Blue Devils Sweep Doubleheader With North Carolina A&T

Friday, November 5

Durham, N.C.

5 P.M.

Duke University

North Carolina A&T

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Blue Devils Sweep Doubleheader With North Carolina A&T

11/5/2021 11:33:00 PM | Softball

DURHAM – The Duke softball program concluded its fall ball slate with a pair of five innings victories, defeating North Carolina A&T, 7-2, in game one and 8-2, in game two on Friday night at Duke Softball Stadium.

The Blue Devils finish the fall ball schedule with a perfect 10-0 record, outscoring opponents 86-7 over the fall.

For the first time this fall, the Blue Devils faced a multi-run deficit, after a two-run home run by the Aggies in the top of the first inning of game one. However, the Blue Devils were quick to respond and took the lead back in the second inning.

After freshmen Leah Jarnac and Jada Baker each reached base, sophomore Julia Boyet, kick started a big day, with a two-RBI double over the head of the right fielder to tie the game. Boyet would come home on an RBI single by sophomore Francesca Frelick to give Duke the lead for good.

The Aggies were nearly able to tie the game quickly thereafter, after a leadoff double and a stolen base, to get a runner at third base with no one out. Sophomore Jala Wright navigated out of trouble, striking out a batter, then getting a double play off a fly out and the runner breaking for home too early, to escape the inning. Her third inning escape started a huge day for Wright, who struck out seven over three innings.

The Blue Devils earned some insurance late in game one, when Wright helped her own cause and drove in a run, off an RBI single, to make it 4-2. After getting two more runners into scoring position, freshman Taylor Krapf sealed the win with a deep three-run home run into right center field to make it 7-2.

Much like game one, the Aggies built a 2-0 lead early in the game, but the Blue Devils chipped away. The scoring began in the bottom of the second, when freshman Ana Gold launched a ball over the left field wall for a solo home run.

The ball continued to fly out for the Blue Devils, who tacked on two more long balls in the third inning. Sophomore Claire Davidson tied the game with a solo home run to lead off the inning and graduate student Rachel Crabtree finished off the inning with a two-run blast off the left field scoreboard to take a 4-2 lead.

The Blue Devils would add four more in the fourth inning, beginning with savvy baserunning from senior Kristina Foreman. Foreman started the inning with a single, stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch. While she would get caught in a run down after another wild pitch, Foreman used her speed to get out of it and score on the play, making it five one.

Graduate student Jameson Kavel put the game away with a two RBI triple and scored on a delayed double steal to secure an 8-2 victory.

The Blue Devils will take the field one final time this fall, when they play in the annual fall world series. The game will be played on Saturday at 11 a.m.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils softball, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeSOFTBALL".

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