FSU Baseball Clinches Series Win Over Duke With Dramatic Victory

Seminoles prevail 12-11 in high-scoring affair, but suffer major injury to star first baseman Myles Bailey.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 9:51pm

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No. 10 Florida State baseball clinched its third ACC series with a 12-11 win over Duke on Saturday afternoon. The game featured a combined 23 runs and 29 hits, with the Seminoles overcoming a late Duke comeback to secure the victory. However, the win was marred by a serious injury to star first baseman Myles Bailey, who was carted off the field after sliding into second base in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Why it matters

This hard-fought series win keeps Florida State in contention for the ACC title, but the potential loss of Bailey, who leads the team in home runs, could be a major blow to their postseason aspirations. The game also highlighted the offensive firepower of both teams, with several lead changes and big innings on both sides.

The details

Florida State jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but Duke answered with a three-run second inning to tie the game at 4-4. The Seminoles retook the lead in the bottom of the second, but Duke responded with a two-run homer in the third to go up 6-5. FSU tied it in the sixth on a two-run blast by Bailey, then took an 11-7 lead with a three-run rally in the seventh. However, Duke fought back with four runs in the eighth to tie the game at 11-11 before Florida State scored the winning run in the bottom of the inning.

  • The game was played on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
  • Bailey's injury occurred in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The players

Myles Bailey

Florida State's star first baseman, who hit his 13th home run of the season but suffered a serious lower leg injury on a slide into second base in the eighth inning.

Michael DiMartini

Duke's slugger, who hit a two-run homer in the third inning to give the Blue Devils a 6-5 lead.

Trey Beard

Florida State's starting pitcher, who went 5 innings and gave up 6 earned runs.

Brodie Purcell

Florida State relief pitcher, who was unable to hold the lead in the eighth inning as Duke tied the game at 11-11.

Chris Knier

Florida State relief pitcher, who came in to get the final outs and earn the save.

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What’s next

Florida State will look to win the series finale on Sunday, with RHP Andy Leon scheduled to start against Duke's RHP Bryson Moore. The status of Myles Bailey's injury will be a key storyline heading into the final game.

The takeaway

This high-scoring affair showcased the offensive firepower of both teams, but the potential loss of star first baseman Myles Bailey could be a major blow to Florida State's postseason hopes if the injury proves to be serious. The Seminoles will need to regroup quickly to try and clinch the series win on Sunday.