Explosive Bats and Healy's Gem Guides Duke to ACC Semifinals

Thursday, May 23

Charlotte, N.C.

7 p.m.

Duke University

37-18

NC State

33-20

Duke

NC State

Explosive Bats and Healy's Gem Guides Duke to ACC Semifinals

5/23/2024 11:58:00 PM | Baseball

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Powered by a six-run fifth inning, sixth-seeded Duke (37-18) won the Pool C Championship in the ACC Tournament to advance to the semifinals on Thursday evening in Charlotte, N.C., defeating NC State (33-20), 8-1.

Sophomore Andrew Healy tied a career high with five innings of work on the mound, improving to 3-1 on the season. Healy allowed one hit through five frames and struck out four Wolfpack batters along the way.

In the top of the fifth inning the Duke bats came alive, as Chase Krewson led off the frame with an opposite field home run. Later in the inning, Zac Morris tallied his third home run of the tournament, blasting a grand slam to left center field to push Duke's lead to 5-0. Freshman AJ Gracia joined in on the fun, collecting a solo home run of his own to cap off a six-run fifth inning for the Blue Devils.

Junior Devin Obee added to the home run parade in the top of the sixth, hitting a laser beam to left center field that was originally ruled a double. After review of the play, the ball cleared the fence and pocketed Obee with a two-run shot of his own and Duke's fourth of the evening.

Sophomore left-hander James Tallon worked two innings of one-hit baseball in relief of Healy, before graduate Tim Noone worked the final two frames to send Duke to the semifinals on Saturday. The Blue Devils will face off against 11th-seeded Miami, for a chance to play for the ACC Championship on Sunday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Freshman Chase Krewson hit a solo home run to left field to open the scoring in the top of the fifth inning. Zac Morris hit a grand slam to left center field. AJ Gracia hit a solo home run to left field, 6-0.
In the top of the sixth inning, Devin Obee hit a two-run home run to left center field, 8-0.
NC State scratched a run across in the bottom of the ninth, 8-1.

NOTES

Sophomore Andrew Healy tossed a gem on Thursday night in Charlotte, working five innings of one-hit baseball against the Wolfpack. The five innings tied a career high for the southpaw, and he added four punchouts to his line.
Freshman Chase Krewson opened the scoring against the Wolfpack to begin a six-run frame in the top of the fifth inning, hitting an opposite field home run for his fifth of the season.
Graduate Zac Morris hit his 18th home run of the season, a grand slam to left center field, moving him into a tie for fourth in a single season with Griffin Conine (2018) and RJ Schreck (2021). It was the first grand slam for the Blue Devils since Alex Stone hit one against Longwood on May 5.
Freshman AJ Gracia added to his freshman home run record on Thursday, hitting a solo home run to left field. Gracia has now tallied 13 on the season.
The Blue Devils improved to 6-0 in Charlotte during ACC Tournament play and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2021. Duke defeated NC State in 2021, 1-0, for the programs first ACC Tournament title.

QUOTES

"I am really proud of our club. I thought it was the most complete performance of the year. We were really good on the mound and Andrew Healy was phenomenal. It is really neat to see him back fully healthy. He has battled some nagging injuries all year long and seeing him round into shape at the right time for us is great. This guy beside me has been our defensive MVP all season. He goes and get balls from gap to gap and given us great at bats. He was right on the barrel all night and the ball he hit out of the yard was hit exceptionally hard. Listen we beat a tremendous team. I can't say enough good things about NC State and their club. One of the hottest teams in the country and undoubtably are going to host a regional next week in Raleigh. That was a great atmosphere and a fun night for our guys." – Head coach Chris Pollard on his overall thoughts on tonight's pool championship.
"I had no idea that it was a home run. It was a cool story, once I got to second, Roman DiGiacomo and Noah Murray in our dugout noticed some fans cheering that it was a home run. So, they ran out and told coach to review it. They reviewed it and luckily it was a home run. When I went back into the outfield after the inning, I saw that it was the North Carolina baseball team, so it was cool to go out and chat with them about it." – Junior Devin Obee on the feeling having a double overturned to a home run in the sixth inning.
"I felt pretty good out there. At the end of the day a win is a win and having the guys behind me was huge. In the fourth I was struggling a little bit and got the huge double play. It certainly helps to have the hitter's bats tonight which was certainly the key to success." – Sophomore Andrew Healy on how he felt in a full return on Thursday.

UP NEXT

Duke advances to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament on Saturday evening at Truist Field in Charlotte, N.C. The Blue Devils will face Miami at 5 p.m.

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