Duke pounded Florida State, 12-1, in the teams' opening game of the 2021 ACC Baseball Tournament on Wednesday behind 13 hits, eight walks and one grand slam.

Things didn’t start as planned for FSU (29-22, 20-16 ACC) in Charlotte, N.C., as Duke jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the very first frame.

The first four batters reached base for the Blue Devils, and Seminoles starter Bryce Hubbart was replaced quickly by Tyler Ahearn without recording an out. The redshirt junior reliever couldn’t limit the damage, however, as he gave up a grand slam to Duke senior catcher Michael Rothenberg.

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FSU first baseman Tyler Martin led off the bottom of the first with a double to try and get things going, but he was Florida State’s only baserunner the first three innings. By contrast, Duke’s offense kept turning up the heat in each of the first five innings.

A leadoff triple in the third led to another run to extend the Blue Devils' lead. Then Duke blew the doors off with three more runs in the fifth, aided by two wild pitches from FSU.

Battling from behind all day, FSU struggled to stage a comeback at the plate. The Seminoles' lone run came from a Robby Martin home run to straightaway center field in the fourth. Martin finished 2-for-4 on the afternoon.

FSU's offense generated just four hits and one walk for the game. Duke put the exclamation point on the victory with two more homers and three runs in the ninth.

FSU will continue ACC Tournament action against Miami at 3 p.m. on Friday. But the Seminoles are effectively eliminated from advancing to the semifinals due to pool play rules.

On Monday at noon, the NCAA will announce the 64-team field for the 2021 college baseball postseason.

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