The Duke Blue Devils are heading to the super regional round of the NCAA Tournament after they defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 3-2.
A big storyline from the game came in the eighth inning. Oklahoma State had a 2-0 lead, and AJ Gracia hit a home run for Duke to get the Blue Devils on the scoreboard.
Upon running into the dugout, Gracia put on a construction helmet that Duke uses as a “home run prop” in their celebrations. He was ejected because of wearing the prop while stepping too far out of the dugout.
On top of that, the star player for the Blue Devils also received a suspension for the first game of the super regionals.
Duke head coach Chris Pollard detailed what happened during the incident and expressed frustration with the NCAA over the situation.
“He took two steps out of our dugout,” Pollard said. “Not to show anybody up, not to be disrespectful of the game, not to disrespect Oklahoma State, to cheer on his teammate and give him high fives. This rule and this type of action by the umpire is why people get so frustrated with the NCAA. I’m disappointed for AJ Gracia, that he won’t play in one of the biggest games of his life when we start the Super Regional.”
Pollard added: “I’m disappointed for Duke baseball, and I’m disappointed for college baseball, and I want to get that off my chest, and if I get fined, I get fined, but we deserve better than that. AJ Gracia deserves better than that. Our sport deserves better than that.”
Up Next – Duke is in the NCAA Tournament super regionals for the second time in three years.
They will await the winner of the Oxford regional to see who they play for a chance to go to the College World Series in Omaha.
The Oxford regional has come down to a “winner-take-all” game between Ole Miss and Murray State. The first pitch for that matchup in Swayze Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. EDT.
Photo: AJ Gracia (29) runs the bases during an NCAA baseball game on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Durham, N.C. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
