SALEM, Va. (AP) -- Duke's Tim Layden had no victories in seven decisions and something to prove in an elimination game of the ACC tournament.

He did it with the gem of his career Friday, going seven innings, matching his career high with eight strikeouts and getting three hits as the ninth-seeded Blue Devils sent the fourth-seeded Tigers home, 7-4.

``Every time you step on the field, you have something to prove,'' said Layden, who allowed two runs after coming in with a 9.39 earned run average. ``Regardless of your record or ERA, you are going to go out there and battle. Today I basically did that and threw the record book out.''

Duke used a seven-run second against Tigers ace Tyler Lumsden to make it easier, allowing Layden to focus simply on throwing strikes.

``Any time you go out there with a fairly big lead, you feel more comfortable. The pressure is on them to put runs on the board,'' he said.

Layden (1-7) made big pitches when he needed them after allowing Michael Johnson's home run in the first. He allowed 10 hits, but escaped a bases-loaded, one out jam in the seventh by allowing just a sacrifice fly.

Clemson (38-20), the tournament runner-up in three of the last four years, became the first one to go home after the horrible second.

Lumsden (8-2), who starred at nearby Cave Spring High School, didn't help either, allowing four hits, walking in two runs and getting one out.

Duke's first six batters reached in the second, one on an error by second baseman David Slevin, another when Slevin couldn't handle shortstop Russell Triplett's throw on what would have been a forceout at second.

Layden, who also batted cleanup, had two hits an an RBI in the inning, which finally ended when John Berger bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.

``The same thing got us that has been getting us lately _ the big inning,'' Clemson coach Jack Leggett said. ``That one inning killed us.''

Duke improved to 18-35 with its second victory in three games here. The Blue Devils also beat Maryland on Tuesday night in the play-in game.

Layden twice struck out cleanup hitter Brad McCann with two runners on to end innings, then allowed a sacrifice fly by McCann in the seventh.

``Not many of his changeups were strikes, but they were when we swung at them,'' Leggett said. ``I'm embarrassed at how we played.''

Clemson scored in the eighth against Jim Perry on Roberto Valiente's double, but Garrick Evans bounced into a double play to end the threat.

The Tigers also scored in the ninth on McCann's double off Zach Screiber, but he got the last two outs without further damage to end it.

The Blue Devils will next play the loser of the winners' bracket game between Georgia Tech and North Carolina State in another elimination game.