Rye?s Three-Run Homer Sparks No. 1 Florida State?s 12-4 Victory Over Duke

Saturday, March 25

Tallahassee, Fla.

6:00 PM

Duke University

Florida State

Rye?s Three-Run Homer Sparks No. 1 Florida State?s 12-4 Victory Over Duke

3/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? Designated hitter Jack Rye launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the second to lead the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles to a 12-4 win over the Duke Blue Devils Saturday night at Dick Howser Stadium. The Blue Devils fall to 8-20 overall and 1-7 in the ACC while the top-ranked Seminoles improve to 24-2 overall and 7-1 in league play.

Leading 2-1 entering the bottom of the second, left fielder Mark Gildea and catcher Kyle Maxie drew back-to-back walks to start the frame. Right fielder Ryan Strauss then moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt. After center fielder Shane Robinson struck out looking, Rye crushed a 3-2 offering from Duke starter Jimmy Saris over the wall in right center to give the Seminoles a 5-1 advantage.

Florida State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Robinson singled up the middle to start the inning before advancing to second on a balk. After Rye struck out swinging, first baseman Dennis Guinn was hit by a pitch to give the Seminoles runners on first and second. Third baseman Ryne Malone then grounded out to first, moving both Robinson and Guinn up a base. Shortstop Buster Posey followed with a hard grounder to second that took a tough bounce into short right field, allowing Robinson and Guinn to score.

The Blue Devils answered with a run of their own in the top of the second to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Catcher Matt Williams singled to left and then advanced to second on a throwing error by Malone. Designated hitter Tony Bajoczky followed with a sacrifice bunt, moving Williams to third and second baseman Javier Socorro to second. Left fielder Daniel Palmer then grounded out to short, scoring Williams.

Duke scored another run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 5-2. With center fielder Jonathan Anderson on first, third baseman Adam Murray lined a one-out single up the middle, moving Anderson to third. Murray would then steal second, and after shortstop Brett Bartles struck out swinging, right fielder Jimmy Gallagher was hit by a pitch which loaded the bases. Williams followed with an infield single, scoring Anderson to make it a three-run ballgame.

The Seminoles would then take a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Gildea.

The Blue Devils would add another run in the top of the fifth to cut Florida State's lead to three. Murray led off the inning with a walk and then stole second for the third time of the game to give Duke a runner in scoring position. Bartles followed with a single to left to give the Blue Devils runners on the corners. Gallagher then hit a slow roller to first to score Murray.

Gildea added an RBI-single in the fifth and Rye laced an RBI-single in the sixth to give the Seminoles an 8-3 lead. Florida State would add another run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Ryan McArdle to take a six-run lead.

Duke would score again in the eighth when Palmer hit into a fielder's choice, allowing Gallagher to score from third.

The Seminoles capped the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI-double by Malone, an RBI-single by second baseman Tony Thomas Jr., and an RBI-double by pinch hitter Travis Anderson.

Florida State starter Tyler Chambliss (7-0) earned his seventh win of the season, holding the Blue Devils to three runs on six hits in 7.0 innings of work.

Saris fell to 0-4 on the season after allowing five runs on two hits in 2.0 innings pitched. Of the five runs charged to Saris, only three were earned.

The Blue Devils and Seminoles will wrap up their three-game series tomorrow at noon.

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