Duke, Georgia Tech Split Doubleheader to Open Series

Friday, April 6

Durham, N.C.

3:00 PM

Duke University

20-18, 6-7

Georgia Tech

19-17, 5-5

Georgia Tech

Duke

Duke, Georgia Tech Split Doubleheader to Open Series

4/6/2018 10:15:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (PDF) - Game 2 Box Score (PDF) - Game 1 Season Stats Box Score (HTML) - Game 2 Box Score (HTML) - Game 1

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Late runs were the deciding factors in Friday afternoon's doubleheader between the Duke Blue Devils (20-19, 6-8 ACC) and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (20-17, 6-5 ACC), as the two split the twinbill to open the series at the Duke Softball Stadium.

The Blue Devils broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth in the day's first game, as Amelia Wiercioch put the ball through the right side with the bases loaded to score the winning run and give Duke the first game, 2-1. The Yellow Jackets responded in game two, rallying from down 3-0 with three runs in the sixth and the go-ahead score in the seventh to split the series with a 4-3 victory.

Friday's split sets up a rubber match Sunday, April 8 at noon ET, which will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Fans can access the broadcast through WatchESPN.com or the ESPN app.

After a quiet first inning on both sides, Georgia Tech opened the day's scoring with one of its three home runs on the day. That lead would not last long with Duke responding just a half inning later. Kortney Dry got things started with a one-out double off the wall in center before Haley Wymbs drew a walk to put two on with two outs. Peyton St. George would step up and deliver one of her two hits in the game, a double to left that pushed Dry across home plate and tied the contest at 1-1.

St. George, who earned her second ACC start of the season, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third to keep the game even. She would give way to Amelia Wiercioch in the top of the fourth, who keep Georgia Tech silent throughout the remainder of the contest. The righty would toss a pair of 1-2-3 innings and force Georgia Tech into a 4-6-3 double play in the fifth, the Blue Devils' first double play turned in ACC action in program history.

Georgia Tech would do the same in keeping Duke quiet at the plate after the run scored in the second. The Blue Devils were able to load the bases in the seventh and looked poised to walk off the series opener before the Yellow Jackets escaped with a swinging strikeout. However, Duke would get another chance in the eighth and would not let that opportunity slip.

After a hit by pitch, walk and single loaded the bases, Wiercioch delivered a single to drive in her 19th RBI of the season to give Duke its fourth walk-off victory of the year.

Wiercioch improved to 6-6 on the year after throwing 4.1 innings in relief, striking out two and allowing just two hits and zero runs. Dry and St. George both finished with a pair of hits to lead Duke's six-hit showing.

Duke wasted no time getting things going in game two, as Raine Wilson delivered her team-leading fourth home run of the season, a solo shot off the scoreboard in left to give the home team an early 1-0 advantage. The Blue Devils tacked on two more in the fourth, as a pair of Georgia Tech errors set up a two-RBI double to right center for Wilson to make it 3-0. Duke nearly broke the game open after Tech's third error of the inning loaded the bases with one away, but could not capitalize after a strikeout and fly out ended the frame.

Tech began its rally in the sixth, blasting a leadoff solo home run to left to cut Duke's lead down to 3-1. A single up the middle with the bases loaded pushed two runs home and officially erased Duke's lead by tying the game at 3-3.

The Yellow Jackets took the lead in the seventh with a solo home run to left, making 4-3 in favor of the visitors. Duke was able to load the bases with two outs after a Jazmine Moreno walk and singles from Rachel Abboud and Wiercioch, but a 1-3 groundout closed the contest and gave Tech a 4-3 game two win.

Wiercioch earned the start in game two, going 5.1 innings before giving way to Katherine Huey (7-7), who finished out the contest with 1.2 innings of work while striking out three. Abboud, who went 2-for-3, picked up her team-best 13th multi-hit game of the year. Wilson went 2-for-4 with a home run, double and three runs batted in, earning her 11th multi-hit showing and fourth multi-RBI contest of the season.

For more information on Duke softball, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching for “DukeSoftball”. You can also find all-access coverage of all Duke athletic programs on SnapChat by searching for “dukeathletics”.

Extra Bases…

For the first time in program history, the Blue Devils will play in an ACC rubber match after splitting Friday's series-opening doubleheader.
A 4-6-3 double play in the top of the fifth of game one marked the first ACC double play turned in program history for the Blue Devils.
Duke is now 5-3 at home in ACC play this season.
The Blue Devils' game-one win was just their fourth of the season when scoring two or less runs.
Duke is now 13-1 this year when holding opponents to two or less runs.
The game two loss was just Duke's second defeat of the year when entering the sixth inning with a lead (14-2).
Rachel Abboud now has 13 multi-hit games on the year after picking up two in the second game.
Abboud has reached base safely in eight-straight games, two shy of tying her career high.
Raine Wilson picked up her fourth home run of the season with a solo shot off the scoreboard in left in the second inning of game two.
Wilson earned her team-leading 10th double, along with 11th multi-hit and fourth multi-RBI game in game two.
Wilson has hit safely in 19 of her last 23 contests. She is 28-for-69 (.406) with 16 RBI, 13 runs scored, six doubles, four homers and a triple in that stretch.

Series Info…

Friday, April 6
Duke def. Georgia Tech, 2-1 (Stats)
Georgia Tech def. Duke, 4-3 (Stats)

Sunday, April 8
Duke vs. Georgia Tech – 12:00 p.m. ET
ACC Network Extra
Durham, N.C.
Duke Softball Stadium

Live Broadcast…
Sunday's contest will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra. Fans can access the broadcast through WatchESPN.com, the ESPN app or by clicking the links below.

Duke vs. Georgia Tech ACC Network Extra (Sunday, April 8)

Live Stats…
Duke will provide live stats for Sunday's contest. Fans can access them through www.GoDuke.com/softball or by clicking the link below.

Duke vs. Georgia Tech Live Stats (Saturday, April 7 – Game 3)

Ticket Information…
Admission for all games this weekend, as well as to all home games at the Duke Softball Stadium is free.

Weather…

Sunday, April 8 – High 58, Low 40; Mostly Sunny (0%)

A Year Of Firsts...
The Blue Devils' inaugural campaign will be filled with a number of statistical firsts as the year goes on. Here is a look at the firsts accomplished by Team One so far.

Game: Feb. 8, 2018 vs. FAU (Game 1)

Win (Team): Feb. 8, 2018 vs. FAU (Game 1), 4-3

Win (Individual): Katherine Huey vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

At-Bat: Jameson Kavel vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Pitch: Amelia Wiercioch vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Baserunner: Jameson Kavel (Walked, 1st Inning) vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Hit: Amelia Wiercioch (Double, 1st Inning) vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Single: Rachel Abboud (3rd Inning) vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Double: Amelia Wiercioch (1st Inning) vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Walk: Jameson Kavel (1st Inning) vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018

Hit By Pitch: Ashleigh Rodriguez (7th Inning) vs. FAU (Game 2), Feb. 8, 2018

Run Scored: Raine Wilson (1st Inning, Amelia Wiercioch 2 RBI Double) vs. FAU (Game 1), Feb. 8, 2018