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Duke infielder MJ Metz mashes 2-run homer in bottom of 9th to force extras against NC State in ACC Tournament

On3 imageby:Andrew Graham•05/23/23•

AndrewEdGraham

NC State v Duke
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

With one out and a runner on in the bottom of the ninth, it took Duke infielder MJ Metz occupied the batters box, representing the tying run. NC State pitcher Dominic Fritton reared back and fired an 0-1 pitch.

Metz stayed on the fastball down in the zone and drove the ball to the opposite field. All right fielder Trevor Candelaria could do was turn and slow down as the wall came up.

“Long run Candelaria, and we’re tied!” the play-by-play announcer called out as the ball left the field of play.

Duke, despite having a berth in the NCAA tournament more or less sewn up, clawed back from an early 7-1 deficit. Down by six runs in the fourth inning, the Blue Devils started churning through the bullpen.

And as their pitchers ate up innings, the Blue Devils bats came to life and plated six runs unanswered, including Metz’ shot in the ninth.

In the fourth inning, Duke plated a pair of runs to cut the score to 7-3. Another run in the sixth inning and a fifth run in the seventh set of at-bats had the Blue Devils in striking range.

They threatened in the eighth, putting runners on and hitting a ball out of the park but just feet foul, but couldn’t score as Fritton pitched his way out of a minor jam with a clutch strikeout.

Then Metz homered in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game at seven apiece. The broadcast relayed in the 11th inning that Metz had actually injured himself on the heroic swing, and it was unfortunately for naught for the Blue Devils.

After a scoreless 10th inning, NC State got runners on and started applying pressure in the top of the 11th inning. A bouncing single up the middle scored the eventual game-winning run. Wolfpack pitcher Logan Whittaker stayed on after the 10th and closed things down in the 11th, preserving the one-run lead and picking up a win in the process.

NC State moves to 1-0 in pool play with the 8-7 win while Duke falls to 0-1. NC State will face Miami in the nightcap game on Thursday and Duke will play its second pool play game on Friday at 3 p.m. against the Hurricanes. If all three teams in a given pool finish with the same record (1-1), the highest-seeded team advanced to the semifinals. That would be Miami among this trio of teams.