Gold’s Walk-Off Home Run Clinches Weekend Series Over Notre Dame

Sunday, March 5

Durham, N.C.

12 p.m.

Duke University

17-4, 0

Notre Dame

11-6, 0

Notre Dame

Duke

Gold’s Walk-Off Home Run Clinches Weekend Series Over Notre Dame

3/5/2023 11:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

DURHAM - Sophomore Ana Gold blasted a three-run walk-off home run to push No. 12 Duke past Notre Dame on Sunday afternoon, 4-3.

The rubber match win helped Duke (17-4, 2-1 ACC) secure the series against Notre Dame (11-6, 1-2 ACC) in the teams' conference-opening weekend.

Gold finished the three games going 3-for-8 seven RBI, six runs, two walks and three home runs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Sunday's game was a pitcher's duel between the Blue Devils' Jala Wright and the Fighting Irish's Payton Tidd. Wright had a no-hitter going before being pulled in the top of the sixth inning. Tidd was also strong in the circle, allowing just three hits and one solo home run to junior Sarah Goddard during that stretch.
Goddard's long ball over the left field wall in the bottom of the third inning gave the Blue Devils their first lead of the game at 1-0.
Duke remained in front until the top of the seventh when Notre Dame's Joely Mitchell recorded a one-out three-run blast over the center field fence to put the Irish ahead, 3-1. Her hit also scored Jane Kronenberger and Tidd, who reached on an error and single during the previous two at bats.
Now trailing by two runs, Duke tried to spark a rally in the bottom half of the frame. Freshman D'Auna Jennings led things off singling to the shortstop before moving up on senior Gisele Tapia's walk. Gold followed suit and brought them both home with her shot over the left field wall on the second pitch of the at-bat to walk it off, 4-3.

NOTES

Duke's no-hit bid was broken up in the sixth inning.
Gold sits just 13 RBI shy of reaching last season's total of 36.
Wright reentered the game in the seventh and was tagged for one run on one hit. The Charlotte, N.C., native saw action in all three games on the weekend and only gave up one earned run and four hits in 10.1 innings of work, while punching out 13.
Junior Lillie Walker was credited with the win and improved her season record to 3-0 after making her first appearance of the weekend in the top of the seventh to put away the last two outs.
Goddard tallied her second long ball of the year.

QUOTES
"I'm really proud of the team in their fight and response to adversity. Bouncing back yesterday after Friday's loss and then today obviously them going up and continuing to fight with only three outs left. Ana (Gold) has been outstanding. She's been working really hard to make some mindset adjustments in her pitch selection and having two home runs yesterday and then to come up big the way she did with the pressure on today is just amazing." – Head Coach Marissa Young on the team's performance on Sunday

UP NEXT
Duke softball heads to Charlotte on Wednesday for a midweek game with UNC Charlotte. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL".

#GoDuke