Duke Downs Gardner-Webb in Doubleheader

Sunday, March 8

Durham, N.C.

2 p.m.

Duke University

Gardner-Webb

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Duke Downs Gardner-Webb in Doubleheader

3/8/2020 8:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

DURHAM, N.C. – A career day from Brianna Butler and a dominant offensive performance highlighted a solid Sunday for the Duke Blue Devils, as they closed the 2020 Duke Invitational with a sweep of Gardner-Webb at the Duke Softball Stadium.

The Blue Devils concluded their final non-conference tournament of the season with a perfect 5-0 record, improving to 22-4 for the 2020 campaign while the Runnin' Bulldogs fell to 23-5 at the end of the weekend.

Wrapping up a strong weekend in the circle, Butler reeled in a program-high 14 strikeouts in Duke's 4-1 win in game one while junior Peyton St. George notched her ninth victory of the season in game two.

Game 1: Duke 4, Gardner-Webb 1
Butler was off to a hot start, striking out all three batters swinging in the opening frame of the ballgame. Starting Duke's offense was sophomore Deja Davis, who singled through the right side. Senior Raine Wilson joined her on base after drawing a walk and the two were brought home on a two-run single from sophomore Caroline Jacobsen to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 advantage.

Duke reached on fielder's choices in the next two at-bats and a sacrifice fly from Rachel Crabtree plated another run to end the inning with a 3-0 lead. Butler retired the next eight consecutive batters before Gardner-Webb's Autumn Owen sent a solo homer over the center field wall.

Junior Kendyl Lange brought Duke's final run across home plate with an RBI single, scoring redshirt junior Dominique Salinas (4-1). Butler hurled a seven-inning one hitter en route to her eighth dub of the season.

Game 2: Duke 10, Gardner-Webb 2 (five innings)
The Bulldogs notched two early hits in the first inning, but sophomore Shelby Walters and the Blue Devils stranded two runners to get end the threat. Five pitches was all it took for junior Jameson Kavel to give Duke a 1-0 lead with a home run to left center.

Duke plated three runs in the next frame thanks to RBI from Sydney Bolan and Wilson. The Blue Devils loaded the bases behind hits from Gisele Tapia and Jazmine Moreno and a hit by pitch by Kavel, setting up an infield single from Bolan that scored one (2-0). Wilson brought home two more runs with a double to left on the first pitch she saw, pushing the Blue Devils' lead to 4-0.

Tapia broke the game wide open in the third inning, crushing a ball to right for a two-run homer, the first of her career. Felise Collins and Crabtree got things started in the frame with back-to-back singles.

Gardner-Webb pulled back two runs in the top of the fifth thanks to a two-RBI single to right from Owen. However, the Blue Devils would slam the door in the home half, as a trio of walks and a stolen base from Crabtree loaded the bases for Duke. A fielder's choice from Kavel pushed home one run, followed by a two-run double down the left field line from Lange that moved Duke's lead to 9-2.

Wilson dealt the final blow with her second hit of the contest, singling through the left side to score Kavel and deliver the 10-2 walk-off victory.

Sophomore Shelby Walters started in the circle, pitching two complete innings in which she tallied three strikeouts. Entering in the third, St. George picked up five K's while letting up three hits through three innings to move to 9-2 on the year.

Duke returns to action on Wednesday, March 11 with a 6 p.m. home contest against the Elon Phoenix, which will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

#GoDuke