No. 6 Florida State Holds Off Duke in Finale

Sunday, May 15

Durham Bulls Athletic Park

1:00 PM

Duke University

Florida State

Louisville Slugger Tabs Herron Freshmen All-America

No. 6 Florida State Holds Off Duke in Finale

5/15/2016 5:36:00 PM | Baseball

BASE vs. FSU: Pollard Interview BASE vs. FSU: Herron RBI Double BASE vs. FSU: Zyla's First Career Home Run Box Score (PDF)Box Score (HTML)

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – No. 6 Florida State avoided a sweep against the Blue Devils, defeating Duke, 4-3, in the series finale Sunday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Park.

The two teams traded tallies across the middle innings before Florida State (33-17, 15-8 ACC) emerged with a 4-3 margin after the sixth. The Seminoles used three relief pitchers the rest of the way to keep the lead intact and secure the victory.

Freshman Jimmy Herron continued his strong week at the plate, posting a 3-for-5 outing with two doubles and an RBI. Over five games this week, Herron hit .545 (12-for-22) with seven doubles, four RBI, four runs scored and four stolen bases. He also raised his batting average to a team-best .346.

After winning the first two games of the series, Duke (31-21, 12-15 ACC) put the first three batters aboard in the opening inning, but FSU was able to work out of the jam. A fly ball to shallow center and two strikeouts kept the Blue Devils from an early advantage.

“Not pushing a couple across when we loaded the bases in the first with nobody out ultimately may have been our undoing,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “We had a chance to throw a dagger early. We kept competing. I thought we battled good.”

Duke scratched a second-inning run across for a 1-0 lead after two. Freshman Zack Kone reached via an FSU fielding error before Herron lined his first double of the day off the Blue Monster to drive in the contest's opening run.

The Seminoles had at least one baserunner in each of the first three frames before striking for a run in the fourth. Quincy Nieporte was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on Dylan Busby's single and tied the game on Ben DeLuzio's sacrifice fly.

Duke countered in the bottom half with Peter Zyla's first career home run. Zyla lifted Jim Voyles' 2-1 offering over the wall and just past the reach of the FSU right fielder.

The Seminoles answered with a two-run fifth, staking their first lead of the contest. Taylor Walls led off with his sixth home run of the season to tie the score, 2-2. FSU tacked on a second fifth-inning run after John Sansone doubled for the second time and ultimately crossed home on Busby's bloop single to right center.

Sophomore Jack Labosky lined a leadoff double to right field to begin the fifth. Two consecutive ground balls to the right side allowed the run to score with Michael Smiciklas picking up the RBI.

Duke starter Brian McAfee (7-4) fanned the first two FSU batters in the sixth, but a two-out Walls' single and Sansone's third double put the Seminoles ahead, 4-3.

Duke's bullpen shut down FSU for the remainder of the game. Freshman Al Pesto tossed two scoreless innings, followed by strong performances from senior Nick Hendrix and sophomore Ryan Day.

“It was a terrific job by our bullpen,” Pollard said. “Al Pesto came in and threw the ball great today. Nick Hendrix comes in and does his job as well and then Ryan Day gets us off the field in the ninth. Each one of those three guys did a great job.”

The Blue Devils would not have the answer down the stretch, totaling two walks and no hits over the final three innings. FSU reliever's Chase Haney, Alec Byrd and Tyler Warmoth kept the margin intact. Warmoth earned his fourth save, recording the final four outs.

“A couple times where they had an answer, we came right back,” Pollard added. “Pete [Zyla] in the fourth, Jack [Labosky] in the fifth. Credit their bullpen. They threw the ball really well.”

McAfee took the loss, allowing four runs – three earned – on 11 hits over 5.2 innings. McAfee struck out three and did not issue a walk. Jim Voyles (6-0) came on in relief with two outs in the fourth and surrendered the one run on Zyla's homer over 2.1 frames in the win.

“McAfee was victim of some bad luck,” Pollard said. “After they put two good swings on there in the fifth, really the rest of the inning was just bad luck. Really well executed pitches. I thought he pitched well.”

Duke, currently in 10th in the ACC standings, travels to Pitt for the final three games of the regular season Thursday-Saturday, May 19-21.

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