Duke Sweeps Doubleheader; Wins Series vs. Notre Dame

Sunday, February 21

Durham, N.C.

10 a.m.

Duke University

Notre Dame

Kelly Torres and Deja Davis, Duke softball

Duke Sweeps Doubleheader; Wins Series vs. Notre Dame

2/21/2021 5:06:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

DURHAM, N.C. – Bouncing back after last night's setback, No. 18 Duke swept Notre Dame on Sunday to claim the conference series and close out the ACC pod weekend at the Duke Softball Stadium. Duke picked up a 3-1 win in the first game of the doubleheader before shutting out Notre Dame, 3-0, in game two.

The Blue Devils improve to 8-1 in the 2021 campaign and open ACC play with a 4-1 record while Notre Dame falls to 3-4 and 1-3.

Junior Deja Davis led all players on Sunday with a strong 5-for-7 performance, including two triples in the first game, with two runs scored and an RBI. Freshman Kelly Torres collected two hits in game two as the rookie garnered her first career home run.

Duke saw stellar pitching from junior Shelby Walters and senior Peyton St. George who both threw complete games, collecting their third and second wins of the season, respectively.

Duke 3, Notre Dame 1
Producing in the leadoff position, Davis ripped her first triple of the contest to the wall in right center to get the Blue Devils started in the opening frame, marking her second leadoff triple of the young season. Duke looked to squeeze Davis home at third on a bunt from senior Rachel Crabtree, but Davis was called out at home plate.

Walters struck out the first batter she faced in the bottom half of the frame, followed by a line-out double play to Davis to end the inning two batters later. Junior Caroline Jacobsen notched the Blue Devils' first hit in the second inning with a double before freshman Claire Davidson recorded her first collegiate hit and RBI, singling up the middle to put Duke ahead, 1-0.

Duke posed a threat in the fourth with singles from senior Jameson Kavel and Jacobsen, putting two runners on base, but the Blue Devils were unable to tack onto their lead. The Irish tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom half with an RBI single.

Following a quiet fifth, Duke scored the final two runs of the contest thanks to two hits in the sixth. Graduate student Raine Wilson took a free base on a hit-by-pitch before Davidson laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Wilson to second and eventually landing at home on Davis' second triple of the game. Davis would cross home plate on the next at-bat by a hit through the left side from sophomore Gisele Tapia.

Walters hurled seven complete innings in her third victory (3-0) of the season, tallying her third strikeout of the morning to seal Duke's 3-1 win.

Duke 3, Notre Dame 0
St. George began her third start of the season with back-to-back strikeouts in the top of the first inning before retiring Notre Dame's side in the second on three straight K's.

In the bottom half, Kavel doubled to right center and scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice bunt from Wilson (1-0).

Following two Irish hits in the fourth frame, St. George got out of a bases-loaded jam with a fly out to center, keeping Duke's 1-0 lead intact.

Duke added insurance runs in the sixth as Torres blasted a leadoff solo home run to left center (2-0). Davis followed with a single and made her way to third on a throwing error from the left fielder, eventually scoring the Blue Devils' final run of the game on an RBI single from Tapia (3-0).

In her second win of the year, St. George tossed a full seven innings in which she only let up three hits while racking up eight strikeouts in the shutout.

Next up, the Blue Devils will travel south to Columbia, S.C., for the Gamecock Invitational, Feb. 27-28. Duke will play a pair of games against Seton Hall while facing Longwood and No. 19 South Carolina one game apiece.

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