Rally Comes Up Short as Duke Falls to Tech, 5-3

Sunday, April 8

Durham, N.C.

12:00 PM

Duke University

20-20, 6-9

Georgia Tech

21-17, 7-5

Georgia Tech

Duke

Blue Devils Edged in Saturday Twinbill at Longwood

Rally Comes Up Short as Duke Falls to Tech, 5-3

4/8/2018 3:40:00 PM | Softball

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By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Trailing by four going into the seventh, the Duke Blue Devils (20-20, 6-9 ACC) cut the deficit in half but fell just short of the comeback as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (21-17, 7-5 ACC) held on for a 5-3 victory to take the series Sunday afternoon.

Both pitchers were locked in for the first two frames in the rubber match at the Duke Softball Stadium until Tech broke through in the third with four runs. Tech tallied its first of two homers on the day with a leadoff solo shot to make it 1-0. After consecutive groundout, the Yellow Jackets put a pair of runners in scoring position and brought one home on a hard-hit shot through the left side to go up 2-0. The lead would grow to 4-0 after a fielding error on the Blue Devils allowed two more to score for the visitors.

Duke got one back in the home half of the fourth thanks to a two-out RBI single to center from Haley Wymbs to score Kortney Dry. Dry and Raine Wilson opened the frame with back-to-back singles. That set up Wymbs' second hit of the day, moving her season total of multi-hit performances to four.

The fifth inning saw the Blue Devils come close to breaking down Tech's defense, as three-straight singles from Jameson Kavel, Rachel Abboud and Dry loaded the bases with just one out on the board. The Yellow Jackets were able to escape unscathed thanks to a grounder to third that got the lead runner at home and a strikeout looking.

A two-out solo home run to center pushed Tech's lead to 5-1 in the sixth, putting a tall task in front of the Blue Devils as they headed into the final frame. After two quick outs, a walk to Abboud and a defensive error allowed Dry to reach safely and put two on for the home team. Wilson kept her hot play at the plate in ACC action going with a two-RBI double to the wall in right center that cut Tech's lead to 5-3. However, the Blue Devils would come no closer as the Yellow Jackets forced a pop up to close out the game and take the series with a 5-3 victory.

For the fourth time in the last five games, the Blue Devils out hit their opponent, garnering eight to Tech's five on Sunday. Dry, Wilson and Wymbs each turned in multi-hit showings, with Wilson's season total of such performances moving up to 12. Kavel and Abboud each tallied a hit as Duke's 1-4 hitters went 6-for-14 on the day with a pair of runs driven in and a double.

Wilson also finished with a pair of runs batted in to put her into a tie for the team lead with five multi-RBI contests this season.

Amelia Wiercioch (6-7) got the start for Duke, going 3.0 frames and allowing just two earned runs on three hits and striking out four, coming two short of tying her career high. Peyton St. George threw 3.0 innings as well, fanning two batters and allowing a pair of hits and a run. Katherine Huey closed out the contest for Duke with 1.0 inning of work with a strikeout.

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Extra Bases…

Sunday's game was the first rubber match for the Blue Devils in program history as both teams split Friday's series-opening doubleheader.
After going 2-for-4 on the day, Raine Wilson is now 19-for-44 (.432) at the plate in ACC play with 12 RBI, six runs scored, three homers and a trio of doubles with a .705 slugging clip and .500 on-base percentage.
Wilson now has 12 multi-hit games on the year, the second most on the team and one behind Rachel Abboud.
With a pair of runs batted in, Wilson is now tied with Amelia Wiercioch for the team lead with five multi-RBI contests this season.
Kortney Dry and Haley Wymbs each tallied a pair of hits Sunday, picking up their fifth and fourth multi-hit games of the year, respectively.
Wiercioch struck out four batters on the day, posting her fifth showing of the season with at least four strikeouts. She came within two of tying her career high.

Series Info…

Friday, April 6
Duke def. Georgia Tech, 2-1 [8] (Stats)
Georgia Tech def. Duke, 4-3 (Stats)

Sunday, April 8
Georgia Tech def. Duke, 5-3 (Stats)

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