Six-Run First Leads No. 1 Florida State To 15-5 Win Over Duke

Sunday, March 26

Tallahassee, Fla.

1:00 PM

Duke University

Florida State

Six-Run First Leads No. 1 Florida State To 15-5 Win Over Duke

3/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? First baseman Dennis Guinn lined a two-run homer to left to highlight a six-run first inning for Florida State as the top-ranked Seminoles defeated the Duke Blue Devils, 15-5, on Sunday afternoon at Dick Howser Stadium. The Blue Devils fall to 8-21 overall and 1-8 in the ACC while the Seminoles improve to 25-2 overall and 8-1 in league play.

Florida State took an insurmountable 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Shane Robinson reached second on a two-base error to start the inning. Robinson then advanced to third when designated hitter Jack Rye flew out to center. Guinn then hammered a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall to give the Seminoles a two-run lead. After third baseman Ryne Malone grounded out to first, shortstop Buster Posey doubled off the second base bag to give Florida State a runner in scoring position. Second baseman Tony Thomas Jr. then drew a walk and left fielder Mark Gildea reached on an error to load the bases. Right fielder Ryan Strauss followed with a two-run double to right and catcher Danny Diaz capped the six-run frame with a two-run single through the left side.

The Blue Devils scored a pair of runs in the top of the second to make it a 6-2 ballgame. After back-to-back singles by catcher Matt Williams and second baseman Javier Socorro, left fielder Daniel Palmer drew a walk to load the bases. First baseman Kyle Kreick followed with an RBI-single through the left side, scoring Williams. After pitcher Jonathan Anderson flew out to left, right fielder Tim Sherlock drew a bases-loaded walk on four straight pitches, allowing Socorro to score from third.

The Seminoles would take a 7-2 lead in the top of the second when Posey doubled off the right field wall to score Rye.

Duke added another pair of runs in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 7-4. Shortstop Brett Bartles led off the inning with a double into the right field corner and center fielder Jimmy Gallagher followed with an RBI-double into the left center gap to score Bartles. Gallagher would then advance to third on a groundout by Williams before scoring on a groundout by Socorro to make it a three-run ballgame.

Florida State scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI-single by Diaz and an RBI-double by Robinson to take a 9-4 lead.

In the fifth, the Seminoles plated three more runs, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Guinn and a two-run homer by Malone to take a 12-4 lead.

Bartles added a sacrifice fly to right center in the top of the seventh to cap the scoring for the Blue Devils.

Right fielder Travis Anderson launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to give the Seminoles a 15-5 advantage.

Florida State starter Michael Hyde improved to 5-0 on the season, holding the Blue Devils to four runs on six hits in 5.0 innings of work.

Anderson (1-3) suffered his third loss of the season, allowing nine runs on 10 hits in 3.0 innings pitched. Of the nine runs charged to Anderson, only four were earned.

The Blue Devils will return to the diamond on Wednesday night when they play host to UNC Wilmington at 7 p.m. at Jack Coombs Field. Duke will then travel for the second consecutive weekend to take on Boston College in Brockton, Mass.

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