Gold’s Solo Home Run Pushes Duke Past George Mason, 2-1

Friday, May 19

Durham, N.C.

12 p.m.

Duke University

46-10

George Mason

35-23

MASON

Duke

Gold’s Solo Home Run Pushes Duke Past George Mason, 2-1

5/19/2023 6:40:00 PM | Softball

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DURHAM – Sophomore Ana Gold blasted a solo home run over the center field wall to help lift No. 5 Duke (46-10) past George Mason (35-23), 2-1, on Friday afternoon in game one of the NCAA Durham Regional at Duke Softball Stadium.

Gold finished the day batting 2-for-2 with one RBI and one walk, while accounting for both of Duke's two runs in the game.

Junior Jala Wright earned her 21st start in the circle and tossed 4.2 innings, allowing one run off four hits. Classmate Lillie Walker entered the game in the top of the fifth and threw 1.0 innings of relief. Freshman Cassidy Curd finished off the game and picked up the win after tossing 1.1 hitless innings with three strikeouts.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Junior Claire Davidson put the Blue Devils in front with a sacrifice fly to score Gold in the bottom of the second. Gold drew a lead-off walk before stealing second and advancing to third on a sacrifice fly from freshman Aminah Vega.
George Mason's Nicole Bechtel tied the game up at 1-1 with an RBI-single to right center field in the top of the fifth. Her hit scored Charlotte Montgomery, who reached on an infield single.
Gold opened the sixth inning with a solo home run over the center field wall to put the Blue Devils back on top, 2-1, heading into the final frame.
Curd then retired the final three batters in 10 pitches to secure the win.

NOTES

Gold tallied her 19th long ball of the year and recorded her 12th multi-hit game.
Duke is now 6-5 all-time in NCAA Championship play.
Curd improves to 17-1 on the year.

QUOTES

"Really excited to get the first win under our belt here today. Obviously, we would have liked a little more offensive production, but it's great to fight and to grind that one out. Really proud of Ana from an offensive standpoint, the adjustments that she made today, coming up big when we needed her. I thought our pitching staff did a really good job of continuing to pitch by committee and keep them off balance. We're looking forward to our next matchup tomorrow." -Duke Head Coach Marissa Young

"I don't want to say that I'm never trying to hit the ball out, but I was just trying to barrel up a ball. If it goes in, it goes. I'm looking for anything over the plate with two strikes, and if I'm able to foul it o?, then I can get to the next pitch." - Sophomore Ana Gold

UP NEXT
The Blue Devils advance to the winner's bracket of the Durham Regional and will meet Charlotte at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

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