After Friday's blowout loss to No. 1 Florida State, it appeared Duke could be headed for another long ACC weekend.
It took only two pitches Friday for the Seminoles (29-2, 8-1 ACC) to smack a home run over the left field wall. Just one inning later, Florida State scored five unearned runs on their way to a 15-3 beating of the Blue Devils (20-11, 2-10).
Head coach Sean McNally, however, knew that his players had the potential to upset the Seminoles even though they had given up 18 hits and committed five errors in the series opener.
"I told them that's not Duke baseball," McNally said. "[We] are a good team. It'd say a lot if we came back Saturday-win or lose-and just be sharp and concentrate and focus and be much better mentally and physically and fundamentally."
McNally looked to senior and Tallahassee, Fla. native Tony Bajoczky to turn in the upset victory. Bajoczky, who had just won ACC Pitcher of the Week and knew many of Florida State's players, did not disappoint Saturday.
Over six and two thirds innings, he held the Seminoles to just six hits and four runs, as Duke used a six-run second inning to pull off the 8-5 victory Saturday and handed Florida State its first loss of the ACC season.
"[The win] gives a tangible belief that we're improving every single day," McNally said. "It gives our kids something to really grab onto. They can say, 'We beat Florida State.'"
Over the course of the game, Bajoczky kept the Seminoles off balance, never letting them get comfortable. Bajoczky's pitching did not allow Florida State to score more than one run in any inning, a feat unmatched in Friday's loss or Sunday's 8-5 defeat.
Bajoczky's efforts, though, would have meant little if the Blue Devils could not swing their bats well. Duke had averaged just 2.9 runs per game in 10 ACC games up to that point.
But in the second inning Saturday the Duke offense began to click and pile on runs. Junior Brett Bartles led off with a stand-up triple off the wall in center field to jumpstart the inning. After sophomore Tim Sherlock walked with one out, freshman Gabriel Saade lined the ball to center field to bring Bartles home.
The Seminoles got another out, but the inning had just begun for the Blue Devils.
Freshman Alexander Hassan swung on the first pitch he saw, driving the ball to the left field for two more runs. Senior Jonathan Anderson smacked another hit up the middle for a double, scoring Hassan. Junior Jimmy Gallagher and sophomore Nate Freiman recorded RBI hits, giving Duke a safe 6-1 lead and chasing Seminoles pitcher Michael Hyde, who entered the game with an 8-0 record.
"I really expected it from the guys," McNally said. "It gives us momentum going forward."
In the other two contests, the Blue Devils could not contain Seminoles lead-off hitter Tony Thomas Jr. Over the three games, Thomas sent five balls over the fence for home runs and drove in eight runs.
Nevertheless, the win gives Duke confidence that it is going down the right path.
"I wish we could have finished the job [Sunday], but it was pretty special to beat them," McNally said.
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