CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Highlighted by a two-out grand slam in the seventh inning and a record-tying eight RBIs from Kamden Smith, No. 16-seeded Duke upset No. 9-seeded NC State 21-12 on Tuesday in the first round of the 2026 ACC Baseball Championship at Truist Field in Charlotte, North Carolina.
With the win, the Blue Devils improved to 9-0 all-time in ACC Championship games played in Charlotte and advanced to face No. 8-seeded Virginia on Wednesday, May 20, at 9 a.m. ET.
Duke’s 21 runs marked the most scored in an ACC Championship game since 2018. The Blue Devils’ offense was dominant with two outs, finishing 11-for-19 (.579) with 17 two-out RBIs. NC State, meanwhile, managed just one two-out hit and one two-out RBI, batting .100 (1-for-10) in those situations.
The Blue Devils totaled 21 runs on 20 hits, drew 12 walks and were hit by two pitches, while all nine starters recorded at least one hit.
Smith finished 3-for-5 with two home runs, including the seventh-inning grand slam, while adding two walks and eight RBIs to tie the ACC Championship single-game record that has stood since 1985.
Lead-off hitter Jake Lambdin also had a huge day, going 4-for-6 with a triple, six RBIs, a walk and two runs scored. RJ Hamilton (2-for-5, two RBIs, three runs), Matthew Strand (one hit, two RBIs) and Colin Anderson (two RBIs) also contributed multi-RBI performances for Duke.
NC State scored at least one run in seven innings, posting 12 runs on 11 hits, including four home runs, and nine walks.
Four Wolfpack sluggers homered in the first round contest in Luke Nixon (2-for-4, HR, BB, 2 RBIs, 2 runs), Ty Head (2-for-3, HR, 2 BB, 2 RBIs, 3 runs), Dalton Bargo (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) and Wyatt Peifer (1-for-2, HR, 3 RBIs, run).
The Blue Devils used five pitchers in the win, which went to Sammy Petrocelli (1-0) out of the bullpen. He gave up three runs, on two hits, two walks and one strikeout over 2.1 innings pitched.
NC State got the scoring going in the bottom of the second inning, as Mikey Ryan hit a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line for an RBI double to put the lower seed on top 1-0. On the very next pitch, Bargo launched a two-run home run to right field to push the Wolfpack’s lead to 3-0 after two complete.
That got the offenses going, as Duke pushed across two runs in the top of the third inning on a two-run shot off the bat of Smith, to cut the NC State lead to one at 3-2.
The runs did not stop there, as NC State answered with another long ball, this time a solo home run from Head in the bottom half of the inning to push the NC State lead back out to two at 4-2.
The Blue Devils’ offense posted a big inning in the top of the fourth, highlighted by a bases-loaded triple by Lambdin, followed by an RBI infield single by Hamilton to push the Blue Devils in front for the first time in the game at 6-4.
Refusing to go away, NC State added a run in the bottom of the fourth with the help of two walks, a balk and a sacrifice bunt, before retaking the lead at 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double to right field and a wild pitch.
While the NC State bullpen settled in to keep the Blue Devils off the scoreboard in the fifth and sixth frames, the Wolfpack offense added a run in the bottom of the sixth on back-to-back walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a bases-loaded walk all with two outs to pull back out in front by two at 8-6.
However, Duke’s two-out hitting came on display again in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Blue Devils knotted the score back up at 8-8 on an RBI single through the left side of the infield and a bases-loaded walk.
Following an NCSU pitching change, Smith blasted his second home run of the game, a grand slam to deep left field to give the Blue Devils their largest lead of the game to that point at 12-8 at the seventh inning stretch.
The Blue Devils added to their lead with three more runs in the top of the eighth, highlighted by a two-run single by Smith for RBIs seven and eight, before blowing the game wide open in the top of the ninth with another six-run inning capped off by a Collin Anderson two-run single.