Miller homers twice, joins Obee with grand slam as Duke romps past Florida State 16-4 for ACC title
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Ben Miller and Devin Obee hit grand slams and Miller added a two-run shot as No. 6 seed Duke rolled to a 16-4 victory over fifth-seeded Florida State on Sunday in the championship game of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, earning the Blue Devils a regional berth.
Miller homered with the bases loaded in the top of the fourth inning to put Duke (39-18) on top 9-2 and Obee’s blast increased the Blue Devils’ advantage to 14-4, capping a five-run sixth.
Florida State (42-15) grabbed a 2-0 lead two batters into the game following a Max Williams single and a Cam Smith home run off Duke starter James Tallon.
The Blue Devils answered with five runs in the top of the second inning. Wallace Clark was hit by a pitch from Seminoles starter Carson Dorsey with the bases loaded to force in the first run. Kyle Johnson, batting ninth, followed with a two-run double and AJ Gracia capped the rally with a two-out, two-run single.
Clark was hit by a pitch from reliever Noah Short and Johnson walked, ending Short’s stint. Yoel Tejeda Jr. took over and walked leadoff hitter Zac Morris before surrendering Miller’s homer.
The Seminoles scored twice in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Jaime Ferrer after Marco Dinges doubled with one out.
Obee’s shot in the sixth gave the Blue Devils’ a 10-run lead and Miller’s homer in the seventh capped the scoring.
Tim Noone (4-3) earned the win with two shutout innings of relief, despite allowing three hits with two walks.
Dorsey (5-4) took the loss for the Seminoles. He surrendered four runs on three hits and a walk and did not retire a batter before leaving in the second inning.
Duke, whose only previous ACC championship came in 2021, won regional titles in 2018, 2019 and 2023 but has not been to the College World Series since 1961. The Blue Devils made two other CWS appearances in 1952-53.
Florida State has won eight conference titles and 28 regional championships but never finished first in 23 CWS appearances. The Seminoles were runners-up in 1970, 1986 and 1999.
The regional field will be announced on Monday.
___
AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports