Duke Outlasts Indiana in Home Opener, 2-1

Friday, February 14

Durham, N.C.

5:30 p.m.

Duke University

5-1

Indiana

2-4

Indiana

Duke

Duke Outlasts Indiana in Home Opener, 2-1

2/14/2020 10:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

DURHAM, N.C. – Scoring all of the game's runs in the first inning, Duke softball won Friday night's pitchers dual and outlasted Indiana, 2-1, on the first day of the 2020 Big 10/ACC Challenge.

The Blue Devils notched their first home victory of the season, improving to 5-1 overall as junior Peyton St. George tied her career-high strikeout record with 12. The Hoosiers fell to 2-4 with two of their losses at the hands of Duke.

"We're really big on working together so that means when your number is called to come in, all Coach (Marissa) Young asks of us is that we compete and I think we're trying to do that a lot better now," St. George said. "We're working together as a staff and if we keep that mindset, we're going to be unstoppable."

Junior Brianna Butler started in the circle for Duke, throwing 1.1 innings, while earning one strikeout. St. George entered in relief in the second, dealing 5.2 frames in which she garnered 12 K's. Between the two, Butler and St. George combined for 13 strikeouts which broke the team record previously set against NC State (12) on April 20, 2019.

The Hoosiers got on the board first with a solo home run from junior Grayson Radcliffe in the top of the first. Junior Rachel Crabtree sparked Duke's offense with a leadoff single through the right side in the bottom of the frame. After working the count, junior Jameson Kavel drew a walk before sophomore Caroline Jacobsen sent a shot to left field to load the bases. Senior Raine Wilson then reached on a fielder's choice as the Hoosiers got the force out at home. During the ensuing at bat, freshman Gisele Tapia sent a ball to second which led to an error that allowed the final two runs of the game to touch home plate.

Indiana went on to garner six more hits, but strong pitching and defense forced the Hoosiers to strand 10 runners throughout the last six innings.

Duke and Indiana return tomorrow for their second contest of the weekend at 12:30 p.m. before the Blue Devils face Rutgers at 5:30 p.m. at the Duke Softball Stadium.

#GoDuke