history and the first time since winning the title in 2021.
Duke, which didn’t pick up its first base hit until the bottom of the fifth inning, was led offensively by two base hits from Devon Obee, including a monster home run over the video board in left-center field. Both Obee and Alex Stone homered and drove in two RBI, while Zac Morris, Ben Miller and pinch-hitter Jimmy Evans each drove in one run in the win.
The No. 11-seeded Miami Hurricanes scored two runs on two hits for the contest, highlighted by a two-run home run from freshman sensation Daniel Cuvet, which broke Miami’s freshman record previously held by Pat Burrell.
Earning the win out of the bullpen was All-ACC reliever Charlie Beilenson (7-3), as he struck out three hitters and surrendered only one hit over the final 2.1 innings.
Miami starting pitcher Herick Hernandez held the Blue Devils hitless over the first four innings. He allowed just one hit, walked five and struck out nine batters over 5.0 innings in the no-decision.
Following a one-hour and 21-minute delay to the start of the contest due to lightning concerns, both teams struggled out of the gates offensively, as neither team had a base hit until the fourth inning.
The first base hit was a big one, as Cuvet launched a two-run home run to right field to put the Hurricanes on top 2-0 midway through the fourth inning.
Duke picked up its first hit in the bottom of the fifth inning and took advantage of three free passes, including a bases-loaded walk to Morris to get on the scoreboard and cut the Miami lead to one at 2-1.
The Blue Devils struck again in the bottom of the seventh inning and tied the game up at 2-2 on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly from Evans.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Blue Devils blew the game wide open with a six spot to take an 8-2 lead, highlighted by a pair of two-run home runs from Stone and Obee to propel Duke to the win.
The Blue Devils (38-18) will face off with No. 5-seeded Florida State (42-14) in the title game on Saturday, May 26, at noon ET on ESPN2.