No. 13 Blue Devils Split Doubleheader, Clinch Series Over No. 12 Virginia Tech

Sunday, April 2

Blacksburg, Va.

12 p.m.

Duke University

28-7, 10-4

Virginia Tech

26-8, 8-3

Duke

Virginia Tech

No. 13 Blue Devils Split Doubleheader, Clinch Series Over No. 12 Virginia Tech

4/2/2023 8:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

BLACKSBURG, Va. – No. 13 Duke softball (28-8, 10-5 ACC) spilt Sunday's doubleheader with No. 12 Virginia Tech (27-8, 9-3 ACC) at Tech Softball Park to clinch the conference series, 2-1.

The Blue Devils defeated the Hokies, 5-1, in the opening game before falling, 13-8, in the nightcap.

Graduate student Deja Davis led the Blue Devils at the plate, finishing 4-for-8 with two runs and one RBI. Four others recorded three hits each, while sophomore Ana Gold and freshman Aminah Vega accounted for eight of Duke's 12 RBI. The pair also garnered two home runs each during the twin bill.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME ONE)

Gold opened the scoring for the Blue Devils in the top of the third with an RBI-double to score Davis, who reached on a lead-off single.
The Blue Devils added four more runs in the top of the fifth, highlighted by back-to-back home runs by Gold and Vega, to create a 5-0 gap between the teams.
Virginia Tech posted its lone run of the game in the top of the sixth after a one-out solo home run from Meredith Slaw.
Junior pitcher Jala Wright sat down 16 of the Hokies' opening 17 batters, relinquishing just one single in the bottom of the second. The Charlotte, N.C., native finished the contest allowing only two additional hits and one run in her 7.0-inning complete game.

HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME TWO)

The Blue Devils carried the momentum from the opener into the beginning of game two, scoring three runs off four hits in the first frame to jump out to an early 3-0 lead.
Gold tacked on two additional runs in the third inning when she hit a two-run blast over the left field fence. Her hit brought home Gisele Tapia, who reached base on a lead-off single.
The Hokies battled back in the bottom half of the frame, using three home runs, all over the left center field wall, to even the score at 5-5.
Virginia Tech plated three more runs in the bottom of the fifth after capitalizing on a pair of wild pitches and a Duke error to take the lead, 8-5.
The Blue Devils countered in the top of the sixth, scoring two runs on three hits following an RBI-double from junior Kelly Torres and an RBI-triple from Davis.
The Hokies pulled away in the bottom of the frame thanks to five runs on four hits to extend their edge to 13-7
Duke tried to rally in the top of the seventh when Vega sent a two-out solo shot over the right center field wall, but the home side earned the final out of the frame to secure the win.

NOTES

The Blue Devils clinched their first series win over the Hokies since their inaugural season in 2018.
Duke is 7-6 against nationally ranked opponents this season.
The Blue Devils posted 10 extra base hits during the doubleheader.
Gold leads the team in home runs with 13 on the year, including three during the weekend series against the Hokies.
Wright threw the sixth complete game of her career in the opening contest and improves to 7-4 on the year.

UP NEXT
The Blue Devils continue their road swing on Wednesday with a doubleheader at UNC Wilmington beginning at 2 p.m. at Boseman Field.

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